Increase your Profits through a multilingual
Web Site and reach Markets untapped by your Competitors
There are millions of foreigners who speak English,
but would rather use their primary language to
conduct a Web search. Finding information "comfortable"
to a customer’s native language is a compelling
reason to translate your Web Sit-or "localize"
-to the customer’s language, customs, and
currency. Statistics show that 99% of all searches
abroad are conducted in their native language.
Sheer volume is one factor—and the startling
numbers of users across the globe is another.
Some 619 Million people worldwide are using the
internet, with Europe being the leader. By 2005,
it is estimated that only a third of all Internet
users worldwide will be English-speakers. Despite
this, more than 96 percent of all e-commerce web
sites are currently available only in English.
Losing the interest of the international visitor
can be costly. According to Export America, statistics
indicate that a customer is twice as likely to
stay at a web site, and four times as likely to
purchase goods or services, if the site is in
his or her native language. According to Forrester
Research, businesses that present web sites only
in English lose up to $10 million in potential
sales per year.
"Localizing" the site to a native language
must account for the linguistic, cultural, social
and monetary requirements of the target market.
For example, most developing countries do not
use credit cards for transactions. Alternate payment
methods, and the ability to use or convert local
currency, is vital.
Clip art, photographs, symbols and colors must
be adapted for culture-specific adaptability.
A clip art symbol of an American "stop"
sign, or a two-fingered "V" for victory
may be viewed differently in Moscow, Russia than
in Moscow, Idaho. Even the color scheme of a site
or product must be looked at, since colors have
different cultural associations in different countries.
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