Top > Business > 2006 > January > 2006-01-16

Localizing and Translating the Web for the Future

The Web has helped bring people together all around the globe. Regardless from what part of the world someone is from they have the ability to get the same information off the web as anyone else. The only problem that this creates is the language barrier. With e-commerce growing exponentially and predictions that almost 80% of Internet users will be non-English speakers by 2010, there?s little doubt that website localization and translation are high on the priority list of most forward-thinking international businesses.

Recent announcements from both Google and Yahoo confirm that leading search engines intend to give consumers increased control and wider choice in 2006. It?s no surprise, therefore, that companies intent on boosting export sales and expanding into new markets are queuing up to have their websites localized. Christian Arno, MD of leading internet translation and localization company Lingo24 explains: ?The World Wide Web has opened up huge untapped markets that were previously inaccessible, and localizing the content of their website is the best way for export companies to ensure they reach as many potential foreign customers as possible.? However, the localization process can be highly challenging since, as Mr. Arno is swift to point out, Internet users prefer websites which are available in their own language and which comply fully with their cultural norms.

His comments are borne out by official figures which show that websites localized by professional localization and translation companies provide the most effective direct route to target export markets, making them considerably more profitable than their unlocalized counterparts. Indeed companies which had the foresight to localize early on have seen an excellent return on investment, and this is now encouraging others to follow suit. As Christian Arno concludes: ?Having a strong multilingual and multicultural Internet presence is no longer simply desirable for businesses: in an increasingly competitive e-marketplace, it is rapidly becoming an essential pre-requisite for commercial survival".