Channel Marketing Series: Globalization of Websites
by Joe Orlando, Director of Sales
08/14/2007
The team at Embarc has seen an increase in activity from clients and prospects asking for help with global internet strategy, as it applies to their corporate web presence and also to products and partner channels. A truly global website should deliver the same brand experience and message no matter what language it's presented in. But that is easier said than done. With so many different spoken and written languages and multiple cultures within those languages, interpretation of messages and images can be tricky business.
Translation vs. Globalization
As we work with our clients to understand their goals, we find ourselves educating their marketing team on some of the pitfalls of developing an international web presence. One misconception we commonly run into is that translation is the same as globalization. However, Translation is only a part of globalizing your brand and message.
How do we make sure we are reaching the right audience and delivering the right message to that audience? The first step is to create a global web strategy. This is the high level plan that documents the countries/regions to be penetrated and the architecture and presentation layer of information that will be served to the end-user.
When these initial discussions start, the first question is "Are we just translating the English content or are we going to take a regional content development strategy?" It's obvious that simple translation can be the fastest and most economical, but it begs to question - Are we truly communicating to the regional audiences? Are there cultural biases that simple translated content will bypass? Literal translation may not deliver the same message and brand experience to regional visitors.
Taking a regional approach to website globalization may take longer and require more resources, but it will ensure that the message is clear to all regional audiences. This will require that the content is created or translated by actual people who live and work in those regions. This could be done by your organization's local office in that region.
The Use of Technology and Process
Although a regional content development strategy may seem like a perfect option, there is an issue that always surfaces with any decentralized process - How is this process controlled? Who and how are versions managed? How is content saved and indexed? Will there be a library of global content? If there is a change to the English version of the website, will there be a system in place to notify and task those regional site managers to make the appropriate changes on their websites or content areas? No matter what the globalization approach, another question to be answered is - how is international content going to be managed, and how often will it be updated? Will there be a language library of translated content and once there is an update to the English version, what will be the process for updating the international versions on the website? Learn more about Choosing a Content Management System.
Globalization and Information Architecture
Finally, when discussing globalization, it is important to create standards for design and information architecture. Developing these standards is vital in maintaining the overall look and feel of the web property for various regions. This also helps control some of the issues organizations face when working a decentralized marketing groups internationally. It provides parameters for content development within a framework that delivers a consistent brand, navigation and look and feel.
Summary
In summary, there are many factors outside of simple language translations that must be taken into account when deciding upon a web globalization strategy. Carefully select the strategy that can be effectively executed given your corporate structure, resources at your disposal, and ability to manage content with web technology.
