But this is easier said than done. Many marketers ask themselves: How can we create personalised content on a global scale? Should we just translate one message into hundreds of languages?

The short answer is no. Translation is not enough. Instead, localisation 鈥� defined as the adaptation of content to a specific market 鈥� is the process that should lie at the core of every global marketing campaign if the content is to be diverse enough to address different values, lifestyles and ethnicities.

Why translation alone isn’t enough for global marketing

Many marketers still treat translation as an afterthought, simply converting words without considering how those words land in a new cultural context. Global audiences are both multilingual and multicultural, and localisation takes the next step, ensuring your message resonates authentically with different values, lifestyles and expectations.

Culture shapes how people interpret messaging, and translation alone can’t bridge that gap. For example, some cultures communicate through subtext or a shared understanding, while others like to be more direct. Even between countries that share similar cultures and languages, like in the Nordic region, you can find notable cultural differences. Read more about this topic in

Localisation goes beyond speaking the right language and helps you understand your audience鈥檚 mindset so that your message doesn鈥檛 just get heard, but actually sticks.

Advantages of localisation in global marketing

By prioritising localisation from the get-go, marketers ensure the following:

• Cultural authenticity: When localisation is considered from day one, you can create content that feels genuinely native to each market.
• Consistent brand voice: Early planning ensures that your brand personality, although tweaked linguistically and culturally, still resonates in a consistent way across all markets.
• Faster market entry: Campaigns can launch simultaneously across markets rather than in staggered rollouts, waiting for translations to go live.
• Time and cost efficiency: Starting with localisation in mind means you won鈥檛 need to go back and redesign campaigns that don鈥檛 translate well across cultures.
• Growth: Localisation can expand your brand reach and awareness, as well as offer a SEO boost.
• Connections: You can more effectively build personal connections with users and consumers because it gives your brand the human touch and shows respect for local cultures and values.
• Increased profits: If you do it right, localisation can form part of a successful organic growth strategy. If you don鈥檛, it could come at a significant cost to your business.

Choose the right localisation strategy for your global marketing content

Of course, not every message needs the same level of localisation. That鈥檚 where a tailored strategy comes into play.

To find a localisation strategy that best fits your goals and expectations, you first need to assess the level of impact of your different content pieces. Is it brand-critical content, such as a slogan, or is it lower-impact content, such as reviews for an online platform?

Understanding that different types of content may require different strategies can save you time and help your language service provider allocate efforts properly. The graphic below can serve as an initial guide to think about where you might want to start, but you can always get in touch with us for more personalised advice.

Localisation services for global marketing, explained

Market-specific copywriting

We鈥檝e talked about personalisation, so we know how crucial it is. Sometimes, the best way to ensure that this content can truly match a particular target audience is to create region- or country-specific campaigns to convey messages that are culturally and contextually appropriate.

Transcreation

Literal translations can sometimes cause misunderstandings and lead to considerable loss of meaning. Content should be transcreated instead, taking tone and style into account, having consideration for the design, the surrounding images and the broader context.

Full human translation

This is what you might call the traditional approach to content localisation. A human translator takes a text in one language and translates it into another, adding colloquial expressions and idioms, where appropriate, so the text reads like it was written in the target language. However, this doesn鈥檛 take into account cultural references and norms, and the meaning of images and symbols.

Machine translation post-editing

Some content, such as slang and idiomatic language, is not compatible with machine translation because of how culturally specific and ultimately human it is. However, when localising low-impact content, machine translation can be used in conjunction with human post-editing for a good and affordable option.

Multilingual SEO

There is more to SEO than simply translating keywords! Keyword localisation acknowledges the fact that the keywords that are popular in one region can be completely different in another. SEO needs to be tailored to each particular market.

The language solutions partnership process

While adding another stakeholder to your workflow may seem daunting, partnering with a language solutions provider that prioritises clear communication, seamless integration and mutual trust mitigates risks while delivering significant benefits to your marketing team.

Here鈥檚 a quick look into our process here at Sandberg:

• Strategic planning and onboarding

Our partnership begins with comprehensive onboarding outlining project requirements, costs, timelines and quality expectations. Strategic planning meetings assess longer-term needs, including expansion plans and peak work periods.

