So, localization drives revenue, but what does it even mean?
What’s the point of having global reach if you can’t engage global audiences?
Reach is no longer enough in video marketing. There’s a big difference between global reach, and global impact – High volume campaigns are nothing without relevance and personalization.
That begs the question – how do you launch and scale a global campaign that’s going to have real resonance, everywhere?
Drumroll please… Ta-dah! With a localized marketing strategy!
Ok, great. But what is localization?
Basically, localization is all about transforming your video content to make it relevant in local markets.
A lot of that process boils down to translation, but don’t be fooled into thinking translation is the be all and end all. Localization entails so much more.
A standardized message won’t cut it, even when translated. In fact, it’s a sure-fire way to damage conversion rates.
Because whilst translation will extend your content’s reach, it doesn’t mean it will resonate with those new audiences. After all, different cultures around the world have all sorts of subtle idiosyncrasies, which means a message that works in market X won’t necessarily work in market Y.
Even where the spoken language is the same, like the US and Britain, there are cultural nuances that can affect the way a marketing campaign is perceived. It’s why, when Electrolux told both markets that their vacuum cleaners “really sucked”, sales simultaneously soared in literal-minded Britain, and flopped in slang-happy America.
It's not just a question of phrasing. Research from Smart Insights found that UK audiences are much more engaged with marketing which focuses on emotional connection and how a particular product will enhance the consumer’s lifestyle, whereas German audiences are more likely to be influenced by rationale and practical aspects like product performance, lifetime, and warranties.
That’s where localization comes in. A quick rewrite of the script, a little tweaking of visual references, and voila, you’ve made your content locally relevant and relatable.
Why does localization matter?
Make no mistake. Localization isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – it’s crucial to driving revenue.
In a world driven by global connectivity, localization is a critical part of any global marketing strategy. According to a Fortune 500 companies study, brands incorporating content localization into their strategy were twice as likely to increase profit, and 125% more likely to grow earnings per share YOY.
Done right, video localization can significantly boost brand perception and relatability, creating a customer-friendly experience that won’t get lost in translation.
We all know the importance of storytelling in marketing, and the power a great story has to connect with an audience on an emotional level - the “We get it.” The problem is, most stories aren’t globally understood. It’s a problem solved by localization.
Getting localization right.
Localization entails legwork. It should go without saying that you need to carry out the relevant research, and understand what makes all of your intended audiences tick. Cultural norms, local expressions and dialects, etiquette, and typical customer attitudes are just some of the attributes that need consideration.
Regardless of how big a name you are, or how big your marketing budget is, it’s easy to get localization wrong if you don’t do the research.
Coca-Cola is a great example of a brand who did do their research.
Remember their “Share a Coke” campaign? The one where every Coke bottle told you to share a coke with Aaron, Abby, Adam, etc.? An obvious localization trick that they didn’t miss was making sure that the names were relevant to each country. If you were in Germany you could share a Coke with Timo or Hans, in Ireland you could share one with Aoife or Oisín.
But what about in China, where it’s not respectful to call someone by their first name? Instead of first names, Coke used common terms to suggest that customers share with “dude”, “class mate” or “close friend”.
By doing their research and localizing their campaign, Coke were able to keep the personal touch that had brought them so much success worldwide, without blundering into a sales slump.
That is localization done right.
And of course, whilst a Coke-sized budget definitely doesn’t hurt, it is possible to launch global, localized campaigns that don’t cost the Earth.
Launch Coke-sized localized campaigns
Localization can be a fine balancing act.
On the one hand, you need to apply local knowledge to make your video content relevant. On the other, outsourcing to local agencies means the risk of losing control of your brand and campaign elements.
It’s the problem ReMake was created to solve.
By streamlining the versioning process, we’ve made it possible to adapt content in minutes, not hours or days. It means brands can create targeted, localized video content at a global scale in record time.
ReMake’s platform empowers local teams to version localized content, whilst keeping key campaign elements locked in. It’s the best of all worlds. Keep control of your message, whilst harnessing local market knowledge to localize your campaigns for maximum global impact.
It’s brutally simple. Our intuitive UI, user-friendly features and straightforward approach to video versioning and content localization means everyone, at every level, can create professional, world-class digital assets, without the typical scaling headaches, frustrations, and all-too-familair production lag.
Get started with your localization strategy today - book a call with one of our experts.
