Website localization is more than just the translation of texts from one language into another one. It includes a wide range of aspects of adaptation including local preferences, expectations, and conventions. Translation and localization services are often seen as one interchangeable service, however, they are very different. The game localization industry focuses on making games accessible for everyone around the globe while adapting it to for the cultural differences, linguistic specifies, and legal requirements of target markets. Game translation on the other hand, only involves the process of changing game text into multiple languages.
3 Key Steps In Game Website Localization
The gaming industry is home to 3.09 billion active players and that number is only expected to grow. Therefore, it’s very important to localize your website in order to reach global audiences. Here are three key parts to any localization solution:
1. Define Your Audience Before Website Localization
Defining your audience means understanding their expectations in order to develop a website tailored to their preferences with the help of the best localization services. For example, gaming companies should start by identifying the languages most needed to begin expansion into major target markets. 65% of customers prefer the website to be the language they speak, even if it’s of poor quality..
To ensure linguistic language localization quality, only professional translation and localization services should be involved in the process.
With professional localization and translation services, your gaming company will rest easy knowing that all slang terms, idioms, and colloquialisms are not only translated accordingly to their dictionary equivalents, but are adapted to cultures of your target markets.
2. Hiring Website Localization Specialists
Even though, creating your own website is a piece of cake nowadays, it’s definitely worth hiring the best localization services who have web design experience. There are numerous reasons why localization designers are crucial to the development of websites. First of all, they can avoid potential cultural missteps that can turn off clients. This often happens with imagery; pictures that work in one market might not work in another one. For example, in a culture where Christmas is not celebrated, the picture of a Christmas tree on a Christmas card might be lost in translation. Currencies, numbers, data and time formats are other aspects that localization providers need to keep into account. Since different countries use different currencies, numbers, dates and time formats, your company needs make sure your website has the capacity to offer all these different formats.
Investing in website translation services also ensures your product will be accessible to people around the globe with respect to the different legal requirements each country has. In the EU, for example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires websites to get explicit consent from users before collecting any personal data.
Finally, consulting localization companies with web development experience will allow your website to create a more unified identity that will resonate with people from all around the world. For instance, in a country as price-sensitive as Germany, Amazon’s homepage prominently features tips for saving money.
While localization may be expensive in the beginning, it only pays off in the long run. Software localization services with local knowledge will help you make changes and adapt your business to grow internationally.
3. Keeping Keyword Research In Mind
With so much information available on the internet, it is important to stand out. Luckily, hriing a localization specialist can help you understand the search terms people in your target audience are using. This will provide you with the necessary information you need to improve your search engine rankings. This process is known as SEO translation.
Keywords are the key to unlocking international markets. Translating keywords that work in the country of origin word-for-word into the target languages does not work. You have to consider different cultural aspects since every country has its own search habits. With the help of SEO translation services, you can precisely identify what is being searched in the target market. Also, rankings are often influenced by metadata, which provides valuable information about the content of a website. A thoroughly designed SEO translation incorporates the adaptation of relevant meta elements – such as page titled and/or meta descriptions.
Conclusion
Investing in website localization might be difficult, however, it is highly beneficial to creating international growth. Gaming localization is a service that requires special attention since it a massive market. It’s complexity requires a skilled language service provider such as Language Connections.
About Language Connections:
Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.
Language Connections Inc.
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Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com