The previous article Vol.38 – How to Remake Global Content to Meet Local Needs was about remaking global content to meet local situation and needs based on target buyer persona.
This article is about localizing global content focusing on language perspective, i.e. how much translation is required for target audience to understand when the content is originally made in the language not understood by the target audience.
1. Do everything of all content need to be translated in content localization?
The author would say no. It is true that translation is the first thing to do in localizing contents, the author would say that it does not necessarily mean that all headlines, texts, captions etc. need to be translated at all times.
This is because there are a few exceptional cases in which target audiences understand the core message and find the content interesting even if the content is not all translated into the language they understand.
2. What kind of contents could do without translation yet target audiences find the contents interesting?
They are mostly of rich contents focusing on visuals. This does not mean that such contents are all that leverages web 2.0 technologies with movies. Web 1.0 content also could be such contents yet web 2.0 content of movies could not be of such contents.
Non-texts such as photo and movies convey sufficient information to local audience even though the text and/narration is not translated from English into local language or vice versa. That is to say global audience understands the message even though the text and/or narration is not translated from local language to English and the audience actually find the content interesting.
3. What are some of the examples of contents which can do without translation yet target audience can enjoy?
1) Blogs articles with photos that can be like an album
It is often said that pictures equals hundred words, which is quite true. Target audience may enjoy blog articles with many photos even though the blog is of much text probably because series of photos are like an album.
When the author wrote a blog article in Japanese about her business trip to Switzerland and posted photos and tweeted with a link to the article page, it attracted attention of global audience and to her surprise, was retweeted, with comment about the photos.
Participated in Global Diversity & Inclusion Meeting held in Global HQ! (the author’s translation)
http://ameblo.jp/meg-oyanagi/entry-10555640784.html
Also, the author had a feedback from which she understood that other online people used the online translation service to read the long blog article text. Although the translation quality might not be perfect, it was understandable and the readers did enjoy the article. This incident means that if target audience is once attracted to the content, he/she would self-service to translate utilizing online translation services and is satisfied with it.
2) Blog article with charts and/or (YouTube) videos
Blog articles of texts with charts and/or videos can make target audiences understand the core message and enjoyed even if the texts and narrations are not translated. If it is a 2 hour movie, interpreted dubbed version or telop translation version are inevitable to help audience understand the story and message. However, in the case of blog articles with easy-to-understand, illustrative chart and/or video, such localization is not necessarily required for the audiences to understand the main message.
Some examples of such articles include the below.
20 #Facebook Tips/Tricks You Might Not Know
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/20-facebook-tipstricks-you-might-not-know/
How to Build a Facebook Community (14 “Levers” You Need to be Pulling)
http://www.johnhaydon.com/2009/10/howto-build-facebook-community/
These 2 blog articles were tweeted by the author, to global audience in English and to Japanese audience with a simple comment in Japanese then the English article title and link. Surprisingly, they were retweeted with a simple appreciation comment by a Japanese tweet.
There are many factors for it such as the fact that the tweep has always been attentive to advanced social media trend regardless of the location of source and the content met his needs. The author also feels that the fact that the blog articles included easy-to-understand visualized chart and video that help the non-bilingual Japanese tweep understand the main message is also an important factor that made him satisfied with the content although it is in English. Also, similarly to the blog posts with pictures mentioned above, if the reader is extremely curious of the content, he/she would likely to self-service for translation leveraging online web service.
3) Video content focusing on visual with good tempo
Surprisingly Video contents without been translated or translated telop can make target audience understand the core message, interested in the content and enjoy even if it is not translated into the language of the target audience. Such contents are with easy-to-understand, illustrative visuals/moving pictures, preferably with appropriate BGM. Thus, video in which a person makes narration and the movie is only the narrator talking is no good.
A few example of such content are as below.
What motivates us? [video]
http://holykaw.alltop.com/what-motivates-us-video
Evolution Web 1.0, Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 (VID)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsNcjya56v8&feature=related
The 2 contents have no translation telop and narration is in English; however, when the author tweeted introducing them with a link, a non-bilingual Japanese tweep retweeted with a comment saying that this content is of good tempo and of interesting and impressive way of presenting message through visual/movie. It is apparent that the retweeter was very interested in how the content was made and the information was presented to the audience, not found in Japan.
For the similar reason, some videos in English are often shown as it is to Japanese employees (who cannot understand English) at the company the author works in. In doing so, the author always makes sure that core message of such videos are understandable for non-bilingual employees from moving pictures and BGM. According to the feedback, the employees did understand the core message and enjoyed the content.
