Good localization is so invisible, it’s no wonder people have never heard of it. It’s only when it’s bad or non-existent that it’s noticeable. And people do notice it.
Katie Botkin in her blog, What is Localization?
When you localize your products, websites, services, and apps, you make them relevant to the people in that country as if they were made for that country from the start. When you get it right, it is seamless. When you get it wrong or do not localize at all, it becomes obvious. Other aspects to consider in the UK market include SEO, local culture, laws and regulations, trademarks, taxation, and data protection.
As you enter the UK market, it is worth your time to consider how you will localize your efforts. While you may be familiar with doing business in your own country, there are many areas to plan for when expanding globally. Simply taking what works in your country and introducing it in the UK may not work. Without planning, your company risks financial costs, wasted time, and potentially failure. Taking the right steps from the start makes localization a smoother process, even as you expand beyond the UK.
Globalization, Internationalization, and Localization
It is important to distinguish between globalization, internationalization, and localization.
Globalization is often used incorrectly. Confirm exactly what is meant when someone says they are globalizing. Globalization generally refers to implementing the same approach worldwide at once. For example, if globalizing monetary funds, one might aim to have a single currency for all. In practice, most efforts labeled as globalization are better described as Global Strategy.
Internationalization, sometimes shortened to i18n, is the process that enables localization by developing web or mobile applications in a way that allows for easy language translation, flexible space for different scripts, and the ability to implement local changes efficiently. Internationalization involves planning and implementing products and services to be easily adaptable to specific local languages and cultures. Developer resources on GitHub and other platforms provide guidance for internationalization.
Localization, sometimes shortened to l10n, is the process of adapting a product to appear as though it was developed in the local market. This includes changes to language, colors, time zones, currency, and other relevant elements. If internationalization is done first, localization is significantly easier. Without it, teams will face more development and support work to achieve full localization.
Product Localization Focus Areas
- International SEO for the UK
- Data Protection Regulations in the UK
- Value Added Tax in the UK
- Billing Regulations in the UK
- International Trademark in the UK
- Language Localization for the UK
- Cultural Localization for the UK