• Gathering project materials

Key client information is shared with project managers and linguists, including brand guidelines, style guides and terminology glossaries. Together, we’ll craft a detailed brief, containing specific brand and content information, with templates provided to streamline the process.

• Linguistic work with technology

Your content passes through multiple review stages by different linguists, ensuring accuracy and ISO standard compliance. Modern language technology, including translation memories and term bases, guarantees consistency. This may include AI and machine translation, followed by human review.

• Independent review

Project managers or validators conduct final content reviews before delivery, ensuring alignment with reference materials. Your dedicated point(s) of contact handle issues promptly, with quick response times to maintain project momentum.

• Communication and feedback

Open communication extends beyond individual projects through structured feedback stages, enabling continuous improvement. We鈥檒l arrange annual business reviews to ensure there are clear communication channels for sharing ideas and feedback.

As you can see, the process is well-organised and can easily be tailored to your specific needs. For a more detailed explanation, read our article: /maximise-global-marketing/.

Make localisation a business priority

In an increasingly connected world where consumers expect authentic, culturally relevant experiences, localisation is a business imperative. Brands that invest in comprehensive localisation strategies from the outset can transform them into something that resonates deeply with diverse audiences across the globe.

The shift from translation to localisation represents more than just a change in terminology; it’s a fundamental reimagining of how brands connect with their customers. By embracing cultural authenticity, maintaining a consistent brand voice and leveraging the right mix of localisation services, from market-specific copywriting to multilingual SEO, companies can turn what might otherwise be seen as an afterthought or annoying extra cost into a powerful driver of growth and engagement.

Success in global marketing no longer favours those who speak the loudest, but rather those who speak meaningfully to each individual market. The brands that recognise this truth and build localisation into their processes from day one are the ones that thrive in our multicultural, interconnected marketplace.

At the moment, consumers have endless choices, and the brands that win are those that make every customer feel like the message was crafted specifically for them.

Ready to stand out from the crowd and start truly connecting with global audiences?

Explore our marketing solutions here.

Part of this article was initially published in 2019 by Gonzalo Fernandez, a former Sandberg team member, and has since been edited and revised with up-to-date information and new analysis.

The post The role of localisation in global marketing campaigns appeared first on sa国际传媒.

A company鈥檚 brand is everything that constitutes their reputation and visibility. A brand is the sum of all the points of contact with clients, partners and stakeholders, both current and potential. Yes, these touch points include the visible brand identity, such as the logo and marketing material, but also the business premises, communication style, company culture and community engagement. Our website is a selfie of a modern professional services company; it is a snapshot of our story, of who we are and what we stand for.听STP鈥檚 brand identity did not require a major overhaul, but a subtle change was needed to the elements communicating our story, vision and values. That is why we decided to redesign our website.

A brand out of step with the story

STP鈥檚 brand has always stood for Nordic translation services. This concept has been so strong that it has overshadowed the fact that we also have a large team providing excellent translation services into English. We wanted to address this imbalance on our new website. Not to discard anything, but to emphasise that we translate into English as well as into Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish.

A brand associated with the wrong images

It was also time to move away from the Nordic landscape imagery of forests, fjords and pretty log cabins. As serene as they are, they are not a true reflection of contemporary Scandinavian society, let alone the region鈥檚 sophisticated business and versatile foreign trade. Nor do they reflect STP as a business. On our new website, I want to talk less about the capabilities of STP and more about how they benefit our current and potential clients. And I want to showcase the industry we are part of and the community engagement that fuels our passion.

A brand not trained to listen

In fact, a well-designed website can and must be more than a selfie. It must be an engine that drives two-way communication. Our new website helps us to understand how our audience engages with us and to gauge whether our message gets across. It is a platform through which we not only speak and share, but also listen and learn.

A brand-new brand identity

The branding of many language service companies is too similar to that of their competitors. I wanted STP鈥檚 rebranding to reinforce our individuality. I didn鈥檛 need to reinvent who we are, just find a visual language for expressing it. I chose all the images on the website with this criteria in mind. I want them to be textured, exciting and vibrant, creative rather than polemic, cool and streetwise rather than corporate and polished. That is how I see our people, our service and our space in our industry.

