The advent of the Internet has made it possible for small and medium-sized businesses to go global. However, you still need to overcome language barriers in order to tap into foreign markets successfully. This can be done by translating your website into multiple languages.
Here is a look at why having a multilingual website is important in today’s business world….
Benefits of Having a Multilingual Website
Expand Your Customer Base
While English is still the most widely used language on the Internet, it may not be so in the near future. The number of non-English-speaking Internet users is growing at a rapid rate, and most of them prefer to use local-language websites. You need to translate your website into their languages if you want to reach out to them.
With a multilingual website, you can gain access to potentially millions more consumers who may be interested in your products. This can lead to a significant increase in sales.
Engage Foreign Consumers More Effectively
In order to make your business appealing to non-English-speaking consumers, you have to be able to communicate clearly and meaningfully with them.
If your website is not translated into their native languages, they may have trouble understanding, navigating and interacting with it, resulting in a frustrating shopping experience. Even if they find your products attractive, they may not end up buying them, because they do not have a good enough understanding of the content on your website to make well-informed purchasing decisions.
If you have a multilingual website, you will be able to engage foreign consumers as effectively as local-language websites.
According to an article entitled “CMS Considerations for Multiple Languages“, the key to successful website localization lies in your ability to choose the right content management system.
Build Customer Trust
By making the effort to translate your website into multiple languages, you are showing foreign consumers that you care about them, and you are committed to giving them the best possible shopping experience.
It will also help you overcome cultural barriers and put foreign users in a comfort zone, making it easier for you to gain their trust. Additionally, having a multilingual website will enhance your reputation as a global player, which can boost your credibility.
Achieve Higher Search Engine Rankings
In many countries, Google and Yahoo! are not the most popular search engines. Many non-English-speaking Internet users prefer to use native-language search engines, because these search engines are specially designed to meet their needs.
In order to succeed in foreign markets, you need to make your website rank high in local search engines. If you translate your website into multiple languages, it will become more visible in local search engines, and you will see a significant increase in your website traffic.
It takes considerable time and effort to create and maintain a good multilingual website, but the potential rewards that you can gain make it a worthwhile investment.
A multilingual website can help you achieve a high level of competitiveness in foreign markets.
About the Author: John McMalcolm is a freelance writer who writes on a wide range of subjects, from social media marketing to Cloud computing.
You must be logged in to post a comment.