4. What are the final thoughts of the author?
Interesting photos and illustrative charts/movies attract attention of audience. They are extremely helpful for the audience to understand who are satisfied, regardless of which language the content is made in and which language the audience can understand. It is not about the language and translation. It is all about the value of the content and how the content is created and shown from customer perspective.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Vol.38 – How to Remake Global Content to Meet Local Needs
The previous article Vol.37: How to Develop and Evolve Contents Globally Starting Locally was about developing and evolving content for global and local audience based on local information.
This article is the continuation of the previous article, which is about remaking global content to meet local situation and needs based on target buyer persona.
1. In what kind of situation is global content usually remade totally to meet local needs?
This methodology is adopted when global message needs to be delivered to local audience and global content (information) is relevant to local audience cannot be made local by simple translation, addition of interpretation or modification.
Such content can cover wide a range of topics. Some examples of topics include environment, business and economy, politics, compliance, and diversity, to name a few.
2. How can global information remade totally to meet local needs?
Basic stance is the same as tailoring global content to develop local content to meet needs of local audience by changing the viewpoint/subject based on the buyer persona of audience segment.
The author would like to explain with a few concrete examples.
1) Product information (website, catalogue etc.)
This may be the most typical one and the easier one to understand. In global companies, unless the product is planned, developed, produced and marketed all locally, the global HQ is the core of the whole value chain and controls/monitors the total chain. This means the global HQ would have the product information, and one of the main responsibilities of the marketers in the global HQ is providing product information (e.g. catalogue) and other relevant materials such as photos and logo data to local marketers.
Having received information and materials, local marketers would usually remake into local product information tools such as catalogues and product information web pages, according to their product line-up and local market needs.
The degree of remaking depends on case by case. It can be just modifying the product lineup and translation using the data supplied from the global HQ. This seems to be popular among IT companies in particular. Remaking can also be as much as of the total structure and content of the catalogue, product information web pages etc., and redesigning of the front cover and pages, in addition to modifying the product lineup and translation.
Such remaking is performed based on the CI (corporate identity) guideline and other rules specific to the company, and on buyer persona of the local product information content. Total remaking of the content seems to be popular for BtoC, especially for products of consumer electronics and FMCG (fast moving consumer good) industry, assumed to attribute to the fact that such products are closely linked with manners and customs and lifestyles of the local consumers.
2) Company policy/message (internal communication of a company)
Company policy and message of a global company also originates from global HQ. In most cases, as the message is delivered further down the organization layer and/or regional segment, the content is remade, with more detailed information of the target organization layer and/or regional segment. The scenario needs to be carefully developed so that the local audience would be able to understand the global overview (big picture) and how the local content fits in it and is aligned with the big picture of the global overview.
It is the more detailed information part that is focused on because that is what the target (local) audience really needs, and that is usually from which the target audience understands the global core message. In a sense, the local detailed information is the interpretation and explanation of the global content.
Although it may be a rare case, there are some cases in which the key message (content) of such detailed local information may be an exceptional one and different from those of global and other regions/countries. In such a case, the scenario is to be carefully developed and delivered so that the local audience would understand how and why the local content is different.
3) Blog articles about a global issue
The blog article of a global issue can be about the recent abnormal weather for example. The author would like to explain with a specific example of a recent English blog article targeting global audience and Japanese blog article targeting Japanese audience, based on respective buyer persona.
(1) English blog:
Abnormal Weather Worldwide - Why and Effects
http://megoyanagi.blogspot.com/2010/07/abnormal-weather-worldwide-why-and.html
i) Style
The blog is in news article style, and this article is no exception. This is because the fact that English blogs are mostly in professional style and that much source of information for the blog would be news for the blog.
ii) Information / content
The information is mostly of facts, what is actually happening worldwide and Japan, and theories and views of experts. In the first half of the article worldwide information on how abnormal the weather is explained with concrete examples of how abnormal the weather has been lately and its effects on economy, society and people’s lives. In the latter half, Japanese information on its abnormal weather and its effects on summer business as more detailed information is introduced, supporting the total message of the global trend.
(2) Japanese blog:
Abnormal Weather Again – Mother Earth is Really Angry? (the author’s translation)
http://ameblo.jp/meg-oyanagi/entry-10594113815.html
i) Style
The blog was remade completely, in a diary style with more personal touch. Japanese translation of the English blog could have been an option if the author wanted to target expert niche segment such as weather experts. However, the author wanted to target the volume zone of blog readers and the diary style blog was appropriate because such style with what the author did and how he/she feels and thinks is extremely common in Japan.
ii) Content / information
Aligning with the blog concept, the focus of the article is on the author’s thoughts and what she did rather than the detailed facts and explanation of the abnormal weather. The facts and explanation of the abnormal weather was substituted by a link to the English blog, as a part of introducing what the author did on a hot summer day, having read series of special articles about worldwide abnormal weather of a Japanese leading newspaper.
