Is Your Company's Website A Global Player?

Is your business website going global?

With the help of the internet, business of all sizes can look to conquer the world, or at least find them a very profitable niche that isn't confined by geographical borders. The trick to making your website and business globally appealing is to research and understand each of the countries you want to do business in.

So just what can you do to give your business a global boost?

Learn About Your Target Culture

If you want to truly go global, you have to know who you're talking to.

Whether you're looking to form a partnership with a business in China or reach out to customers in Italy, it's vital that you understand the culture you're reaching out to. A color, phrase or image that is perfectly acceptable to you could be offensive or off putting in another market.

By the same token, something you would normally eschew might be just the ticket for your target market. Know the cultural norms and you can build a website that will be welcoming, not off putting.

Take for example Rakuten, the largest shopping mall in Japan.

Their native website looks busy, and that's expected. Japanese websites are often busy with images, gifs, many colors and a scrolling layout. Their American site, by comparison, has a clean, simple look. Rakuten understands that different cultures do things differently, and for a business to truly succeed, it needs to honor that. 

Do Your Market Research

As the article "Are Chinese companies Set to Conquer the West" points out, businesses looking to expand from China to the West pick and choose their sectors carefully.

If you want to expand globally, you need to do the same.

It's not enough to assume that your core business offerings will translate well overseas. You need to really dig into the market you are hoping to target to root out the information you need to make a good decision.

 If you have business contacts in the country you want to reach out to, their knowledge can be invaluable.

You can also learn a lot simply by taking your time and making good use of Google and Amazon. Learn as much as you can about what works and what doesn't in your target market, and you'll start your globalization adventure on the right foot.

When it comes to your website, this means learning as much as you can about the little details.

How is the date normally displayed in each country? What about time? Which courier service will be the most reliable in each locale? The details matter when it comes to honing your website for a global market.

Speak Their Language

To translate or not to translate, that is the question.

The internet is full of horror stories about brands that met the language barrier.

You certainly don't want to follow in the now-infamous footsteps of KFC who’s well known "finger lickin' good" tagline translated into Chinese as "eat your fingers off".

The fact still remains that translation matters when it comes to your website.

Offering different languages lets your international customers browse in their own language, and shows respect. Do employ a good translation service though. Translation is about much more than swapping one word for another - context and nuance are also vital.

Clothing brand ASOS get this just right with a clearly visible language switcher that lets visitors choose between six different languages, and cookies that store each visitor's preferences so the site will automatically load in their chosen language the next time.

Going global is a big undertaking, but it doesn't have to be a headache.

Understand your target culture so you can focus your business and website to appeal to your new customers, and you'll be on your way to building a global customer base.