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Multimedia is a powerful sales tool. Images, slideshows, and videos can enhance your product’s appeal in ways text alone can’t. And that’s especially true when you have an online store, where customers rely on product descriptions and visuals to make purchasing decisions. For instance, including a video on your landing page can increase conversions by more than 80 percent.
Yet in order to connect with your message, customers must understand the cultural context. If you want to reach buyers worldwide, you need to adapt your multimedia content to meet local language and cultural preferences. Any content aimed at global audiences requires multimedia localization, which involves translating text, altering visuals, and adjusting formats and layouts.
Fortunately, you can translate your vision into any language with the help of a multimedia localization services provider. Our guide will walk you through the process and help you find the right agency.
To begin, let’s define multimedia localization and break it down into its basic components.
Multimedia localization is the process of adapting multimedia content such as videos, images, and audio to a different language or culture. In other words, it’s the art and science of creating a culturally appropriate and user-friendly experience for global audiences.
The process requires in-depth knowledge of the target language, culture, and technical aspects of multimedia. This includes:
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Subtitles are text translations of the original dialog that appear at the bottom of the screen. They help viewers understand the content while retaining the original audio. Subtitles also help viewers who are hard of hearing or deaf to enjoy the content.
Dubbing is the process of replacing the original audio track with a track in the target language and synchronizing it with the speaker’s lip movements. It creates a more immersive experience as viewers can hear dialogue in their native tongue.
Voiceover is similar to dubbing, but involves overlaying a translated narration over the original soundtrack. Documentaries, presentations, and educational videos often use this technique. Voiceover allows the audience to hear the translation while still hearing some of the original audio. Take a look at our Adobe case study for further details
Cultural adaptation involves aligning multimedia content with cultural norms, values, and references. It may include changing visuals, symbols, gestures, and even humor that doesn’t resonate with the target culture. This ensures the content is relatable to local audiences.
UI localization involves adapting menus, buttons, labels, and other elements to enhance the user experience of a website, app, eLearning course, or game. This may include resizing text to fit different character lengths and repositioning elements for proper display. Localizing the interface makes it more accessible and intuitive for users in the target market.
Ultimately, it’s all about making content resonate with a diverse audience while maintaining the original intent and quality. Take a look at our case studies for examples
Yet you may be wondering whether multimedia localization is necessary. Can’t you just translate the content without changing anything else? Sometimes you can. But you’ll miss the opportunity to maximize the business benefits multimedia in the target market.
Here are five ways localized multimedia can increase your global reach and competitiveness.
1. Enhanced brand perception. When you localize multimedia content, it demonstrates a commitment to understanding and meeting international customers’ needs. By respecting local tastes, the brand will appear global and customer-centric.
For example, MediaPRO, a cybersecurity and data privacy training provider, localizes its online courses into 42 languages to support learners worldwide. This allows the company to serve more markets and build partnerships with global corporations.
2. Higher SEO rankings. Localizing multimedia content improves SEO rankings in local search engines. Multilingual content makes products and services more visible to users who search for them in their native language, which increases your online visibility.
3. Improved user engagement. People engage more with content in their native language and cultural context. By providing content that feels familiar and relatable, multimedia localization enhances the user experience. This leads to higher levels of engagement, interaction, and time spent on the company’s platforms.
4. Increased conversion rates. Multimedia localization can increase conversion rates by providing a seamless customer experience. Shoppers are more likely to buy when product descriptions, user interfaces, and promotional videos appeal to their needs.
5. Leveraging local influencers. Localized multimedia can include local influencers, celebrities, or experts. By tapping into the influencer’s credibility and following, you can gain exposure and establish a more authentic connection with the local audience.
Simply put, multimedia localization is a strategic investment that helps you connect with global audiences. When done right, it leads to increased market share, customer satisfaction, and business growth. And it’s an affordable way to reach international audiences compared to creating original content.
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Now that you know the benefits of localizing multimedia, let’s discuss how to do it. This step-by-step guide can serve as a blueprint for most projects.
1. Project analysis. Conduct research on the target audience and evaluate your existing content to determine the project’s localization requirements.
2. Translation. Translate scripts, on screen text, and any other written content.
3. Cultural adaptation. Adapt elements such as humor, idioms, symbols, and references to align with the target culture.
4. Audio and video localization. Record the audio, and synchronize subtitles and/or dubbing with the video’s visuals.
5. UI localization: Localize user interface elements to match the target language and cultural norms.
6. Testing and quality assurance. Conduct testing to ensure the localized multimedia content functions properly and retains its intended meaning.
7. Technical Integration. If necessary, adjust the code or technical framework to ensure the localized content works seamlessly.
As you can see, multimedia localization is a team effort. It requires collaboration among translators, subject matter experts, developers, and other professionals. But don’t worry if you don’t have the internal staff to take on the task. An experienced localization provider can manage your project from concept to completion.
If you conduct a quick online search, you’ll find dozens of language services providers. However, not all of them are equipped to meet your needs. Here are four tips to help you decide which one is the right fit:
Keeping these factors in mind will help you choose a multimedia localization services provider that can maximize the impact of your content in diverse markets.
All in all, multimedia localization is the most effective way to leverage multimedia in global markets. It allows you to adapt existing assets for new audiences, instead of creating original content. This helps you save time and resources while still providing a high-quality customer experience.
At Jonckers, we offer the multimedia localization services you need to transform your existing content. From our continuous localization technology to our team of skilled linguists and designers, we can provide the highest quality media assets in any language.
Want to learn more about how Jonckers can boost your multimedia content? Visit our multimedia localization services page today or feel free to arrange a call with one of our approachable experts.
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