Small Is The New Big With Website Localization

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Synopsis — The Internet has brought about a revolution in sales and marketing, and along the way has blurred the traditional lines between what a large company can expect to achieve as far as success is concerned and what a small company’s aspirations may be. In many respects, it has leveled the playing field, such that a small, mom-and-pop operation can effectively compete for market share with a large conglomerate, albeit with skilled manipulation of the online space.

In his article, “Small Is The New Big With Website Localization,” Christian Arno explores the issue, explaining why and how small companies can indeed compete on an international basis. For example, in China, Alibaba.com helps connect small and start-up businesses with manufacturers to help them get to market quickly. To take advantage of these opportunities, businesses need to choose markets carefully and then be diligent about localization of their website. Dialect differences need to be considered (even if your site is in the same base language as your chosen market), as do such details as how to present numbers in pricing, etc. Keywords need special treatment.

Arno includes a case study involving two hotel chains in the United Kingdom as an example of what can be accomplished, as well as information on the state of translation tools for assistance in website localization.

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