3 Steps to Develop an International Content Strategy to Go Global

After developing a successful business, thinking about internationalisation is the natural next step in terms of growth. A solid approach to internationalisation offers companies the chance to boost their revenue and tap into new markets leveraging a business concept that has already proven to be effective with their local market. And with his aim, developing an international content strategy is key.

Internationalisation is more than just taking the same concept that had worked before and offering it to a new audience. Adapting to this new locale means considering, not just the new language that is spoken, but also culture, tradition, and approaches that are different from what you were used to in your original market. With so much to consider, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of information you need to process, as well as how much content you need to adapt, to make it in a new market. 

The relative ease of content development and distribution to different international markets makes it harder for businesses to understand the importance of having a solid international content strategy to tackle internationalisation without breaking the bank. And one of the key aspects of this international content strategy revolves around content prioritisation.

But what should your international content strategy consider to properly address your needs? 

#OptimationalTip: If reaching international audiences and expanding your company’s web presence is a priority for you, check out our free multilingual content strategy template.

Step 1: Prioritise Content for Localisation

Unless your business has time and money to spare, the first thing you need to consider is creating a list of priorities when choosing what content to localise. Having a systematic approach to scaling your business is key. It will curve the anxiety of growing your business. Also, it will allow you to not get ahead of yourself and tackle more than you can handle. 

The first step will be to perform a content audit so that you know exactly all the content you will need to consider when thinking about internationalisation. This will allow you to think of times and costs in more concrete terms.

Once this is done, take the time to consider your international content strategy and reflect on the following issues:

• What content must be localised to enter the new market you are interested in? 
• Even if not ideal, what content could remain in your source language for the time being?
• Do you need the same level of localisation quality in all your content?

The good thing is that these questions will likely start emerging early in the process. As they do, discuss them with your team to set the right goals and priorities for your multilingual content strategy. Doing so will allow you to stay on track as the project moves forward.

#OptimationalTip: Think about what content should be localised first, what could remain in your source language for now, and whether you need the same level of localisation quality for all your content. These answers will let you set goals and priorities to develop your content strategy.

Step 2: Organise the Technical Aspects

Once you have dealt with the content prioritisation aspects of your content strategy, make sure you have the proper technical setup for internationalisation.

To not lose track of your content strategy goals and deadlines, you must have the proper tools to track how your content localisation efforts move forward. Most CMS platforms today have a robust set of tools for tracking and managing content. However, you can choose whichever tracking tool makes it easier for you to manage your content localisation progress. Whatever you choose to use, though, make sure it is easy to use and accessible to your translation team; what has been translated, record translation vendors, and who is responsible for checking off the boxes.

Besides, you need to take a detailed look at the design of the sites where you will be hosting your content. You should consider any technical differences that will alter how you create and publish content for your new audience. This is because they will impact the deadlines and efforts considered by your content strategy. Do you want to have a separate site and URL for each market? Or do you want to have a global gateway on your site? How will users navigate to a separate environment? Will it have a similar look and feel? You will need to answer all these questions and more before delving deeper into your internationalisation efforts.

#OptimationalTip: Think about how you are going to track and manage your content. This way, you will not lose sight of the work progress. Also, think about where your users will be able to access this content. Additionally, consider what allowances you need to make in terms of technical specs. 

Step 3: Prepare Your Content for Localisation

You may think that localising content only involves sending your documents to a language professional. While that is certainly a big part of it, there is much you can do as a company to prepare your content for localisation. And this is not just about making it easier for the content translators. This approach offers big benefits for your company as well, both in terms of quality as well as lower costs.

Content for Localisation Recommendations

1. As much as possible, keep text to a minimum. Keeping it short will have a direct impact on your final costs.
2. Strive for clear, transparent texts in the native language. If a native speaker is not clear about the meaning of the sentence, this increases the chance of your message not getting across.
3. In terms of spacing, allow for longer sentences than in English. Most languages are longer than English by 15%, with some (like Russian) being up to 40% longer.
4. Use consistent phrases and develop a glossary. Having a consistent brand vocabulary will make your texts more cohesive. Additionally, this speeds up your content translator’s process and can potentially lower your costs.

#OptimationalTip: Preparing your texts for localisation has many benefits. Not only will it make it easier for your content translators, but it will also boost the quality of your texts. Also, it will potentially lower your costs.

Final Thoughts: Succeed at Internationalisation Through a Solid Content Strategy

To stay within budget while attempting to adapt your content for new markets, it is key to have a solid content strategy. This will not just allow you to create a plan and see the big picture of your entire internationalisation process. But it will also force you to ask (and answer) those questions that can sometimes get lost in day-to-day activities. What are your company’s concrete goals and objectives in the short, medium, and long term? How does your content support these efforts? What is the impact of the specific content pieces, and how do these align with your marketing and sales funnel? These and more questions will pop up during the process and taking the time to answer them will ensure you have a clearer view of what needs to be done and why.