These days, you’re always met with the buzzword’s ‘brand’ or ‘branding.’ Are they being used in the right way? Our Day Translations blog explores Brand Localization in this post, what it is and how it works. As long as you want to expand your company or business into the global market, brand localization should be high on your list of things to consider when seeking to get this done.
Let’s not waste any more time and dive right into this matter.
What is a Brand?
First things first. In order to grasp an in-depth and practical understanding of what brand localization is, we first have to understand the two critical terms on their own, and then we combine them to finish off.
So what is a brand? A lot of people think that a brand is just a name. But that’s just one part of the whole. A brand is an identity. Think of the name of any product, and you’re sure to start associating a feeling with it. It may very well bring a feeling of pride to be wearing it; that is what a brand is.
A brand is a voice, an attitude; it is much more than a name printed on a piece of paper. For many people, when they associate themselves with a brand, it usually fits well within their chosen lifestyle.
In essence, a brand caters to the needs of the people that it attracts.
What is Localization?
Localization, or language localization as it’s sometimes referred to, is the process of transforming a business’ products and or services to look and feel like it is part of a chosen culture within a particular location.
The localization process involves living up to a certain standard and quality that a particular region is accustomed to. This means that everything from your company’s websites and social media all the way down to what is written on your labels, payment methods, and how you communicate with your customers must be taken into account when it comes to localization.
What is Brand Localization?
We now have an understanding of what a brand is as well as what localization is, which means we can now define brand localization.
Brand Localization, in simple terms, is localizing a brand. This means that you’re converting your brand and all it has to offer, including content, currencies, and other messaging that is original to your brand, for new markets on the global scene.
The aim of brand localization is to ensure that no matter where in the world your brand is located, everything that makes your brand what it is, is kept in place. This means that your brand’s look, feel, and overall aim are communicated and kept in place no matter the culture or language.
In the easiest ways to understand, no matter where you take your brand, you want everyone to have an authentic experience that is true to your brand. This, however, does not mean that one size fits all markets.
There are many things to consider when a brand intends to take on a new market, and below are a few of them:
- The native language spoken
- The culture
- Religion
When proper research is done, and you’re sure of the direction you wish to take, the next thing to do is design and set up a brand localization strategy.
Brand Localization Strategy – What is it?
We’ve discussed the fact that brand localization has an overall aim of showing how your brand is going to be perceived in a new market. Your brand localization strategy goes way beyond the use of marketing materials. Instead, it encompasses the entire experience you want your customers to have no matter where they’re located.
Here is a list of critical factors that need to be part of your brand localization strategy:
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Simplify Your Messaging
The messaging for your brand does not only include the content you create for websites and other media platforms, it also includes the name of your brand as well as the slogan.
In some cases, the brand name and slogan when translated does not communicate the exact meaning of what it is in the native language your brand originated from.
This is where research and a professional translation team comes in to make the process go smoothly and produce accurate interpretations of what works within the culture of your new market.
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Have a Clear Idea of Who Your Audience is
Without defining your target audience, you won’t be able to develop a strategy that will work. This has a lot to do with the cultural norms within the society as well as the perception they may or may not have about the brand. This means that you’ll ask questions such as what are their likes and dislikes, what’s on trend, and what is considered normal or abnormal.
All these elements combined will help you have a clear definition of your target audience and what you can do to implement a strategy that works.
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Validate Your Translation
How do you know whether or not your brand terminology, as well as all the other messaging, products, and services offered translate well into your new market?
Well, one way of getting this done is by validating your translation. This is done by conducting a thorough quality assurance check of what was already translated to ensure that it is error-free and done correctly based on context.
You wouldn’t want to launch your website or print any labels, for example if it has a faulty translation.
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Choose the Best Localization Specialists for the Job
Having the best localization specialists on your side is an absolute plus when it comes to taking your brand into new markets.
There are instances where you have the correct translation in place, but the actual intended message does not correlate. A dedicated and professional team like the one here at Day Translations is perfect for the job. They’ll take you through the entire localization process and review the final product to ensure that it resonates with your intended target audience.
Final Thoughts
If you were one to worry about whether or not you can keep your brand authentic while seeking to enter a new global market, now you can breathe easily from acquiring this information.
When localizing your products and services, keep your brand intact by implementing a carefully curated brand localization strategy. And, of course, the Day Translations team can help.
Don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team of professional localization experts is here to help.