What is localization strategy?

Localization strategy solutions streamline all localization needs around the globe, from marketing to website management.
Ecommerce Staff Writer Pitney Bowes
10/10/2021 Cross-border

A localization strategy is a unique market approach a company takes to address purchasing habits, customer behaviors and overall cultural differences in each country it works in.

When a business enters a new foreign market, it can be challenging to give buyers in that country a customer experience that feels familiar and comfortable to them. Creating country-by-country localization strategies ensures customers abroad benefit from the same quality experience they would expect from a local business.

So, what goes into planning a business’s localization strategy?

Web marketing – In certain markets, for example, consumers prefer mobile browsing to desktop browsing, which could impact your web development strategy. High-quality content translation and local SEO review help fill the potential engagement gap between businesses and customers in different native markets. Consistency in domain structures also helps maintain a strong global brand.  

Cultural norms – It is essential to meet cultural expectations, like how to address your customers correctly. In some countries, the use of honorifics is always expected, like adding the gender-neutral suffix “sama” when interacting with customers in Japan. In other cases, you may need to vary the number of spaces in online forms to allow for reading aids or multiple middle names.

Purchasing preferences – Your purchasing experience should be localized for each country, with appropriate local currencies and unique payment options. For instance, credit cards are not as widely used in Germany, so you should offer an alternative payment method for these buyers. Multiple currency options also mean, for example, that an American ex-patriate would have the option to pay in U.S. dollars even if he or she lives in another country.

Continually keeping track of all of these moving parts is challenging, but localization strategy experts can help businesses implement comprehensive solutions. Pitney Bowes embeds localization strategy into Borderfree Retail, its ecommerce platform, to help internet retailers effectively reach global audiences wherever they are.

How You Benefit

Through implementation of localization strategy solutions, your business will be better able to meet customers where they are. Using localization solutions enables businesses to effectively broaden their potential customer base and avoid the potential pitfalls of cross-cultural marketing. Modern solutions offer high quality translation, local SEO review and localized engagement to customers the world over. Address validation solutions solve shipping problems caused by incorrect formatting or typos. Instead of cobbling together different solutions for each of these challenges, comprehensive localization software handles everything for you, so you can focus on developing exceptional products.

What Pitney Bowes Offers

Pitney Bowes takes care of all your marketing and website localization needs, with the ability to localize your domestic site in up to 220 countries and territories. Translation, currency and country-specific promotions and product pricing are handled for you. Our solutions can help you lead localized marketing campaigns, utilizing in-country channels like social, search and partnerships to drive incremental sales and brand exposure. As a result, you can avoid the drain of money and resources involved in building and maintaining a plethora of in-country sites.