Passed on 21 May, 2025
3. Adapting international audiences
In this lesson, we’ll explore the key steps to adapt to international markets.
✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Understand the difference between translation and localisation.Adapt your content to suit different languages and cultures.Use tools and strategies to make it easier to find you online.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
Understand the difference between translation and localisation.
Adapt your content to suit different languages and cultures.
Use tools and strategies to make it easier to find you online.
The importance of clear communication
Expanding into international markets goes beyond selling products. Clear communication across languages and cultures builds trust, ensures customers understand your offerings and lays the foundation for global success.
Being understood is essential
To succeed with international customers, focus on adapting your messaging, ensuring accessibility across platforms, and tailoring your approach to resonate with local audiences.
Tailor your messaging
Adapt your ads, product descriptions, social media and website to resonate with local audiences. Focus on cultural references, language tone, and preferred visuals that align with local customs.
Support accessibility
Make it easy for customers to find your products and understand your services, no matter where they are.
Deliver excellent support
Provide responsive customer service that builds trust in every region.
Translation and localisation
Translation and localisation are crucial for connecting with customers in new markets. Let’s explore how to adapt your content effectively.
Translation vs localisation
Translation and localisation may sound similar, but they serve different purposes. Here’s how they differ and why you need both.
Translation
This focuses on converting text directly from one language to another, ensuring accuracy and clarity.For example, ‘Contact Us’ becomes ‘Contactez-nous’ in French, retaining the same meaning in a different language.
For example, ‘Contact Us’ becomes ‘Contactez-nous’ in French, retaining the same meaning in a different language.
For example, ‘Contact Us’ becomes ‘Contactez-nous’ in French, retaining the same meaning in a different language.
Localisation
Localisation goes beyond word-for-word translation and focuses on the cultural nuances of the target market.For example, localise terms like ‘Add to Cart’ to the equivalent phrase in another language. In Germany, the term used is ‘In den Warenkorb,’ which translates as ‘In the shopping basket.’
For example, localise terms like ‘Add to Cart’ to the equivalent phrase in another language. In Germany, the term used is ‘In den Warenkorb,’ which translates as ‘In the shopping basket.’
For example, localise terms like ‘Add to Cart’ to the equivalent phrase in another language. In Germany, the term used is ‘In den Warenkorb,’ which translates as ‘In the shopping basket.’
Why localisation matters
Translation alone isn’t enough to make your content feel natural in a new market. Localisation ensures your message fits the culture.
Adapt tone and context
Localisation captures the tone of your original content—whether it’s professional or playful—and adapts idioms and metaphors to make sense culturally.
Match regional preferences
From currency formats to units of measurement, localisation aligns your content across all platforms with local expectations, ensuring a seamless experience for customers.
Case study: Adapting life insurance for the Chinese market
When introducing life insurance in China, providers faced significant cultural barriers. Traditionally, discussing death in China is taboo, making the concept of life insurance challenging to market. Initial efforts to frame life insurance as a risk management tool did not resonate with local customers.
What insurance companies did wrong
Insurers primarily marketed life insurance as a risk management product, focusing on death and misfortune which was culturally insensitive and off-putting.
Tips for translation and localisation
When preparing to expand internationally, keep these tips in mind.
Check your knowledge
Test your knowledge to see how well you understand the differences between translation and localisation.You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.
You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.
You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.
Question 1 of 2
Is this a translation task or a localisation task?Find a native speaker of the language in the target market to review your translated site.
Find a native speaker of the language in the target market to review your translated site.
Find a native speaker of the language in the target market to review your translated site.
Localisation
Translation
Show Answer
Show Answer
Not quite.While the reviewer may flag some localisation issues with the translation, this review task itself falls under translation as the main focus will be on the flow and tone of the translation. This helps make your translations more accurate.
Question 2 of 2
Is this a translation task or a localisation task?Adjusting humourous product descriptions so they make sense in Italian.
Adjusting humourous product descriptions so they make sense in Italian.
Adjusting humourous product descriptions so they make sense in Italian.
