How to Grow Your Business With Localization

The translation industry is finally at an exciting tipping point as smaller to medium-sized businesses are including translation and localization in their business strategies. And using translation and localization as tools to grow their business.

This is something that has been adopted by large multinationals for many years. But now that translation service providers use AI technology to help, translation has become increasingly affordable. This means small and medium-sized businesses can also grow and benefit from localization.

Quick Recap on Localization

Localization includes the translation of content. But it takes translation a few steps further. It goes beyond word-for-word translation and changes texts, marketing materials, and the like to be relevant to the target audience.

So, changing the messaging to be suitable for the target audiences’ needs, beliefs, cultural context, and so on.

Localization ensures your content is culturally sensitive, relevant, and engaging. It also includes adapting a translation so it is suitable for a certain region.

For example, Spanish spoken and written in Mexico is not the same as that spoken and written in Spain. Just like French in Canada is not the same as French in France or North Africa. Cultures and regions differ – so does language.

For more on translation jargon, view our blog on translation terminology.

Using Localization To Grow Your Business

Here are a few key steps on how to implement localization as a business strategy to help your business grow.

#1 Research Your Markets

An important part of localization is research.

Understand the global markets your business wants to “grow” into. It’s important to know regulations, permissions, certifications, and other legal requirements. Understand what is culturally significant and what is taboo in regions.

Why does this matter?

Well, the legal requirements speak for themselves. But your brand can come across as irrelevant or offensive if you don’t do proper research.

For example, Pampers (the diaper brand) entered Japan. In Western Culture, it is normal to have imagery of a stork bringing a baby to you. But this puzzled the Japanese market. The local equivalent would be a peach bringing the baby. This is something only thorough research would have uncovered, or if they made use of a local translation expert.

#2 Decide What Languages To Translate And Localize To

The second step is deciding what language or languages you should be translating to. This may seem simple. But it’s important to understand that regional dialects may differ.

For example, the primary spoken languages in China are Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu, and Min. From these, there are dozens of versions/dialects. If you enter a market and use the wrong dialect, you might as well not translate or localize your content.

Why does this matter?

For this example, here’s a throwback to a brand that no longer exists – Braniff Airlines. In 1987, they installed leather seats in their planes and wanted all their customers to know about it. They translated their then English slogan “Fly in leather” into Spanish, “Vuela en Cuero”. This was a fine translation in most of Latin America. Unfortunately, in Mexico, it meant “fly naked”. Not exactly something you’d want to encourage.

This just shows the importance of selecting the correct language and dialect. And ensuring your content is localized and checked by a native speaker.

#3 Develop A Localization Plan

There is that old business cliché “fail to plan, then plan to fail”. This is always true.

Businesses need to develop a localization strategy to grow. As a business, you need to decide what content you will translate and localize.

Marketing materials? Product Descriptions? Product Names? Manuals? Your website?

Then you also need to decide whether you will do your translations and localizations in-house. Or if your business will make use of a professional translation platform and language service provider. Providers that will have the resources to use native speakers and industry experts.

Why does this matter?

Besides the “fail to plan, plan to fail” adage, we recommend small to medium-sized businesses learn from the big multinational brands’ mistakes. This will ensure your business effectively translates, enters new markets successfully, and grows. Because obviously, the aim is for your business to improve its ROI and grow.

Here’s another example of a big brand that didn’t plan correctly and saw its sales plummet. Mercedes-Benz decided to rename its brand “Bensi” when entering China. Turns out this means “rush to die”. Clearly, they didn’t initially have a proper localization plan in place.

#4 Use the Right Imagery And Color For Your Target Market

It’s exceptionally important to use regionally specific imagery. And to ensure you avoid cultural appropriation and stereotypes as a business. Especially in the age of “cancel culture”.

It is also important to know that colors have different meanings in different regions.

Colors and imagery are definitely something that needs to be localized and ideally checked by a native of the region.

Why does this matter?

Taking the color red, in North and South America and Europe it is often connected with love and passion. In South Africa, the red in their flag represents violence and sacrifice made by their people. In China, red represents luck and fertility. In India, red can represent fear, wealth, purity, love, marriage, and beauty. In Thailand, red often symbolizes their sun god, Surya.

Blue can have both negative and positive meanings. For example, in North America, it can represent tranquility and reliability but can also represent depression and loneliness. Blue is often a symbol of masculinity in Europe and North America whereas in China it is often connected with femininity. In most parts of Asia and the Middle East, blue represents immortality. In Turkey, Greece, and Albania blue is said to repel evil. In these countries, blue amulets are often worn to protect the wearer from evil.

These two colors demonstrate how important visual aspects are when localizing content. And something to consider when wanting your business to “grow” into new markets.

#5 Identify The Right Channels To Distribute Your Localized Content

It is important to consider what channels will be the most effective for your localized content to be distributed on.

For one country, Twitter may be an important tool for you to use. In another country, traditional marketing may be more effective or SMSes.

You may have decided in your planning phase only to focus on your product materials – manuals, brochures, and the like. Or that localizing your website is a priority. Whatever your decision, it is important that your localized content suits the channel and the audience.

Some cultures may be more formal in their written communication than others. Website localization will require a different technique and approach than a product manual. And so on.

It is important to understand your target market and deliver exactly what they need, in the way they expect to receive it. It is highly recommended to make use of a local translator and industry expert to ensure that your business successfully localizes and adapts content, and grows.

Why does this matter?

If you don’t choose the right channels or don’t communicate effectively your localization efforts will not help your business to grow. You won’t likely see a positive return on investment either.

Making Localization An Easy Method For Your Business To Grow

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when considering some of the key steps in successful localization. But it doesn’t have to be.

What is great about platforms like Taia is that you get access to translators that are native to the target audience and industry experts. So, not only do they understand your industry but they are proficient in the original language and a native speaker of the target language.

This means you don’t have to spend time and resources on ensuring you are relevant, culturally sensitive, and accurate when wanting to grow your business through localization.

Taia is based in Europe but has native specialists based across the world. We specialize in translation and localization across all industries, continents, and in 189 languages (Pro plan).

Sign up to our platform for free and start translating immediately, or book a demo with our team in your time zone.

FAQs: Growing Your Business With Localization

1. What’s the difference between translation and localization?

Short answer: Translation converts text from one language to another. Localization adapts that text (and all related content) to fit the cultural, regional, and functional expectations of your target market.

Translation is about linguistic accuracy – making sure the words mean the same thing. Localization goes deeper: it considers:

• Cultural context – Idioms, humor, and tone that resonate with local audiences
• Regional differences – Spanish in Spain vs. Mexico vs. Argentina; French in France vs. Canada
• Visual elements – Colors, imagery, and symbols that have different meanings across cultures
• Functional adaptation – Date formats, currencies, measurement units, and local regulations

Example: A U.S. company selling software might translate “Sign up for a free trial” into German. But localization would also:

• Adjust the CTA to match German expectations (Germans prefer “Testen Sie kostenlos” over a direct translation)
• Update currency from USD ($) to EUR (€)
• Ensure GDPR compliance messaging is present
• Use culturally appropriate imagery (not just stock photos of Americans)

For businesses, translation gets you understood. Localization gets you trusted.

Taia’s localization services combine AI translation with human expertise to ensure both accuracy and cultural relevance.

2. How do I choose which markets to localize for?

Short answer: Focus on markets where demand, language fit, and ROI potential align with your business goals.

Here’s a simple framework:

Step 1: Analyze your current data

• Where are your website visitors coming from? (Google Analytics → Audience → Geo → Location)
• Which countries have the highest engagement but low conversion? (Likely a language barrier)
• Where are competitors succeeding internationally?

Step 2: Evaluate market potential

• Economic factors – GDP, purchasing power, e-commerce growth
• Language reach – Spanish covers 20+ countries; German focuses on DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
• Competitive landscape – Are local competitors already dominating? Or is there a gap you can fill?

Step 3: Consider operational feasibility

• Can you ship there? (E-commerce logistics)
• Are there legal/regulatory barriers? (GDPR in EU, FDA in U.S., certification requirements)
• Do you have customer support in that language?

Pro tip: Don’t just translate for “big” languages. Sometimes niche markets (Nordics, Benelux, Middle East) have high purchasing power and less competition.

Common Sense S tarting Points:

• E-commerce → German (DACH), French (France + Canada), Spanish (Spain + LatAm)
• SaaS/Tech → English (global), German, Japanese, French
• B2B services → Target markets where you already have inbound interest (check lead sources)

Taia supports 189 languages (Pro plan), so you can test markets incrementally without overhauling your entire stack.

3. Should I localize my entire website or just key pages?

Short answer: Start with high-impact pages (homepage, pricing, top products/services), then expand based on performance data.

The 80/20 rule applies to localization:

20% of your content drives 80% of conversions. Focus there first.

Prioritize these pages:

1. Homepage – First impression, brand messaging, value proposition
2. Product/service pages – Top sellers, flagship offerings
3. Pricing page – Critical for conversion (price in local currency, payment methods)
4. Contact/support page – Builds trust, reduces friction
5. Checkout flow – If e-commerce, this is non-negotiable
6. FAQ/Help Center – Reduces support tickets, improves UX

Lower priority (translate later):

• Blog archives (unless SEO is a major driver)
• Legal pages (required by law in some regions, but low engagement)
• Low-traffic product pages

Why this matters:

Localizing everything upfront is expensive and time-consuming. A phased approach lets you:

• Test market demand without overspending
• Iterate based on real data (which pages convert, which don’t)
• Scale efficiently as you validate ROI

Example: An e-commerce store entering Germany might start with:

• Homepage, top 10 product pages, checkout, FAQ → AI-assisted human translation
• Bulk product catalog → AI translation with translation memory
• Blog content → Translate top-performing articles first, expand later

Taia’s hybrid approach lets you prioritize quality where it matters and scale cost-effectively for the rest.

4. How much does business localization cost?

Short answer: It varies wildly based on volume, language pairs, and whether you use AI translation, human translation, or a hybrid approach.

Typical cost ranges:

• AI-only translation – $0.01–$0.05 per word (fast, cheap, needs editing)
• Professional human translation – $0.08–$0.25 per word (precise, culturally adapted, slower)
• AI-assisted human translation – $0.05–$0.12 per word (best of both: speed + quality)

What impacts cost:

• Language pair – Common pairs (EN→ES, EN→FR, EN→DE) are cheaper; rare pairs (EN→Icelandic, EN→Arabic) cost more
• Content complexity – Legal, medical, technical content requires specialists (higher rates)
• Volume – Bulk projects often get discounts; small batches cost more per word
• Turnaround time – Rush jobs (24–48 hours) carry premium pricing

Hidden costs to consider:

• Software/platform fees – Desktop CAT tools (Trados, MemoQ) require licenses ($500–$1,000+/year)
• Project management overhead – Coordinating freelancers, tracking versions, QA
• Reformatting – If your translator doesn’t preserve file formatting, you’ll need manual cleanup

How to reduce costs:

1. Use translation memory – Reuses previously translated content (can cut costs 30–70% on updates)
2. Prioritize content – Translate high-value pages with human review, bulk content with AI
3. Choose the right tool – Taia includes TM, glossaries, and AI translation in one platform (no extra software fees)

Example budget:

• 10,000-word website (homepage, pricing, top 10 products):
  • AI-only → $100–$500
  • Human-only → $800–$2,500
  • Hybrid (Taia’s approach) → $500–$1,200 (AI for bulk, human review for critical pages)

Get an instant quote from Taia – no hidden fees, transparent pricing.

5. Can I use AI translation for my entire business localization?

Short answer: You can, but you probably shouldn’t – unless you’re okay with mediocre quality and lost conversions.

Where AI translation works well:

• Large product catalogs – Thousands of SKUs where manual translation is impractical
• User-generated content – Reviews, FAQs, comments (conversational, low-stakes)
• Internal documents – Project briefs, meeting notes (not customer-facing)
• Frequent updates – Inventory changes, pricing adjustments (speed matters more than polish)

Where AI translation falls short:

• Marketing copy – Brand voice, emotional tone, persuasive messaging gets lost
• Legal/compliance content – Errors can have serious consequences
• Cultural nuance – Idioms, humor, regional slang AI misses
• SEO content – Generic AI translations don’t rank (Google prioritizes human-optimized, localized keywords)

The real problem with AI-only localization:

Tools like DeepL, Google Translate, and Weglot translate sentence-by-sentence, not document-level context. That means:

• Inconsistent terminology (your product name gets translated 3 different ways)
• No brand voice (sounds robotic, generic)
• No translation memory (you retranslate the same content over and over)

Taia’s AI is different:

• Context-aware – Translates full documents, not isolated sentences
• Translation memory – Automatically reuses past translations (saves money, ensures consistency)
• Glossary support – Locks in brand terms, product names, technical vocabulary
• Human review option – Start with AI, upgrade to professional linguists when needed

Bottom line: AI translation is a tool, not a strategy. Use it smart ly – for speed and scale – but pair it with human expertise for anything customer-facing.

