If you are thinking of going global with your business, then you need a multilingual website. You have two options. 

  1. You build separate websites in local languages for all the places you expand to

  2. You opt for translation and localization services

The first option has certain drawbacks, like:

  • You have to hire a local team proficient in the language

  • You have to keep maintaining the team

  • Every time you want to update your brand messaging, you have to do it across all your websites

If this isn’t a hassle, what is? The message being conveyed here is clear. Leverage either translation or localization. But which to choose? That’s an even bigger question. Let’s explore.

What is Translation in Content?

This is not a new term. You know what translation means. You use it to convert text to different languages. But it is not easy because finding the closest equivalent words in the target language can be quite a challenge. Especially when you have to keep the original meaning intact. Web development companies offering translation services have the skilled tools and skillsets to make the process seamless. 

But translation services are very popular with businesses of a certain kind. These include:  

  • Those that need to provide user manuals or product descriptions in multiple languages

  • Businesses that need to reach a broad audience with content like blogs, websites, or advertising

  • Companies that want their official documents, such as contracts or reports, to be understood in different regions

But translation does not necessarily imbibe cultural nuances, tone, or local customs. Translation services prioritize word choice and sentence structure accuracy. Translated text rarely, if ever, resonates with a local audience.

What is Localization in Business?

Using the native language to adapt your product, service, or content and make them fit a specific cultural context. Localization subtly introduces nuances that make your website look and feel native to a region or place. For example, it might change your web page visuals, tweak your messaging, etc to make your business resonate with local customs, values, and expectations.

Localization generally focuses more on:

  • Enriching your content with local culture, idioms, and behaviors

  • Adjusting date formats, currency calculations, and measurements

  • Integrating locally favored colors, imagery, and symbols

  • Ensuring your business meets global and local regulations and market conditions

Let’s take an example. Say you run a successful restaurant in India and want to open one in Japan. What do you do? You have two options.

  • You can simply change the language of the menu from Hindi to Japanese

  • You can change the menu to reflect food native to Japan

In the first instance, you are just translating. In the second, you are opting for localization. 

So if we have to broadly define translation vs localization in digital marketing, it would be:

  • Translation just helps your product communicate across languages

  • Localization increases product relevance by making it native to the target market

Now, the key question that arises is: Which one does your business need? Let’s answer that in the next section. 

Localization vs. Translation: Key Differences and their Impact 

How do you make the right choice? That depends on your commercial goals, the target audience, nature of your business, and local rules and regulations. 

Before we go any further, let’s look at the key differences between localization and translation services in brief. 

Localization vs. Translation: Key Differences

Aspect

Localization services

Translation services

Scope

Adapts text, design, images, currencies, and other elements for a specific region or culture.

Focuses only on converting language, leaving other elements unchanged.

Cultural Sensitivity

Prioritizes cultural norms, local preferences, and societal values.

Primarily focuses on linguistic accuracy.

Objective

To make content feel native and relevant to the target market.

To preserve the original meaning of the text.

Adaptation

Changes elements like layout, images, and dates to fit local expectations.

Does not alter content format or design, focusing solely on the text.

Time & Cost

Takes more time and is more expensive.

Faster and more affordable.

How professional translation vs localization impacts key businesses. Let’s explore.

Companies selling a product

Here, you need translation services for labeling, instructions, and packaging. But for advertising campaigns, emails, websites, etc., you need localization. 

Companies selling software as a service

Here, localization gains importance. Why? Because the software must cater to the regional audience. So it has to support the language native to the place, meet local regulatory requirements, conform to local time zones, currencies, and date and number formats. 

For E-commerce Businesses

All international expansions would require localization. You might want to leverage translation for your website, product descriptions, and customer reviews, but localization will help you get the leads. It will help you understand the needs and pain points of your local consumers and give you the required edge to beat the competition. Further, it will help you to analyze your website and see how local customers and users perceive your brand. It will ensure you’re speaking to the right needs, wants, and desires of the local audience.

Finally, payment preference localization. For ecommerce, this is a vital requirement, and localizing payment options can reduce cart abandonment substantially.be the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart.