Why Language Matters on Global Websites

Can’t Read, Won’t Buy: Why Language Matters on Global Websites

Donald A. DePalma, Ph.D. Chief Research Officer

Copyright © 2009 by Common Sense Advisory, Inc.

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About Lionbridge

Global Scale

Market Leadership

4,600 employees 26 countries

Leader in $14B services industry • Translation and adaptation of products

• Global network of 25,000 translators

and content for international markets

Hosted Technology

Global Clients

Web-based language technology platform

Recurring relationships with 500+ global clients

• Enhances competitive advantage • Drives efficiency

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• 80% of revenue comes from recurring clients • 12 of the Fortune 20 companies are client

Introductions Donald A. DePalma, Ph.D. Chief Research Officer, Common Sense Advisory don@commonsenseadvisory.com DePalma has written dozens of reports since founding Common Sense Advisory, and oversaw the development of dozens more. His current research interest is natural language technology, developing in areas such as machine translation and speech recognition. Separately, his survey-based work with consumers and business buyers has yielded some of the industry’s most powerful arguments for localization.

Paula Shannon CSO, SVP and General Manager, Lionbridge Paula.Shannon@lionbridge.com More than 23 years experience in the translation and localization industry Responsible for sites in 26+ countries, driving new services and sustainable solutions, ensuring the continued delivery of innovation and execution excellence to a broad range of Global 1000 customers

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Executive summary The survey crossed three continents Most people prefer buying in their own language Language significantly influenced more important purchases It takes more than local language to sell something Global brands trump language and price

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Global consumer survey details  Usual targets: France, Germany, Japan, and Spain (Most of FIGS + J of CCJK)  Attractive developing markets: Brazil, China, and Russia (BRIC)

 An emerging market with ties to traditional localization markets: Turkey Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

English-language sites attract foreign visitors

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English-language sites attract foreign visitors

International visitors spend more time at sites in their language

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Consumers prefer buying from sites in their language

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Consumers prefer buying from sites in their own language

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Language preferences do vary by what consumers are buying

International buyers almost evenly split on homelanguage purchases

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International buyers almost evenly split on home-language purchases

Most consumers feel discomfort in other languages, but may still buy

All other things being equal, consumers prefer buying in their own language

All other things being equal, consume prefer buying in their own language

Mother tongue content becomes more important over product life cycle

Respondents prefer bad quality in their own language over English-language content

Respondents prefer bad quality in their own language over English-language content

More than half of all visitors sometimes turn to machine translation

Brand trumps language, but language beats a lower price

Brand trumps language, but language beats a lower price – more in some countries than others

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The price-language-brand hierarchy of needs

Why foreign visitors abandon websites

On the global web, language and localization matter more than ever

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If global markets interest you, then it’s time to localize your websites Consumers demand it.

Competitors will push their own local website initiatives.

The law sometimes requires it.

Your ability to market and sell grows with localization.

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Bibliography Quarterly Business Confidence surveys “Localization Matters” (Nov08) “Website Globalization: The Availability Quotient” (Jan08) “On the Web, Some Countries Matter More than Others” (Sep07) “Can’t Read, Won’t Buy” (Sep06) “Developing Products for Global Markets” (Jun06) “Beggars at the Globalization Banquet” (Nov02)

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Knowledge Center

www.lionbridge.com Download White Papers • Building Stronger Brands Around the World: A Guide to Effective Global Marketing • Strengthening Global Brands: Key Steps for Meaningful Communications around the World • Building a Global Web Strategy: Best Practices for Developing your International Online Brand • Machine Translation: Saving Time, Lowering Costs, and Improving Services

View Webinars • Localization 2.0 • The Art and Science of Global Navigation • The Best Global Web Sites (and Why)

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Questions?

Don DePalma don@commonsenseadvisory.com Research: www.commonsenseadvisory.com Blog: www.globalwatchtower.com Twitter: @CSA_Research

Lionbridge www.lionbridge.com

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