We tried to assign a committee to manage the rebranding effort, but it didn鈥檛 work. The project required one leader 鈥� focused, inspired and able to lead. I took on the role, and it occupied my days and occasionally my nights during this sunny, scorching summer of 2018. Some companies outsource branding activities to creative agencies, but we didn鈥檛. Of course, we had a partner for the basic template design, development and hosting, but every image in our new brand identity has been hand-picked by us and every word on our website written by us. I am pleased that the website showcases the transcreation and copywriting skills of STP鈥檚 in-house staff. They demonstrated great teamwork while contributing to the content creation, and while translating the website.

Right now, I am pacing the floor of my well-organised office, too restless to sit on my comfortable chair or to concentrate on what is on my desk. I am eagerly waiting to hear what people think of STP鈥檚 new brand identity. For better or for worse, mea culpa.

The post Director鈥檚 Cut, take 14: Selfie appeared first on sa国际传媒.

I want to be an ultramarathon runner, an accomplished painter and a pro karaoke singer 鈥� in the past. It鈥檚 no good telling me I could be any of those things if only I believed in myself, put my mind to it and worked persistently towards the goal. I don鈥檛 want the determination and the hard work. I want the status now, with all the effort behind me, so that I can relax and bask in the afterglow of glory.

I鈥檓 not sure writing a blog was ever on my bucket list. If I had known how much time and mental energy it would take, I might never have embarked on the journey. Writing a professional blog is different from writing a personal one, and l have expended many a little grey cell in pondering what would be appropriate to share with my potential readers. Indeed, a few posts I wrote never got published.

The name of this blog indicates that I wanted to write about the scenes that are usually left on the cutting room floor. Director鈥檚 cut versions of films are not generally released to the public. The main reason is that anybody with money invested in the film can impose changes that might make the film more profitable at the box office. This can mean excluding scenes that would earn the film a more restrictive rating, but more often it means that the film is simply shortened to provide more screenings per day.

STP has no external investors controlling how and to whom we tell our story. So, my vision for Director鈥檚 Cut was not for less censorship in my communications but rather for a new vehicle. The channels traditionally reserved for business communication don鈥檛 allow much room for personal reflection and for showing why the director shot a certain scene in a certain way. Adding a few new angles of expos茅 might thus enlighten the viewer.

If someone is not a fan, a director鈥檚 cut might of course bore them and prolong an already agonising show. A director鈥檚 cut version should never be made compulsory viewing 鈥� which is why plenty of my colleagues at STP have never read this blog. But human nature being what it is, most people are curious enough to take a peep at the deleted scenes.

I googled 鈥渨hy people blog鈥� today and got some interesting answers. Apparently, many blogs are constructed like personal online diaries, typically concerned with relationship problems or techie news. Though both of those topics admittedly have some relevance, I must say I try to steer well clear of both in my life. I certainly could not pass as an expert on either 鈥� so dissecting my love life or evaluating the latest translation technology in a blog was never an option.

Some blogs are issue-based, where the blogger is trying to provide information to sway people’s thinking in a certain direction. That was not one of my objectives when planning this blog, and I don鈥檛 think it works on that front either.

Other people simply write to create a record of an era. There are elements of that in my writing. This blog has documented aspects of my second year as the managing director of a fairly large translation company, and I have tried to share the spotlight with professionals, mentors and organisations who have brushed shoulders with me and supported me along the way.

Advertising and branding are also valid reasons for blogging. Perhaps there has been a modicum of that in Director鈥檚 Cut. I prefer a subtle approach to making STP known, and long to show outsiders what we are like as a company. Not many things are unique these days, but STP has a combination of characteristics that make it different from most other LSPs.

This is not only my opinion, but the view of many seasoned translation industry professionals. I am reminded of how different we are when I talk to sales experts about planning a training course for our staff, when I tell a market research organisation what kind of questions STP is seeking to answer, or when I read angry online posts by freelance translators about how all translation companies are nothing more than brokers.

I know my blogging has been a one-way street because I haven鈥檛 opened it up for ratings, feedback, questions and answers. It was never intended to promote products, seek sponsors or reach the great public. I鈥檓 not sure I would have had the time to be as interactive as that would have required. But I鈥檓 grateful to those of you who have emailed me privately, encouraged me on social media or come to chat about the topics face to face. I have felt my thoughts resonate across our community, and that鈥檚 what matters to me.

