When social media networks started to flourish in the mid-2000s, people from all over the world began to connect in a whole new way. As popular services like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and now TikTok, expanded globally, they faced the challenge of offering their platforms in their user’s native languages.
Social media companies understood, however, that providing their content and services in different languages was key to their growth. In 2008, pioneer social network Facebook asked users to translate its platform by using a crowdsourcing tool. A few years later, other well-known social media services like Twitter and Instagram took a different approach, by rolling out progressively different languages in their interfaces. In this blog,m we are going to discuss the influence of social media on instant access in translation and localization services.
Consumers’ and potential customers’ voices can be heard everywhere due to increased access to social media platforms. They express themselves on LinkedIn, WeChat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Amazon, competitor websites, and hundreds of other online platforms. Your product will be discussed in places where you have little control over the reputation and image-making process, so it’s in your best interests to be aware of what’s being said and be prepared to reply to the queries and opinions expressed in your markets.
Social media generates invaluable input that accurately reflects your clients’ desires and can actually contribute to product and service enhancement. The first step toward utilizing this information is figuring out how to track and use all of this data in its numerous routes and languages. You’ll want to foster and develop your own online discussions and customer service as well, and it’s wise to be prepared for anything that comes your way. Social media is a fast-paced and unforgiving medium that you should prepare for in a variety of ways.
Create an information library from which to draw.
Because social media is available 24 hours a day, preparing content before offering new connections or services is prudent and fairly simple. Product descriptions, white papers, and other existing content can be curated and arranged for usage as a source for tweets, Facebook posts, and questions and answers. Translations of this information for your primary markets should also be developed ahead of time.
Study social media exhaustively.
Social media has experienced rapid growth, due to advanced technology and globalization. To benefit rather than be hampered by the rapid flow of communication and changes, start by identifying who uses which networks and where these users are from. Examine this not only in terms of language and culture but also of demographics inside those countries; for example, you may discover that the age group you want to attract through Facebook in an international market isn’t even on the network. It helps to make no assumptions and keep a close eye on things.
It will then be necessary to learn the lingo and limitations associated with each network (such as message length and the varying lengths in translated languages), as well as to approach translation creatively with an inside-out knowledge of your company messaging, the target audience, and the communication medium. One example of a hurdle is being aware of, and then translating, cyber-idioms such as “post to your wall” for a Facebook user who speaks a less prevalent language in one of your focus markets.
Encourage employees to use social media actively.
Social media (including email) is an effective and active channel for debate, networking, and brainstorming for your staff. The more familiar your employees are with local and worldwide networks, including user cultures, the more useful and available that content can be as it is developed in-house. This will also aid in the development of expertise among those employees.
Bromberg’s ability to translate and localize quickly via any medium for your markets around the world is well-known by numerous global companies and organizations.
Language & Culture: A key to growth
Localization goes beyond the translation of text and words. These were just five short stories about social media networks, aiming to provide a little insight into how they have evolved regarding the subject. Of course, the scenario today is quite complex, with internet content being consumed all over the world and billions of users generating posts and comments on social media platforms.
Key to this was also providing local businesses with a way to connect with potential customers in their area. All of this was only possible when social media adapted its services and interfaces to the markets it wanted to reach.
There is still a long way to go in improving social media and language experiences, but, the truth is that providing their services for different countries and cultures has been crucial to each of these platforms’ global expansion.
Turn to us for guidance through the challenging, yet valuable task of setting up your system for handling social media translation.
Do you want to take your online business or project to the next level? Be sure to reach out to us. We at Bromberg & Associates provide high-quality translation services and localization solutions to help you reach global markets.