Localization (or l10n for those in the know) is the term used to describe how businesses adapt products, content, and services for different markets, so they feel truly made to fit.
🤓 Why l10n?
There are 10 letters in between the ‘l’ and ‘n’ (l10n)
What can you localize?
• Software localization (mobile apps, websites, games, etc)
• Marketing content (ads, emails, blogs, etc)
• Customer support (chats, knowledge base articles, etc)
When businesses localize their content, they don’t just translate it — although translation IS a big part of localization. They adapt every element to appeal to their target market, including references to local culture, legal requirements, and user experiences that match local expectations.
Here’s a quick summary of the differences between translation and localization:
Translation (t9n – yes! Translation also has its abbreviation) is the process of converting text from one language to another, whereas localization goes beyond translation. It’s about adapting content so that it’s culturally appropriate and relevant to local audiences in your target market.
In short, translation is used to deliver the same message in another language, while localization makes the whole experience feel truly local, which might involve changing your message entirely.
| Process | What's adapted? |
| Localization | Experience |
| Translation | Message |
While every cultural, technical, and linguistic element should be adapted for a product to be considered truly localized, there are different ways to approach localization depending on what you want to achieve.
Light localization might involve translating only your navigation menu text and localizing the currency. This is not the best experience for potential customers but it is a good place to start, especially if you don’t have the resources to fully localize your website. It’s also a good way to test out a new market before you go all in on localization.
To understand the full scope of localization, we’ve listed all the elements you’ll need to consider when localizing your content for a global audience. If you’ve already done your market research and know there’s a demand for your products in other languages, then you’re probably ready to start localizing everything below:
Translation has many layers. There’s a difference between a straight translation and a nuanced rendition that takes note of context and local culture. The closer your content is to users, the more this matters. Brands might even need to recreate content in a target language while maintaining its original meaning, style, and tone. This is known as transcreation and goes a long way in building brand trust.
💡Formal vs informal tone
Did you know that a formal tone is preferred in some countries? If you use a more casual tone in your original language, you might need to tone it down for some markets. The tone might also vary by industry, for example, B2B vs B2C. It all comes down to having a thorough understanding of your audience.
Images need to be localized, too. Consumers like to see lifestyle shots that reflect who they are: photographs soaked in African sunshine may not resonate with a Swede in the Arctic Circle. Remember, visualizing the differences between cultures is as important as variations between languages. Communication is more than words, after all. Don’t forget colors either. Colors symbolize different things in different countries. For example, red is associated with purity in India but mourning in South Africa!
Simpler, but no less vital, are formats for things like dates, time, and currency. Large parts of the world don’t use the 24-hour clock; dates are written differently on opposite sides of the Atlantic; weights, measurements, pricing, and currency change from nation to nation.
🔎 Formatting examples and how they differ
The Euro symbol (€) can either come before or after the value, e.g., €50 or 50 €. Note the latter often has an extra space.
Dates in the U.S. should be formatted as month/day/year (MM/DD/YYYY), whereas in the U.K., they should be in day/month/year format (DD/MM/YYYY).
Pricing in Europe should be formatted using the decimal comma, while in the U.S.A and Canada, it should use the decimal point, e.g., 10,000 vs 10,000.
The Chinese language flows from top to bottom and right to left; Japanese and Korean combine phonetic scripts with Chinese characters; Arabic and Hebrew read from right to left; and tongues from French to Finnish carry glyphs and glosses on their vowels and consonants.
When English text is translated into German, text length can expand by up to 30%, meaning design needs to account for the extra space. Every language has its unique nuances so your user interface, design, and fonts need to adapt to each one.
Localized payment methods should not be overlooked. It’s more than showing local currencies on your price list. While credit cards are widely used in the West, other regions use bank transfers, cash-on-delivery, and even text messages to make payments. Sounds a long way from translation? It is. This is true localization.
Localizing your business to fit the rules and regulations of your target audience should not be left to the end. Legal requirements vary from one state, country, and continent to the next, so you need to make sure your product, services, and adhere to them. For example, most European countries are subject to the General Data Protection Regulation which ensures data privacy. Another example is Quebec’s Bill 64. It’s fairly unique in that it requires businesses with more than 50 employees to conduct their activities in French. Knowing the ins and outs of legal requirements is essential to your success in new markets, not just in terms of legally being able to do business, but also to build brand trust.
You need to be there for users in their language when they need you the most. By localizing your support and self-serve content across the entire journey will show customers you care. Support can include FAQs, documentation, knowledge bases, video tutorials, chat support, onboarding, and more.
Localization takes work. But the more you do it, the more you’ll learn – and the more return on localization investment you’ll see over time.
Localization needs to be a well-thought-out process and tailored to your business. But, before we jump into a high-level example of how companies do localization, let’s take a look at the three most important things you’ll need:
This is possibly THE most important step. A localization strategy will help you plan the resources you need, as well as which markets to target, and the degree of localization you choose.
Read this guide for a deep dive into how to create a localization strategy.
💡Keep in mind
Localization is often part of a larger global strategy that includes globalization, internationalization, and translation. This global strategy framework is often referred to as GILT.
G is for globalization (g11n)
Globalization describes how businesses bring their products and services to the rest of the world. It outlines everything from business operations to marketing translation tactics in new markets.
I is for Internationalization (i18n)
Internationalization involves designing and developing applications to allow for adaptation and localization for different cultures, regions, and languages.
L is for localization (l10n)
Localization (as you already know!) is the process of adapting products, content, and services for different markets.
T is for translations (t9n)
Translation is the process of converting text from one language to another, word-for-word.
Localization involves both internal and external stakeholders.
They fall into five groups:
Translation management systems (TMS) keep everything from translation keys and files to tools and teams, organized from start to finish. This means teams can collaborate on multilingual projects in one place, at scale, and in less time.
Before, localization was a painfully slow and meandering process that involved sending enormous, multi-row, spreadsheets with endless columns to a translation agency via email.
Now, the localization process is a lot more straightforward and accessible largely due to the advancements in localization technology.
Now that you know more about localization and the benefits it brings to your business and global audience, it’s time to try it out for yourself.
Gone are the days of scattered spreadsheets lost in email threads.
Localization now happens in one place.
Here’s a brief overview of how companies do localization using advanced tech, like Lokalise.
Lokalise TMS is available for a free 14-day trial, so you can explore its potential and apply it to your first localization projects.
Author
Ross leads the Content Marketing Team at Lokalise. He's been writing for tech companies for over ten years.
Each market needs its own subject matter expert, native translator, and quality reviewer. You’ll also need someone to manage everything, this is where localization management comes in, along with a designer or two, developers, and more. 1. Centralized localization team A centralized localization team is located entirely in-house, within a single department. All team members
One-size-fits-all marketing won’t take you far in a world where buyers crave personalized experiences. Simply translating content into different languages is a job only half done. Instead of generic translations, you have to completely rethink your marketing campaigns to fit the cultural context of every region. The same goes for product localization, it’s not just about language, but adapting the
Localization workflow for your web and mobile apps, games and digital content.
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