This is my last blog post for now. I鈥檓 going to take a break from writing, but it doesn鈥檛 necessarily make this the FINAL curtain. Let鈥檚 say it鈥檚 an entr’acte and I may yet return.

By that time, blogging may well be old news and I will have to turn to, who knows what鈥� vlogging?

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A Frenchman, an American and a Finn are walking in the grasslands of a savannah and come across an elephant.

The Frenchman looks at the handsome animal and thinks to himself, 鈥淲hat fantastic dish could I make out of that elephant?鈥�

The American looks at the elephant and thinks, 鈥淗ow could I make the most money out of that animal 鈥� selling it off in bits or parading it in a circus?鈥�

The Finn doesn鈥檛 even look at the elephant.

He just stares at his own shoes, shifts nervously from one foot to the other and focuses hard on one single question: 鈥淲hat does that elephant think of me?鈥�

How aware is too aware?

As a Finn myself, I see some truth in this stereotype. And I do catch myself thinking quite frequently about the image I project 鈥� especially at industry events.

I always try to make sure that my suitcase contains a range of business wear that strikes the right balance between professional respectability and personal flair.

I鈥檓 writing this very post from a conference, as it happens, where I鈥檓 surrounded by European translation company executives. I鈥檓 among peers who know me quite well and possibly even like and respect me.

Some of them are clients. A few may be competitors. But we鈥檝e come together to network and discuss issues that are common to us all.

How concerned, then, should I be about the image I project to them 鈥� both personally and for the company I represent?

Not as concerned as the cripplingly self-conscious Finn in the joke I just told you, that鈥檚 for sure. Such navel-gazing is of little value, and it鈥檚 not at all attractive to others.

But the fact is that, in business, image does matter. And the opinions and perceptions of our industry peers are extremely important. I鈥檓 sure you also stop to think about your image from time to time 鈥� if not your own, then at least your company鈥檚.

Maintaining the right image is crucial 鈥� whether you wish to be seen as an all-knowing, omnipotent boss in the eyes of your staff, a pioneering visionary in front of your industry peers, or a successful localisation expert in the minds of your clients.

But it鈥檚 also incredibly difficult. Our personas, activities and perceived achievements are constantly analysed by our potential business partners and used to define who we are, how we work, and what we can and cannot offer.

The digital world of today makes things even harder, as we鈥檙e often judged before we even get a chance to prove ourselves in person.

The value of good听values

As a businessperson, projecting the right personal image is much easier when you have a solid set of company values to guide you.

In my case, if I ever need a nudge in the right direction, I can always look to STP鈥檚 values. They are sa国际传媒, which stands for No-nonsense, Open, Respectful, Diverse, Innovative and Committed.

The values are designed to depict who we are and guide how we behave 鈥� both online and off. 鈥楴o-nonsense,鈥� for example, means we should try to be clear, concise and efficient in our communication, so as not to confuse our recipient or waste their time.

For each of the values, we also have a set of corresponding anti-values that define what kind of people, behaviour and communication we definitely don鈥檛 want the company to be associated with.

Rather than promote these values as words, our aim is for you to experience them in your dealings with STP. Or in your dealings with me.

Openness should characterise our online presence and our involvement in the translation industry. Innovation should permeate the way we employ technology and work with academic institutions. And our commitment must shine through in the way we serve our clients and suppliers.

Our company values cannot just be a list of impressive but empty words. They must reflect who we are, who we aspire to be, and how we wish to be seen by others. We must all be identifiable by them.

Does my bottom line look big in this?

Am I image conscious? I guess I am. As the leader of a well-known company, it鈥檚 hard not to be. And while I know clothes and manners do not make the man, I think that once he is made, they can greatly improve his appearance.

I want the way STP speaks, acts and looks 鈥� online and off 鈥� to match how we speak, act and look in our daily work and internal dealings. I want our external image to sell us well, because I know we are well sellable.

In fact, STP鈥檚 image would do well to mirror 鈥� metaphorically, of course 鈥� the understated elegance I aim for with my conference wardrobe.

No frills, no power suits, no high heels. Simplicity that stems from confidence. Practicality that speaks of good health and fitness. A bit of loose material to cover the less perfect bits. A dash of verve. A nod to the latest trends.

And definitely no black.

The post Director鈥檚 Cut, take 9: Image conscious appeared first on sa国际传媒.