ITC SIG of STC Article
Developing websites that can be localized

By Charlene Nagy

Localization procedures

Like any product or service, websites may be localized—translated and adapted for the culture and characteristics of a target market. The best localized sites begin with a high-quality source language site. If the technical information is poorly written in the original language, even with the best translation and design in the world, the information will still be poor.

We find that cultural differences are more significant on the web than in other written materials. We recommend whenever possible that websites be designed after target markets have been chosen for which the site will be localized. However, quoting for translation may be difficult or impossible before the source language is developed.

As with any written material, websites that are to be translated must be easy to translate. Minimizing links facilitates translation.

To be effective, layout, design and content may be different for different countries, or may be very basic. In designing the site, it is important to remember that typically users save the information in a file or print it out. Short download times are especially important, since phone rates, and thus internet usage levels, differ among countries. The need for short download times requires limiting graphics.

Determination of the software to use may depend on where the website will be hosted, in the US or in another country. Websites in double-byte languages, such as Japanese and Korean, can be done in a number of different ways, depending upon the site capabilities of the software used. The same is true for other non-Latin-alphabet languages such as Arabic and Thai.

Key elements

Whether developing a new site or revamping an existing site for localization, our company keeps the following key elements in mind.

Language

Use consistent terminology.

Remember that language can affect the length of pages, the flow of the site, and the size of buttons. Text can expand considerably in translation.

Avoid using letters in graphics including buttons. The letter may not exist in the target language, such as Arabic. For example, avoid a pull-down menu with the content of the site listed alphabetically—A, B, C and so on.

Time, money, measurements

Localize the formatting and display of dates, measurements, numbers, and currency to be country-specific.

Allow for differences in address formats and telephone numbers. For example, a customer in Spain cannot use a 1-800 number to contact a US-based company.

Keep in mind that not all cultures operate on a 40-hour 5-day week.

Advertising

Remember that what works in the US to sell something may not work in other countries.

Refrain from comparative statements such as "Brand X is better than Brand Y." In some countries, like Germany, this type of marketing is illegal.

Culture

Remember to be sensitive to culture when using sound. For example, a beep to let the user know when a mistake has been made is acceptable to the US user. However a user in Japan may find the beep to be an embarrassment, since the sound calls attention to the mistake.

Avoid using slang, idiomatic expressions, acronyms, and abbreviations.

Avoid humor, as it is culturally dependent and typically does not translate well.

Avoid references to sports and sporting equipment, utensils, and national monuments, as these images may have no meaning or a different meaning for people in another country.

Determine the cultural significance of any symbols used. For example, the owl is a symbol of knowledge in the United States, but in Central America it is a symbol of witchcraft and black magic.

Avoid representations of religious symbols, mythological symbols, and national emblems. For example, the website Ask Jeeves has a butler as its icon. When the site was developed for Asian markets, a monk was considered as the new icon. While the monk is more recognizable than an English butler in the Asian market, it would NOT have been the correct icon to use due to the deep religious significance of monks in the region.

Refrain from using symbolic colors, and images of people, hand gestures and body language. These may be misunderstood. For example, the OK hand gesture in the United States indicates that everything is "fine," while in France the same gesture means "worthless," "nothing" or "zero."

Avoid graphics that represent holidays or seasons. Not all countries celebrate the same holiday, or it may not be celebrated in the same way, or on the same date.

Conclusion

When the site is completed, we review it with the key elements listed above in mind. We also ask the following questions: Is the site easy to translate? Will the site be successful in the target markets? Have all the cultural and legal issues been accounted for? Is the site easy to use? Is it easy to complete a transaction on the site? Will people revisit the site?

Being able to answer "yes" to these questions indicates the beginning of a well-developed localized site.

Charlene Nagy is president, NCS Enterprises, L.L.C., a full-service global communications company in Pittsburgh, PA. She may be reached at cnagy@ncs-pubs.com.