This article is the continuation of the previous article, which is about remaking global content to meet local situation and needs based on target buyer persona.
1. In what kind of situation is global content usually remade totally to meet local needs?
This methodology is adopted when global message needs to be delivered to local audience and global content (information) is relevant to local audience cannot be made local by simple translation, addition of interpretation or modification.
Such content can cover wide a range of topics. Some examples of topics include environment, business and economy, politics, compliance, and diversity, to name a few.
2. How can global information remade totally to meet local needs?
Basic stance is the same as tailoring global content to develop local content to meet needs of local audience by changing the viewpoint/subject based on the buyer persona of audience segment.
The author would like to explain with a few concrete examples.
1) Product information (website, catalogue etc.)
This may be the most typical one and the easier one to understand. In global companies, unless the product is planned, developed, produced and marketed all locally, the global HQ is the core of the whole value chain and controls/monitors the total chain. This means the global HQ would have the product information, and one of the main responsibilities of the marketers in the global HQ is providing product information (e.g. catalogue) and other relevant materials such as photos and logo data to local marketers.
Having received information and materials, local marketers would usually remake into local product information tools such as catalogues and product information web pages, according to their product line-up and local market needs.
The degree of remaking depends on case by case. It can be just modifying the product lineup and translation using the data supplied from the global HQ. This seems to be popular among IT companies in particular. Remaking can also be as much as of the total structure and content of the catalogue, product information web pages etc., and redesigning of the front cover and pages, in addition to modifying the product lineup and translation.
Such remaking is performed based on the CI (corporate identity) guideline and other rules specific to the company, and on buyer persona of the local product information content. Total remaking of the content seems to be popular for BtoC, especially for products of consumer electronics and FMCG (fast moving consumer good) industry, assumed to attribute to the fact that such products are closely linked with manners and customs and lifestyles of the local consumers.
2) Company policy/message (internal communication of a company)
Company policy and message of a global company also originates from global HQ. In most cases, as the message is delivered further down the organization layer and/or regional segment, the content is remade, with more detailed information of the target organization layer and/or regional segment. The scenario needs to be carefully developed so that the local audience would be able to understand the global overview (big picture) and how the local content fits in it and is aligned with the big picture of the global overview.
It is the more detailed information part that is focused on because that is what the target (local) audience really needs, and that is usually from which the target audience understands the global core message. In a sense, the local detailed information is the interpretation and explanation of the global content.
Although it may be a rare case, there are some cases in which the key message (content) of such detailed local information may be an exceptional one and different from those of global and other regions/countries. In such a case, the scenario is to be carefully developed and delivered so that the local audience would understand how and why the local content is different.
3) Blog articles about a global issue
The blog article of a global issue can be about the recent abnormal weather for example. The author would like to explain with a specific example of a recent English blog article targeting global audience and Japanese blog article targeting Japanese audience, based on respective buyer persona.
(1) English blog:
Abnormal Weather Worldwide - Why and Effects
http://megoyanagi.blogspot.com/2010/07/abnormal-weather-worldwide-why-and.html
i) Style
The blog is in news article style, and this article is no exception. This is because the fact that English blogs are mostly in professional style and that much source of information for the blog would be news for the blog.
ii) Information / content
The information is mostly of facts, what is actually happening worldwide and Japan, and theories and views of experts. In the first half of the article worldwide information on how abnormal the weather is explained with concrete examples of how abnormal the weather has been lately and its effects on economy, society and people’s lives. In the latter half, Japanese information on its abnormal weather and its effects on summer business as more detailed information is introduced, supporting the total message of the global trend.
(2) Japanese blog:
Abnormal Weather Again – Mother Earth is Really Angry? (the author’s translation)
http://ameblo.jp/meg-oyanagi/entry-10594113815.html
i) Style
The blog was remade completely, in a diary style with more personal touch. Japanese translation of the English blog could have been an option if the author wanted to target expert niche segment such as weather experts. However, the author wanted to target the volume zone of blog readers and the diary style blog was appropriate because such style with what the author did and how he/she feels and thinks is extremely common in Japan.
ii) Content / information
Aligning with the blog concept, the focus of the article is on the author’s thoughts and what she did rather than the detailed facts and explanation of the abnormal weather. The facts and explanation of the abnormal weather was substituted by a link to the English blog, as a part of introducing what the author did on a hot summer day, having read series of special articles about worldwide abnormal weather of a Japanese leading newspaper.
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