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.

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.