Producing high-quality, compelling content, in general, is a challenging task. This is taken up to another level when writing for international audiences.<\/p>\n
Now you might think it\u2019s as simple as taking your current content, giving it a quick translation, and publishing the results for your global audience. Yet this audience is made up of more than just different languages, but also different cultures, expectations, and abilities \u2013 and having a deep understanding of these is essential for the job.<\/p>\n
This guide features an assortment of tips and recommendations when creating content for an international audience. Not only will this help to avoid embarrassing situations that could potentially alienate global customers, but effective international writing has the ability to convince and convert.<\/p>\n
There are numerous challenges faced when writing for a new international audience. That shouldn\u2019t come as much of a surprise. However, there are a few aspects you may have overlooked \u2013 and that\u2019s why we\u2019ve put the spotlight on them below.<\/p>\n
Okay, this is an obvious challenge that\u2019s not going to fly under the radar. Yet there are several challenges that fall under language and how users interact with it. For instance, say Kenya is a new market you want to expand into. Even though many will read content in Swahili, they find it easier to search for it in English \u2013 and you have to cater to this approach.<\/p>\n
Another point to remember is translating certain terminology. In certain cases, technological terms like software, hardware, and Bluetooth are first learned by users in English. As a result, they may be unfamiliar with what these words are when translated into their native language.<\/p>\n
This is an element that can<\/em> be easily overlooked. It is easy to assume that everyone understands the capabilities of technology, but this isn\u2019t necessarily the case in places where tech fluency is less common. Dragging, swiping, and other mobile gestures may be unfamiliar to users. As a result, it\u2019s important to use visual cues when necessary to clearly illustrate what you mean.<\/p>\n There are many countries out there. There are even more languages. Simply put, you cannot target every audience with your international content. You have to be selective in which audiences to focus on.<\/p>\n Understanding this is where research comes into play. You have to study current user locations, see where potential opportunities exist, and use this to pick the right international audiences for your business.<\/p>\n Along with factoring in the challenges above, there are various things to consider when writing \u2013 or editing \u2013 for international audiences. To make the task a little easier, we have put together the following list of top tips to remember when producing international content.<\/p>\n In answer to your question, yes, we do have hamburgers and fries in England, but we call French fries ‘chips’.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n You can always turn to The Simpsons for guidance, and the above response from Ringo Starr to Marge\u2019s fan letter helps illustrate cultural differences are everywhere<\/em> between languages. Even if England and the United States are incredibly similar 99% of the time, that 1% difference has to be accounted for when writing for international audiences.<\/p>\n Of course, these cultural variations can be a lot more significant than what a certain foodstuff is called. A lazy, straightforward translation of your content, for instance, could even anger a whole nation if it is deemed culturally insensitive.<\/p>\n If you are an experienced writer, you\u2019ll understand there are effective methods to add life to your webpages and blog posts. This can be done by choosing to use informal language, slang, idioms, and culture-specific phrases. While an approachable, conversational tone is effective when communicating with a local audience, the effectiveness is lost once you start going global.<\/p>\n There are various reasons why this is the case. Sayings become lost in translation. Phrases fail to hit the mark because international audiences don\u2019t have the context behind them. There are also some expressions that can even be impossible to translate.<\/p>\n With this in mind, it makes sense to avoid informal words and phrases when constructing written pieces for a global audience. You should also keep sentences simple and concise. If you start going above 20 words for each sentence, it can become trickier to understand.<\/p>\n Just remember that going with clear language doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you have to kill your writing style. There\u2019s still a place for eloquent, engaging content that shines bright.<\/p>\n Your primary focus will be on ensuring your content is clear and matches the culture of your target audience. With that said, there are small changes that you still have to consider when putting together content for international audiences. These include:<\/p>\n Admittedly, some of these aspects won\u2019t come into the equation with your own content. Yet when potential issues do crop up that can confuse your international audience, it\u2019s essential you make the required changes for seamless consumption.<\/p>\n Machine translations are a fantastic tool. They\u2019re an excellent way to gain an understanding of what a foreign language means in your own native language, whether you are translating a webpage or a sign in a different country.<\/p>\n What they\u2019re not excellent for, however, is translating your content ready for it to be published in a different language. In fact, it\u2019s very much the opposite. Machine translations are far from accurate enough for the task. This will result in sloppy, incoherent content that makes your business appear amateurish and unprofessional.<\/p>\n Simply put, machine translations are good for getting an idea about how certain content works. They can also be used when translating certain website elements \u2013 such as 1 or 2-word page titles like \u2018Home\u2019 and \u2018Contact Us.\u2019 Just forget about it when it comes to the meat of your content.<\/p>\n With cultural differences in mind and the need to avoid machine translations, there\u2019s only one path to go down: bringing a professional on board. With a professional translator and writer taking care of the work, you can be assured it will be produced with the care and attention required. It\u2019ll also be at the quality necessary to successfully grab the attention of users and push your business into a positive light.<\/p>\n The good news is you also don\u2019t have to hire a permanent employee for this job. You can hire a specialist agency or freelancer whenever required to translate your content. Just make sure you don\u2019t cheap out on this aspect \u2013 even those offering this service can still do a sloppy job if they don\u2019t possess the proficiency and experience necessary.<\/p>\n Your content is ready to publish. It has been translated and refined for the international markets your business is targeting. Now it\u2019s simply a case of uploading this content for these audiences to consume, right?<\/p>\n Wrong.<\/p>\n You have to pay careful attention to the time zones of each audience. Your content will fail to generate the traction you expect if it\u2019s published in the middle of the night, for instance. As you will know, publishing your content is not a case of doing it at any time \u2013 it needs to be done at the ideal time.<\/p>\n Due to this, it\u2019s best to understand the time zones for each international market and schedule the content to be published at a prime time for maximum impact.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just time zones you have to be aware of, either. You also have to remember the potential changes in seasons between each market. For example, when it\u2019s wintertime in the UK, people are all wrapped up with big coats, scarves, hats, and anything else they can get their hands on to stay warm against the elements. Yet, at the same time, on the other side of the world in Australia, it\u2019s summertime and bikinis, shorts, and surfing are the order of the day.<\/p>\n The result: you have to be careful what you write about and ensure it matches up to the season in targeted markets. Failure to do this won\u2019t just see your content miss the mark, but it\u2019ll also lead to a lot of confused readers wondering why they received ads for snow boots in summer!<\/p>\nAudiences<\/h3>\n
International content: top tips to remember for success<\/h2>\n
Remember cultural differences<\/h3>\n
Go with clear language<\/h3>\n
Small changes matter<\/h3>\n
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Forget about machine translations<\/h3>\n
Hire a professional<\/h3>\n
Remember time zones and seasons<\/h3>\n
In summary<\/h2>\n