Before you begin your web site localization project…

 

Congratulations! You have decided to take the next step in customer service excellence by deciding to localize your web site for your customers or prospects in your target markets!

Nadia Ballard Consulting would like to provide you with a few tips on Technical, Design and Cultural Considerations that can help make your project a success. We hope you find them useful.

Technical and Design Considerations:

Text

Expansion

 

·         Depending on your target language and the font used for it, you will need to allocate enough space for text expansion (or shrinkage) in both width and height.

·         If you are using tables as a layout tool on your site, make sure their widths are not fixed, so they can expand (or shrink) dynamically with the text.

 

Search Engine Compatibility

 

·         To gain visibility on country-specific search engines, consider translating your web site’s meta tags into the corresponding language and registering your web site with the most popular local search engines.

·         Search engine spiders are becoming “smarter,”  and they would not register your web site if they detect that only one page is translated into the local language. Consider creating a localized min-site that is at least 2-3 levels deep.

 

Privacy

 

·         Because privacy is a hot issue on the Web today, make sure to translate your privacy policy into your target languages and provide an easily accessible link to it.

·         In some countries, the laws and regulations for collecting user information and using it to market directly to the consumer without his or her expressed permission are very strict. Do your homework before attempting to collect such information or sending unsolicited e-mails or newsletters.

 

Printing

 

·         Many users may want to print your web pages before they read them. Make sure that the page setup conforms to the local paper size standards (i.e., A4).

 

Site Management

 

·         If you currently use site management software, make sure that the file structure is designed to accommodate team work, and frequent updates by external users (i.e., translators, localization experts, etc.)

 

Wireless Compatibility

 

·         In certain countries and regions, wireless devices such as cell phones and PDAs are widely used for business-related web site browsing and e-mail communications. Consider making at least some of your main web pages compatible for such downloads.

 

Feedback Response

 

·         Visitors who send inquiries from the localized sites, expect to be answered promptly and in the same language in which they sent the question. Make sure you have the ability to read and respond to foreign language inquiries in a timely manner. Consider your best options for avoiding translation issues and technical compatibility issues such as double-byte character processing (for some Asian languages), language sets availability, etc.

 

Testing

 

·         If you can’t involve representatives from the target markets at the beginning  of the localization project, make sure to include them during the QA phase. They can give you invaluable feedback not only on cultural issues, but also on download time, browser compatibility, etc. 

 

 

Cultural Issues:

Information
Design

 

·         Translate all parts of the page: title, menus, sub-menus, main content, links, etc. When clicking on a link in their local language, visitors expect to read another document in their language. A link leading them to an English document can bring unpleasant surprise, frustration and disappointment

·         Besides the standard localization of date, time, address, currency, and other formats, consider organizing the information flow on the page according to the cultural standards (e.g., include more background and detail information before discussing product functionality when writing for Japanese audience).

 

Color
Scheme

 

·         Research the cultural connotation of colors for you target markets and design your site accordingly.

·         Avoid using the colors of the national flag as design element on your site.

 

Language

 

·         Before you decide to what target languages you need to translate your site, conduct an audience analysis to find out the common languages and dialects used by your existing customers and the prospects in your target markets.

·         Because they are hard to translate successfully, avoid using idioms, humor and other culture-specific language elements.

 

Graphics

 

·         Use graphics sparsely, especially for links or other important information.

·         Use neutral and consistent graphics styles, such as cartoons and photographs.

·         Avoid depicting body parts, gestures, religious symbols, or culturally-specific icons such as mail boxes or shopping carts.

 

 

 

Please note:

These tips are provided only as partial and general guidelines for web site localization projects. They are not intended to present a complete or detailed review of localization principles and methods. For customized, in-depth evaluation of your localization project, please contact Nadia Ballard Consulting at 407.622.7544 or info@bridgecultures.com.

 

We welcome your questions and comments at www.bridgecultures.com!