How to prioritize the right localization languages

Expanding into new markets comes with big decisions. One of the key ones is definitely which localization languages to prioritize.

Should you focus on your current customers, potential growth markets, or the different languages spoken in countries with the most purchasing power? And what about making the most of your translation and localization budget?

These questions can quickly pile up, leaving you unsure of your next move. Luckily, language localization gets easier when you gain clarity around your goals.

💪 Actionable guide
Deciding on the right localization language isn’t a coin toss—it’s a strategic move that directly impacts your market reach and customer engagement. This guide provides an easy framework that will help you evaluate the most important factors before investing in localization.

You need to decide on target markets first

Decision on market expansion typically comes before deciding which language you want to localize. It’s about identifying where your company should grow. This involves evaluating the economic, cultural, and strategic fit of entering a new market.

Only once you’ve decided on target markets, language localization can help you adapt your content and products to resonate with audiences in those markets.

Are there some cases where localization comes first?

Language localization goes beyond translation activity. It’s about deeply understanding the target culture to adapt your product in a way that truly fits local needs.

In some particular cases, you’ll see that deciding on language localization first makes sense after all. Let’s see two common scenarios:

• For SaaS or e-commerce websites, language localization might unlock global opportunities (without you needing to fully commit to a single market)

• If your product has a natural fit for specific linguistic communities (e.g., French speakers worldwide), you may start by targeting language groups rather than specific markets.

🗒️ Key takeaway:

Market expansion is the broader strategic decision, while language localization is a tactical step that aligns with and supports those decisions. Starting with market expansion ensures your localization efforts are focused and impactful. Localization is there to make sure your message gets across, and that all cultural references are appropriate for the local culture you’re targeting.

Now let’s take a closer look at a very useful localization framework.

Your 3-step localization framework

As we learned in the previous section, language localization is about adapting your content and products to resonate with audiences in chosen markets. It’s the tactical execution that includes translations as well, and follows the strategic decision of market expansion.

So, how do you get there? 

Here’s a simple 3-step framework that will help you use language localization as a strategic lever to grow your company:

1. Identify market priorities
2. Prioritize languages for maximum ROI
3. Build and scale localization efforts

Let’s take a look at each of these steps.

1. Identify market priorities

Before diving into languages, take a step back and ask yourself: “Where will localization make the biggest impact?”

Instead of starting with “everywhere”, focus on markets where you already see interest, or know you can succeed.

Make sure to make the most of your existing data. For example, you can dive into your website analytics. Where’s your web traffic coming from? What languages are your customer support requests in? This is your low-hanging fruit.

💡 Pro tip: This complete guide about cross-border ecommerce has a section on how to identify target markets. Take some time to read it, and make sure you’re well-equipped to understand foreign markets with the highest potential.

Beyond metrics, think behaviors. If you’re in e-commerce, markets with strong mobile app adoption might be more rewarding than those tied to desktop.

Also, make sure to check for “language overlap markets” and weigh your pros and cons. Countries like India, South Africa, or Switzerland often require multiple languages, but offer amazing growth opportunities when tackled strategically. 

Take India, for example. While English and Hindi are widely used, there are 22 official languages (!), and regional preferences like Tamil, Bengali, or Telugu can influence audience engagement.

2. Prioritize languages for maximum ROI

Once you’ve identified the markets, it’s time to zoom in on languages. However, it’s very important you understand that this isn’t just a numbers game. The “biggest” language doesn’t always mean it’s the most valuable for your growth.

When in doubt, start small. It’s always a better idea to first focus on one high-impact language per region and monitor results before expanding.

Even though it might sound counterintuitive, but if you’re targeting Europe–localizing to German alone might drive more ROI than tackling all EU languages at once.

Here are three main tips for identifying languages to localize for positive return on investment:

• Don’t underestimate “peripheral” languages that aren’t the majority, but hold niche buying power (e.g., translating into Catalan for a regionally loyal Spanish audience might be a smart move)
  
• Keep an eye on digital consumption trends to see how localization builds into the experience (e.g., emerging markets like Southeast Asia might prefer apps localized into simplified English if the interface is intuitive)
  
• Use a tiered approach when prioritizing localization languages

A tiered approach to localization helps you invest resources where they matter most. You’re primarily looking at impact and business value.