Try Taia’s hybrid approach – AI speed, human quality, one platform.

6. How do I maintain brand consistency across multiple languages?

Short answer: Use glossaries, translation memory, and consistent translators/reviewers across all markets.

The challenge:

Your brand voice in English might be casual, friendly, and slightly cheeky. But when translated into German, it sounds stilted. In Japanese, it feels overly familiar. In French, it’s awkwardly formal.

Brand consistency in localization means:

• Terminology – Product names, feature labels, CTAs stay the same across languages
• Tone – Your brand personality translates (not just the words)
• Visual identity – Colors, imagery, design elements align with brand guidelines

How to achieve it:

1. Create a localization style guide

Document:

• Brand voice (formal vs. casual, technical vs. conversational)
• Terminology preferences (“customer” vs. “client”, “login” vs. “sign in”)
• Forbidden words (slang, idioms that don’t translate)
• Cultural dos/don’ts (colors, imagery, symbols)

2. Use glossaries for key terms

A glossary locks in translations for:

• Product names (never translated, always “Taia”)
• Feature names (“Translation Memory” → consistent across all languages)
• Brand-specific terms (“AI-powered translation” → not “machine translation”)

Taia’s glossary tool ensures these terms stay consistent across every project.

3. Leverage translation memory

Translation memory (TM) stores every segment you’ve translated. When the same phrase appears again, TM reuses it automatically.

Benefits:

• Consistency (same phrase = same translation every time)
• Cost savings (don’t pay to retranslate recurring content)
• Speed (new projects finish faster)

4. Work with consistent linguists

Don’t switch translators every project. The same translator who knows your brand will:

• Recognize recurring content
• Apply your style guide intuitively
• Catch inconsistencies before they ship

5. Review localized content regularly

As your brand evolves (new products, messaging updates), audit your translated content to ensure it still aligns.

Example:

A SaaS company rebrands from “Workspace” to “Hub” in English. Without a glossary or TM update, their French, German, and Spanish sites still say “Workspace” for months.

With Taia:

• Update glossary (“Workspace” → “Hub”)
• TM flags outdated segments
• Bulk update across all languages in minutes

Taia’s translation management system keeps your brand consistent across 189 languages – without manual tracking.

7. What are the biggest localization mistakes to avoid?

Short answer: Skipping cultural research, translating everything the same way, and ignoring multilingual SEO.

Common localization failures:

1. Literal translation without cultural adaptation

Example: KFC’s “Finger-lickin’ good” became “Eat your fingers off” in Chinese. Appetizing? Not quite.

Fix: Work with native speakers who understand cultural context, not just language.

2. Ignoring regional variations

Spanish in Spain ≠ Spanish in Mexico ≠ Spanish in Argentina. Same language, different vocabulary, tone, and expectations.

Fix: Choose region-specific dialects (es-ES vs. es-MX vs. es-AR) and validate with local reviewers.

3. Translating low-priority content first

Many businesses translate their entire blog or FAQ before localizing their homepage or product pages – the content that actually drives conversions.

Fix: Use the 80/20 rule – prioritize high-impact pages first, scale later.

4. Using different translators for every project

Result: Inconsistent terminology, tone shifts, and quality fluctuations.

Fix: Build relationships with consistent linguists or use a platform like Taia that manages teams and ensures continuity.

5. Forgetting multilingual SEO

Translating content doesn’t mean it will rank. If you translate “best running shoes” word-for-word into German, you miss what Germans actually search (“beste Laufschuhe” vs. “Joggingschuhe”).

Fix: Localize keywords, meta descriptions, and URLs for each market.

6. Ignoring legal and compliance requirements

GDPR in Europe, FDA regulations in the U.S., ISO certifications in Asia – each market has different rules.

Fix: Work with professional translation services that understand industry-specific compliance (legal, medical, financial).

7. Launching without testing

Assume your localized site works perfectly… until a German customer reports that checkout crashes because the address format doesn’t support umlauts.

Fix: QA testing with native speakers in each market before launch.

The biggest mistake of all? Not localizing at all.

Waiting for “the perfect time” or “bigger budgets” means leaving money on the table. Start small, test, iterate, and scale.

Taia makes it easy to start – free plan available, no credit card required.