YNOT – Finding a good localization provider for your website is not just about finding a translator who works in the language pair you seek. Website localization is about appealing to the regional customer, not just insuring he or she is able to read and understand the text.

A good localization provider not only will understand the rules and grammar of the languages involved, but also have detailed knowledge of the region you are targeting. They will be aware of cultural, political and social situations as well as the language. If the translation team has this additional knowledge, your website will be able to communicate to potential customers in the best way possible.

For example, cultural “shorthand” composed of words, colors, symbols and other items exists in every region of the world, and it bears specific, often subtle, meanings in each context. Did you know the following?

• In Japan, the colour white represents mourning.
• In China, the colour yellow represents honour and royalty.
• In Japan and China, the number four is unlucky.
• In Russia, the majority of doctors are women.
• In many Asian cultures, family considerations demand respect in all matters and decisions, including investments and individual purchases.
• Some cultures fear uncertainty and risk-taking, where others thrive on a “you can do it” attitude.

A good localization provider will be able to highlight these types of considerations and make you aware of any potential conflicts inherent in your website’s design and copy. You definitely want a translator to tell you if your sales pitch is too direct for a culture that fears risk-taking. In those situations, a good translator will tone down the rhetoric instead of performing a word-for-word translation. If you sell medical supplies and your normal website uses “he” as a neutral pronoun, you want the translator to be aware that most doctors in Russia are women and translate to Russian using “she” instead. If the translator overlooks cultural subtleties, your website may suffer.

Good website localization is not just about providing your potential customers with text in their own language. It is also about presenting your message in a way that is suitable for the foreign market so that your customers associate a sense of security and familiarity with your product. If potential customers like and trust the website, they are more likely to buy from you instead of your competitor. Therefore, it is important to use a localization provider that understands the cultural, political and social situations in the target country as well as the language.

This article was contributed to YNOT.com by TranslationsXXX, an adult website translation service employing certified translators in 30 languages.