Marketing & Localization

Entering new markets has many different obstacles, some of which are visible and predictable and some are not. This is especially true when it comes to Asian markets since the local languages have many very specific cultural characteristics, which could be the difference between successful and failed marketing campaigns. You need to understand the local way of life and communication in-depth to create the right message for the audience.

Given the diversity of languages spoken in India, many people may be tempted to take the easy route and use only English in their communication materials. Some may assume that because the majority of India is an English-speaking country, they will only have an English version. But is that enough?

While many Indians aspire to speak English as a second language, the truth is that barely 10% of them can do so well in the present day. Furthermore, they, like the rest of the globe, prefer to learn about a brand, product, or service in their native tongue rather than in English. In 2014, a large-scale behavioral survey confirmed that over 40% of internet users stated they would never buy from a website that was not in their local language.

Another example is knowing when to use Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese, which varies by area. A poor choice of phrase can lead to misinterpretation and, as a result, misunderstanding, which no one wants.

Location	Written language	Spoken language
China Mainland	Simplified	Mandarin & Cantonese
Hong Kong and Macau	Traditional	Cantonese
Taiwan	Traditional	Mandarin
Singapore	Simplified	Mandarin
Malaysia	Traditional	Mandarin & Cantonese

Traditional Chinese is still used in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Malaysia, but mainland China and Singapore use Simplified Chinese. It’s also worth noting that most educated Chinese in mainland China can understand Traditional Chinese because it’s a requirement in middle and high school to learn the original Chinese. As a result, you must be appropriately informed on what you require as a client in order to reach the appropriate audience using the appropriate terminology.

If you work for a marketing agency or consultancy, you should be aware that marketing, translation, and localization are all closely interwoven when it comes to Asian languages. You’ll need the proper partner for the task if you want to succeed, someone who can handle all facets of the project as well as all highly particular but vital cultural traits. It’s more than just a simple translation; you’ll need to use the suitable language/dialect for the appropriate location, as well as the appropriate tone, to get the message over to the right people.

Our vast network of local translators and our unique project management system in 1-StopAsia guarantees excellent results and minimum complexity for you. We have over 23 years of experience in marketing and localization so you can trust us to do the job.

We, at 1-StopAsia, are aware that responsiveness and excellent project management are the essence when working within the translation industry.

If you feel it is time to improve your time-management and pay more attention to your clients, get in contact with our Production Team and check how we can help you achieve it.

Ask us anything you need to know about:

• quotes and pricing
• translations and media services
• Asian languages

Start your new project with us today! All you have to do is fill in the form on the right and get your free quote.