You’re building the following solid product or a groundbreaking app. Your marketing strategy is both original and compelling. You’re already planning to expand internationally. But there’s one thing your expansion roadmap might be missing: a localization strategy. Here is when we start discussing “Scaling Smart”.
You’d be surprised how many startups skip localization or don’t consider it a priority. Some companies procrastinate, considering localization a “will-do-later” task. However, serious global reach efforts require a strong localization strategy, integrated into your product from day one.
Translations and localizations, in this sense, nurture the idea of “scaling smart.” They let us reach new audiences directly, effectively, and clearly, with a message and a narrative aimed at our target audience. We’ll discuss this in the following article.
What Happens if Localization Is Left Out of Early Stage Planning
If localization is such an important task, why is it overlooked so often? It’s a matter of priorities and planning issues. Resources are frequently tight, and the focus is usually on establishing the product domestically.
However, not considering the global context is a big mistake. Think about it: today’s products—especially digital ones—are global by default. Whether you planned for it or not, your product might already be accessible to users worldwide.
Someone in Brazil, Egypt, or Japan might have already checked out your app or website. And what happens if they find an interface entirely in English, with unfamiliar cultural references or odd phrasing? They’ll lose interest fast.
Why Content Needs Localization
If your localization strategy starts and ends with translating the website, you should rethink it. Localization should run much deeper. Imagine the user receives a single English error message in an otherwise localized app. Hard-earned trust and satisfaction can transform into frustration because of that single error.
There are many key areas to consider from the start, including:
- Your user interface (UI). How will users interact with menus and buttons? How will they fill out forms and deal with error messages?
- Onboarding processes. Think of product tours, resource guides, simulation videos, and everything the user will need during their first interaction with the product.
- Marketing content. Ask yourself how your non-English-speaking audience will interact with emails, blog posts, social media, and ads.
Building a Scalable Localization Process
You don’t have to translate everything all at once. You can aim to build a scalable localization process. How can you accomplish this? A few suggestions to keep in mind:
- Internationalize your product early. Use tools that support multiple languages and formats (think of dates and currencies, for example).
- Work with professionals. Incorporate translators and localization experts who understand context, not just the language.
- The earlier, the better. Don’t wait until you need localization; this will be more expensive, time-consuming, and less effective.
Why It’s a Growth Tool—Not Just a Translation Task
“Localization” is just another word for “translation”, right? Not! Localization is about context and culture and creating experiences authentically native to your customers or users. When done right, it’s a powerful tool for growth.
Imagine launching a SaaS platform in Latin America. Your sign-up flow is correctly translated into European Spanish, but it sounds like a robot wrote it. You offer promotions using standardized language and words nobody uses in Latin America. Users will feel like your product isn’t really for them.
Now imagine the same flow but carefully adapted to local Spanish variants. The tone feels familiar, and references are culturally relevant. Your brand now feels closer, more human, and trustworthy. Ultimately, this makes people feel like they belong, driving retention and stronger customer relationships.
Success Examples
“Localization seems like a hard task”, you might think. “You can’t please everybody”, you may say. Companies like Canva and Airbnb might inspire you and make you change your mind. Let’s see in more detail:
- Besides translating its design tool, Canva varies its content. They localized each market’s templates, fonts, and stock images. It launched in over 100 languages and tailored the product experience, which is one of the main reasons for its success.
- Airbnb exemplifies the benefits of making localization a priority from day one. It is understood that there’s more to it than translating listings. They localized the booking interface, host communications, and support in key markets. As a result, they scaled to almost 200 countries.
These companies once stood where you are. Their localization efforts were crucial in helping them become global giants.
Of course, this idea of “scaling smart” with localizations is based on media planning and marketing strategies. These help reach different audiences and positively and immediately affect targeted audiences and segments in various locations.