Nitin is the CEO of quickads.ai with 20+ years of experience in the field of marketing and advertising. Previously, he was a partner at McKinsey & Co and MD at Accenture, where he has led 20+ marketing transformations.
In today's global market, it's crucial to create content that not only translates across languages but also resonates with different cultures. Here's a quick rundown:
This article dives into the complexities of creating engaging, culturally connected content for multi-language markets, offering practical strategies for success.
When you translate words exactly as they are, often they don't make sense or lose their punch because:
Sayings don't work the same in every language (like "break a leg" in English means good luck).
Words don’t always match up perfectly across languages ("love" in English vs Mandarin Chinese can mean different things).
The way sentences are built can change the message.
This can make your brand look silly or confusing by:
We need to change the message to fit better with each language.
It's tough to keep your brand sounding the same in different languages because:
You have to figure out what makes your brand special and make sure that shows up, no matter the language.
Not paying attention to local culture can lead to big mistakes. Companies have messed up by:
This can hurt your brand’s image and sales. You need to really understand the local culture to avoid these mistakes. Working with people from the area can help a lot.
In short, making content for different languages means you have to be careful with both words and culture. But if you can keep your brand's heart while fitting in locally, you can connect with people all over the world.
To make sure your content works well in different countries, it's important to really understand the local culture and what people like or dislike. Here's how you can do that:
It's super helpful to talk directly to people in your target markets. You can use surveys, group discussions, or one-on-one chats to get a sense of how they think and what matters to them. This helps you figure out the best way to talk to them in your ads or website content. Also, looking at data about what they buy or watch can guide you on where to focus your efforts.
Once you know more about your audience, you can start making content that fits their culture but still feels like your brand. This means planning out your main messages but letting local teams tweak them so they make sense locally. Giving them a guide on your brand's style but letting them adjust things to fit better is a good balance.
Having team members from the places you're targeting is really useful. They know their culture inside out and can make sure your content doesn't just translate well, but also feels right. They're good at picking the right words, images, and even jokes that work in their culture.
After you start putting out your content, keep an eye on how it's doing. See what people like and don't like, and use that info to make your content even better. This means trying out different versions and seeing what sticks, always aiming to connect better with your audience.
Using tools like Google and Facebook ads localization, WordPress Multilingual Plugin, and localization management software can help in adapting your content across markets. Also, translators like Google Translate, DeepL Translator, or Amazon Translate can assist in initial translations, but remember, the real magic happens when local experts tweak your content to make it culturally relevant.
: Embracing Multilingual Content Evolution
In our world today, businesses can reach out to people everywhere thanks to technology. But to really connect with people from different places, companies need to make sure their messages fit the local culture. This means not just translating words, but also making sure the content speaks to what's important to people there.
Let's look at some examples of companies that did a great job:
These examples show that understanding and respecting different cultures can really pay off. By taking the time to learn what matters to people in different places, trying out different ways to talk to them, and seeing what works best, companies can make real connections with new customers.
Moving forward, it's clear that making content that fits well with different cultures isn't just a nice thing to do; it's necessary. Companies that take the time to do this well will see the benefits. Now is the time to make sure your content is ready for the global stage.
Here are some quotes that show how knowing more languages opens up our world:
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." - Ludwig Wittgenstein. This means if you know more languages, you understand more about the world.
"A different language is a different vision of life." - Federico Fellini. Every language gives us a new way to see life.
"You can never understand one language until you understand at least two." This tells us that learning a new language helps us understand our own language better.
To make content in two languages:
Multilingual text is content that can change languages easily. If someone switches the language setting, the text changes too. This makes it easy for people to use websites or apps in their own language without needing different versions.
The word "huh" is the same in all languages. It's a simple sound we make when we're confused, asking a question, or surprised. This shows that even though languages can be very different, some things are the same everywhere.
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Creative Texts for Multi-Language Markets