Example of a tier-based approach to language localization

Here’s how you can define your tiers:

• Tier 1: Core languages for revenue-generating regions
• Tier 2: Emerging markets with growing potential
• Tier 3: Strategic investment for brand reputation (e.g., offering Finnish for Nordic users)

You start with those regions that bring in the highest value for your growth. It might make sense to prioritize localizing marketing materials for specific countries, to get an initial feel of the market.

Then, you expand to Tier 2, where localized content can open new opportunities. Finally, as the lowest priority, you can consider tapping into new global markets and investing some resources into localization to test the waters.

4. Build and scale localization efforts

Do you know where most localization projects stumble? They try to do it all at once. Instead, you should think about making the process scalable, test-driven, and iterative.

Separating the wheat from the chaff is incredibly challenging. But you really should resit the urge to translate everything all at once.

Instead, localize what matters most first. In some cases, that might include translation of software, certain parts of your website such as product pages, checkout flows, or high-performing blog posts. Save the FAQs for later. 

You should always test how global audiences respond to your localized content before committing to large-scale projects. For example, you can invest in translations and run a small PPC ad campaign to gauge click-through rates and interest. Plus, if you need to get internal buy-in for localization, collecting some data to build a business case makes sense.

The most popular languages to localize

While the choice of localization language is determined by your specific target audience, some have gained universal importance in the tech world. Below you can find the top five.

1. English

English is the most widely spoken language worldwide which makes it crucially important for international brands. It is official in over 50 countries and the primary language of communication in many others.

Companies looking to expand globally must localize their content into English to reach a broader audience. English is also the most widely used on the internet, making it crucial for brands targeting online markets.

❗ Important note: Regional variations, such as US English, UK English, Canadian English, and Australian English, will require detail-oriented translations.

2. Chinese

With over 1.3 billion speakers worldwide, Chinese is the most spoken language globally. Companies keen on expanding into the Chinese market must localize their content into Mandarin or Cantonese.

Mandarin is official in China, while Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong and the surrounding regions. Companies looking to expand into Asia must take a closer look at Chinese, as it is an essential for companies in the region.

❗ Important note: Chinese is very complex, with many dialects and variations. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your translations meet the needs of your target audience. For example, simplified Chinese is used in mainland China, while traditional Chinese is used in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

3. Spanish

Spanish is the official language of over twenty countries worldwide and is important if you’re targeting Latin American markets. It is the second most widely spoken language globally, with over 600 million speakers.

If you’re considering tapping into the Latin American market, you must localize their content into Spanish to improve customer engagement and loyalty. However, Spanish also has many regional variations, such as European Spanish and Latin American Spanish.

4. Arabic

Arabic is the official language of 26 countries worldwide, with over 420 million speakers. It is the fifth most spoken language globally and presents an excellent opportunity for businesses looking to expand into Middle Eastern and North African markets.

If expanding to these markets is on your radar, you must recognize the importance of localizing content into Arabic to engage with customers effectively and establish their brand presence in the region. 

❗ Important note: Arabic is rather complex, with many dialects and variations, such as Modern Standard Arabic and Classical Arabic. Therefore, it is very important to have a proper quality assurance process in your translation workflow. This is how you’ll make sure your content doesn’t flop in the end.

5. German

With over 132 million speakers worldwide, German is an essential for brands looking to establish their presence in European markets. It is the most spoken language in the European Union and presents an excellent opportunity for businesses looking to expand their market share in the region.

You should consider localizing content into German to improve customer engagement and establish a strong brand reputation in the region. But remember, German, too, has regional variations (e.g., Swiss German vs. Austrian German), so carefully consider how you’ll approach localization.

Finally, you need the right tools for the job that allow you to automate parts of your workflow while still allowing you good control of the process.

Use Lokalise for language localization

Using a translation management system (TMS) like Lokalise will help you scale localization efficiently.

Even though Lokalise is powered by AI, it’s very important to pair machine translation technology with human reviews for cultural sensitivity and proper quality assurance.

To make sure your content resonates with the local market you’re targeting, you should give your linguists the autonomy to make the right decisions. Cultural adaptation is important and experienced translators might also act as advisors, not just content editors.

As the final takeaway–you need to understand that the localization and translation process is more than just converting words from one language to another. It’s about building bridges between your brand and the people you’re trying to reach. 

Lokalise can certainly be of great help here, but don’t take our word for it. Try it for 14 days, free of charge. No credit card required.