Localisation
Translation
Submit
Submit
Yes.Adjusting things like humour, cultural references, idioms, etc. all fall under localisation as these adjustments are making the site feel as if it’s tailored to the needs of the new market.
Using AI
AI tools can speed up translations, but they aren’t perfect. Let’s explore their strengths, limitations, and when to rely on human expertise.
How AI supports translation
AI can enhance the translation process and improve efficiency.
Speed
AI tools can quickly translate large volumes of content.
Cost-effectiveness
They’re often cheaper than human translation.
AI limitations
AI tools can simplify translation, but complementing them with human expertise enhances accuracy and cultural relevance. Let’s explore their key limitations and why human involvement remains essential.
May feel robotic
Translations can sometimes feel unnatural, awkward, or overly formal—failing to match the tone your audience expects.
Lack of cultural understanding
AI tools can struggle with cultural nuances, such as humour, slang, and regional expressions. Missteps here can alienate or confuse customers. This is a big risk in new markets.
Context errors
Idioms, metaphors, and context-specific phrases can lose their meaning when translated word-for-word by AI.
A helpful starting point
AI tools are improving rapidly, and with specific AI assistants built for localisation, you can achieve good results. However, keeping a human-in-the-loop approach is crucial to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance in translations. A native speaker can provide insights and nuances that AI may overlook.
Optimising your website for global audiences
SEO helps your website and other selling platforms reach international customers by improving visibility and relevance. Let’s explore the key steps to ensure your site works seamlessly across languages and regions.
SEO essentials for international success
When expanding internationally, adapting your website and other selling platforms for search engines is critical. Follow these steps to make your site easy to find and use.
Create pages for each language
Set up separate pages for different languages. For example, a French page should have its own URL (e.g., www.example.com/fr). This makes it easier for search engines and customers to find the right version of your site.
Provide local information
Include region-specific customer information (e.g., include regional holidays or contact options). Avoid using international phone numbers that may charge customers extra – local options make it easier and more affordable for them to reach you.
Add language annotations to your webpage
Use special tags, like "hreflang," in your website code to help search engines. These tags make sure visitors see the correct version of your website for their language or country. For example, someone in France would see your site in French, while someone in Germany would see it in German.
Avoid common SEO mistakes
If a website isn’t set up for international visitors, it can cause confusion or make it harder for people to find the information they need. Let’s explore some common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mixing languages on one page
Don’t combine multiple languages on the same page. For example, avoid half the page in English and the other half in French—it confuses search engines and visitors alike.
Neglecting local site speed
Some countries may have slower internet speeds. Optimise your website to load quickly everywhere by compressing images and using local servers where possible.
Ignoring country codes
Use country-specific domains where possible (e.g., .co.uk for the UK or .fr for France) to help search engines and users identify the region your site serves.
✅ ActivityReady to optimise your website content? Use this checklist to ensure your website is SEO-ready for international audiences. Take a few minutes to consider the following and make a note of any thoughts that occur to you.Check the items off as you go.Create separate pages for each language and region.Include localised customer support details (avoid international phone numbers).Add "hreflang" annotations to each page.Optimise images and files for fast-loading.Use country-specific domains where possible.
Activity
Ready to optimise your website content? Use this checklist to ensure your website is SEO-ready for international audiences. Take a few minutes to consider the following and make a note of any thoughts that occur to you.
Create separate pages for each language and region.
Include localised customer support details (avoid international phone numbers).
Add "hreflang" annotations to each page.
Optimise images and files for fast-loading.
Use country-specific domains where possible.
Download PDF
Download PDF
Lesson complete
You now understand how important translation and localisation are.Head to the next lesson to find out more about the support systems you will need to expand internationally.
Head to the next lesson to find out more about the support systems you will need to expand internationally.
Head to the next lesson to find out more about the support systems you will need to expand internationally.
1Springer:Creating a market in the presence of cultural resistance: the case of life insurance in China
1Springer:
Creating a market in the presence of cultural resistance: the case of life insurance in China