Localization: "In 2016, it is a necessity."

n an article in Forbes Entrepreneur, Brian Pontarelli of Inversoft picked five user management trends for 2016. In the middle of that list was “localization.” He cited how “Fifty-five percent of consumers buy only at websites where information is presented in their language.”

“In the past localization has been a low-level item on the development list. It’s no longer just an added bonus. In 2016, it is a necessity.” — Brian Pontarelli, Inversoft

This isn’t just important for trying to parley success in Asia, Latin America, Africa or Europe. Metropolitan areas around the U.S. reflect a global polyglot, with many having over 100 languages spoken within their city limits. Just yesterday our e2f blog noted nearly half of New York City residents speak a language other than English at home, which is sparking the City Council to offer NYC government sites in multiple languages. Given large Spanish-language communities, it is no surprise Los Angeles and Miami actually have majority non-English speaking populations.

Across the U.S., English is spoken at home by 80% of Americans. The other 20% of households speak a variety of languages including Spanish, Chinese, French (and French Creole), Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean and German — which are each spoken by over a million Americans.

What Brian observed for user management is also true for brand management. In an AlleyWatch article, Smartling’s Judd Marcello talked about how it is also vital for global brands to support localization across the platforms that manage your web and social presence, such as “HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce and WordPress:”

“…any translation or localization tools that aim to take a brand global need to fit seamlessly within existing (and future) technology stacks.” — Judd Marcello

We also believe this is a vital need, which is why we’re excited by tools like Transifex Live. and Facebook’s new translated Pages feature. Tools like these will enable teams to rapidly develop and seamlessly deliver localized content to their audiences.

What is your strategy on supporting localization within the U.S. and other global markets? We’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts! Contact us at projects@e2f.com.