Long-form content localization: Key insights and best practices

Content is king (or so the saying goes), but it can only hold onto its crown if it’s high-quality and easy to understand. That’s why content localization is so important for any business entering international markets. English might work for some markets across the globe, but many local audiences prefer content in their first language—especially when it’s long-form content. 

Unlike the isolated words and phrases dotted across a digital storefront or landing page, long-form content requires each sentence to exist in context and flow naturally with surrounding copy. Culturally relevant language adds to the authenticity, making the message feel natural and relatable to the audience.

Long-form content localization may seem like a massive undertaking, but you don’t have to do it alone. This guide will explain what content localization is, explore the different types of long-form content localization, and show you how to build a successful strategy to localize your content.

What is long-form content localization?

Long-form content localization adapts longer pieces of written content, such as articles or guides, for a regionally specific audience. This process requires more than simply translating text from one language to another. In addition to producing accurate translations, localization requires making the content feel natural and relevant. Businesses must consider cultural norms and practices while localizing their long-form content. For example, images and designs in your marketing content may even be altered to suit cultural preferences.

The localization process can only begin after a company has performed market research to identify suitable target markets and developed a translation process. Once leaders have selected their target market, they should consider what translation tools and methods are best for translating long-form content according to their needs. The right method will vary depending on the company’s quality, turnaround time, and cost objectives for each project. Translating extensive long-form content can be expensive and time-consuming, so it requires a thought-out approach.

Without a centralized system to manage your multilingual projects, localization quickly becomes cumbersome. Localization project managers might find themselves swamped with manual tasks like copying and pasting individual translation strings across spreadsheets. That’s why global companies rely on a translation management system (TMS) like Smartling to help manage multilingual content production. 

Smartling’s cloud-based, AI-enabled platform is an all-in-one localization solution that simplifies the process from start to finish in one centralized platform. Smartling allows you to automate tedious manual processes and develop customized translation workflows that meet the specific goals of your project. For example, you can set up workflows that route your long-form content through Smartling’s AI Translation, giving you cost-efficient, localized content in just minutes (rather than days or weeks with traditional translation methods.) A TMS like Smartling can help you streamline the entire localization process and deliver multilingual long-form content with ease. 

5 benefits of localized content

Businesses that localize their content gain a competitive advantage on several fronts. Based on a survey of 29 countries, 76% of online shoppers are more likely to buy products when the information is in their native language. Furthermore, 40% won’t buy from websites in different languages at all, further cementing the importance of localizing your content when entering a new target market.

Here are some more benefits of localized content:

Attract new audiences

Domestic markets can become saturated, especially if you’ve maximized your reach. Expanding into different target markets allows your business to reach a new audience and boost overall sales.

Gain a competitive advantage

Localized content performs better with international audiences by helping consumers understand your offer. This builds local trust and recognition as you expand your business. You’ll enjoy a higher conversion rate from your content and stand out from the competition in international markets as a truly global brand.

Cost efficiency

Localizing content saves money in the long run by cutting down on customer support costs and avoiding expensive mistakes caused by misunderstandings. Your audience is more confident when they get the right information in their primary language, making them more likely to buy your service or product.

Improved SEO reach

Your target audience probably searches the web in their native language. Your translation process should include localizing meta tags, titles, and URL structure to increase your content’s discoverability. Localized content that includes these SEO practices will drive organic traffic to your website.

Streamlined expansion

After successfully expanding into a new target market, your business can enter other international markets faster. You can use your preestablished system to add translations or expand to new languages. Although each audience will require its own strategy, the process will generally follow the same steps.

Exploring different types of long-form content

Once you’ve decided to enter a new market and localize your content for an international audience, you must consider what content is most important to localize. This depends on your business’s offerings and the type of content your target audience values most.

For example, tech companies should prioritize product guides and user manuals, whereas blogs or case studies may be more impactful for a service-based business. Market research will tell you what content drives the most engagement and results.

Here are some common long-form content types that may benefit from localization:

Business reports

These are often localized by companies in finance, consulting, or B2B industries. Business reports provide data and insights to clients and stakeholders, so translating them into local languages ensures they’re accessible and easily understood. You’ll build trust and credibility with investors and partners in new markets.

White papers

Tech companies, research organizations, and SaaS providers often localize white papers to share expertise and build thought leadership. These documents showcase expertise, explain complex topics, or highlight the benefits of a product or service.

Blog posts

Businesses in numerous industries use blog posts to engage with global audiences and improve their online visibility. Translating blogs allows companies to address localized interests and questions while driving traffic, building trust, and supporting SEO efforts in different regions.

eBooks

Companies that offer services or provide education (e.g., marketing, publishing, and even financial companies) often provide eBooks as a resource to assist customers. Translating longer, more detailed pieces helps these businesses generate leads in new markets by sharing knowledge.

Videos and podcasts

With podcast listeners worldwide projected to reach 504.9 million, nontext media has become a powerful way to connect with audiences. Media companies, educators, and brands are localizing this content to engage global viewers and listeners. Translating or subtitling videos and podcasts captures attention and makes information accessible across different languages.

Long-form content localization best practices: How to build a successful strategy

A comprehensive global localization strategy is an upfront investment that will lead to cost savings down the line. Without a plan, businesses risk wasting resources on poorly translated content, missing opportunities to connect with their target market, and failing to make an impact in international markets.

Here are four content localization best practices to follow when creating your localization strategy:

Research your target market

Before you start localizing, identify your audience and what they care about. Research their cultural preferences, communication styles, and content expectations. This will help you translate content in a way that feels relatable and approachable. It will also tell you whether a potential audience will like your product or service in the first place.

Decide what content to localize

Not everything needs to be localized. Focus on content that will have the most impact on your audience and your business. Start by identifying business materials that are essential to translate for your target market.

For example, your website homepage will likely see high volumes of traffic, eBooks are great for lead generation, and product descriptions directly influence purchasing decisions. By prioritizing localization of these high-value assets, you can translate the resources that drive immediate results and support your goals in international markets. 

Choose the right translation solution

Not all translation methods are created equal. The best translation and localization method depends on the content type. Machine translation tools like Google Translate can quickly produce translations, but without human oversight or additional support from other AI technology like LLMs, the quality of MT translations can be limited.

For highly visible content where quality is top priority, like your website homepage or product descriptions, it’s best to employ workflows that involve professional human translation like Smartling’s Language Services. Keeping a human in the loop for high-value content ensures that quality remains top-knotch and aligns with brand guidelines. 

For high-volume, low-visibility assets like old blog posts or help center content, it makes sense to lean into AI translation solutions that can deliver quick, cost-efficient translations. For example, Smartling’s AI Translation delivers content at half the cost of traditional translation methods and in half the time. AI-powered solutions can help you keep up with high-volume translation demands without breaking the bank. 

Incorporate SEO into your translation process

There’s no point in localizing and translating your content into different languages if it can’t be found by its target audience. Incorporate local SEO strategies, such as region-specific keywords, phrases, and search terms. Your website content will rank higher in search engines and results for audiences in international markets.

Leverage your content localization strategy with Smartling

Many businesses struggle to authentically connect with international audiences. This leads to missed opportunities, weaker customer relationships, and stagnant growth in global markets. Content localization is your bridge to international success. Aligning your content with local languages and cultures will boost customer engagement, build trust, and open doors to new markets.

Still unsure where to start your localization journey? Our eBook, “Top 5 Insights to Improve Your Localization Strategy,” shares tips and best practices from global experts. You’ll gain actionable information to make your localization strategy stand out.