Today’s technology and global communication have erased almost all borders and made the expansion of your brand possible. Actually, if you are proficient in the English language, you might have enjoyed most of the content developed on the web since it first started. However, it is necessary for companies to understand that in the same way they invest in a good website design, they need to take language seriously and consider good translation as a powerful tool to reach foreign markets. Localization is a process that involves not only translation but also adaptation of your message so that it can be accurately transmitted and culturally acceptable in a different culture. “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world” said the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. In our globalized world, we can understand these words as not having your website translated could limit your company by keeping foreign markets out of reach. In the same way/Similarly, the phrase “Can’t Read, Won’t Buy” simply indicates that when consumers do not find data in their language, they do not buy since they believe they do not trust their knowledge of the foreign language as much as to make decisions. Surveys indicate that 75% of consumers in non-Anglophone countries prefer to buy products in their native language and 60% never buy from websites in English only. By translating and localizing your website, your company can gain new markets and reach more prospects, not only internationally but also locally, since there are communities speaking their home-country original languages. It is necessary to count on highly qualified translators and editors to ensure that your brand’s message is adapted to a specific culture. This includes analyzing and adapting ways of expressing ideas, approaching people, meanings conveyed by certain images or colors, currency, measurements, among others. Once your website is effectively localized, you can create a strong bond with your clientele. Offering your product in your consumers’ language shows that you care about them. Therefore, your brand’s reputation can grow bigger, and you can also have an edge over the competition. It is possible to state that localization results in a threefold benefit: gaining new markets, building consumers’ loyalty, and increasing revenue. If we take into account that only 25% of Internet users are native English speakers, there is a 75% of foreign users who you can potentially sell to (data taken from Internet World Stats). This percentage of non-native English users corresponds to speakers of different languages, such as Chinese, Spanish or Arabic, thus, reaching one of their cultures would imply a boost in your company’s income and brand exposure. Many factors are involved in the successful expansion of a company, but there is no doubt that translation plays a key role in going global. You can trust Baquero Translations to expand your brand effectively and to reach the heart of foreign consumers. BT has the expertise and cultural awareness needed to get your message through into another culture. By: Andrea Chetti