Whether your goal is to generate significant revenue or to establish a robust international community, it’s crucial to consider several design elements from the outset. These elements will ensure your website is versatile and can be easily adapted to meet various international standards. Creating foreign-language versions of your site involves more than simple translation; proper localization is necessary before your launch, and early planning can significantly simplify this process.

Text

If you’re more focused on the visual and interactive aspects of web development rather than the technical backend, it’s vital to understand this fundamental principle: computers process numbers, not letters.

Characters on screens are represented by numbers assigned through specific encoding systems. Historically, numerous encoding systems were developed to cover different languages. However, the introduction of Unicode revolutionized this by providing a unique number for every character, independent of the platform, software, or language, simplifying text representation significantly.

Unicode has been embraced by major corporations like Apple, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems. It is compatible with most operating systems and web browsers, marking it as a cornerstone in modern global software development.

Software such as Dreamweaver and, for those just starting out, Microsoft Front Page, support the creation of web pages encoded in Unicode, making them ideal for international use.

Currently, Unicode can represent over 90 different scripts and includes more than 100,000 symbols. UTF-8, a popular Unicode encoding, is variable-length and can encode all possible characters. This feature is particularly useful for international websites, as it accommodates characters from multiple languages, such as the German ‘Eszett’ (ß) and the Umlaut marks (ä, ö, ü).

Ultimately, using Unicode is essential when designing a website that needs to support multiple languages.

Color Symbolism

Color plays a crucial role on any website. The colors you choose largely depend on the products or services you offer. For instance, an environmental firm might favor green, while a water sports retailer might prefer shades of blue.

It’s essential to tailor your color choices to both your brand and your intended audience. For example, in Western cultures, red often represents ‘danger,’ ‘love,’ or ‘passion.’ In contrast, in India, red stands for ‘purity,’ and in China, it symbolizes ‘good luck’ or ‘celebration.’

In Northern Ireland, orange might be associated with Protestant religious symbols, but in the United States, it typically evokes thoughts of ‘autumn,’ ‘Halloween,’ and ‘creativity.’

While green universally suggests ‘spring,’ ‘nature,’ and environmental themes, in China, a green hat indicates that a man’s wife has been unfaithful, and it could also mean an exorcism.

Other notable associations include purple, which implies ‘royalty’ in the West and ‘mourning’ in Thailand. Interestingly, black commonly denotes ‘funerals’ or ‘death’ in Western societies, whereas white is used for similar purposes in many Eastern cultures.

To prevent the need for significant changes when entering new markets, choose your website’s color scheme carefully from the beginning.

Content

The design might attract visitors, but content keeps them there. The saying ‘content is king‘ really does hold true, especially when it comes to engaging both domestic and international audiences with valuable and relevant material.

Preparing your content for global markets involves two major processes: localization and optimization.

Localization

Effective localization goes beyond simple translation; it requires engaging native speakers who are not only fluent but also culturally knowledgeable about each target market. If your goal is to truly resonate with international audiences, consider regional dialects as well.

For instance, the word for ‘lunch’ varies significantly across French-speaking regions: it’s déjeuner in France but dîner in Switzerland and Belgium, where dîner refers to ‘dinner’ in France. Similarly, coche means ‘car’ in Spain but refers to a ‘baby-stroller’ in many South American countries, which contrasts with the British ‘pushchair’ or ‘buggy.’

This illustrates why treating each market as unique is crucial for global success. Additionally, minimizing use of Flash content enhances translatability and SEO, as search engines struggle to detect text within Flash files, making such sites less visible online.

Optimization

When optimizing for international audiences, direct translation of keywords and phrases from your English content won’t suffice due to regional variations in search behavior. Local expressions, acronyms, and synonyms might differ significantly, necessitating thorough local market research to determine appropriate search terms.

These localized terms should then be integrated into your site’s content, ideally hosted on a country-specific domain to maximize local search engine visibility and relevance.

Domains

While using a single domain for multiple target countries may seem economical and convenient, from a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) standpoint, having a dedicated top-level domain (TLD) for each country offers significant advantages.

For instance, using .co.uk for the United Kingdom or .ch for Switzerland helps search engines recognize the website’s geographical target through ‘geo-targeting,’ which improves your visibility on country-specific search engines like Google.co.uk or Google.fr.

It is also advisable to host each domain on a server located within the target country. This localization helps search engines determine the website’s physical presence, further boosting SEO effectiveness.

The choice of words in your domain name also impacts SEO; for example, including ‘software’ in the URL benefits a software company. However, these keywords should be translated into the respective languages of your target markets to enhance local relevance.

Managing a multilingual website under a single domain requires careful structuring. Consider using separate sub-domains for each language version of your website. For example, if your main site is hosted at http://www.mycompany.com, the German version could be http://de.mycompany.com, while the dedicated German domain would be http://www.mycompany.de.

Navigation

Effective navigation is fundamental in web design. Ensuring consistency and clear ‘landmarking’ are key to helping users seamlessly explore your site. Navigation structures should be intuitive and accommodate the natural reading flow of the user’s language.

For languages that read right-to-left (RTL), like Arabic, consider adapting the layout to match this orientation. While not mandatory, aligning your navigation to suit the reading habits of your audience can enhance usability. For instance, moving a left-hand vertical menu to the right side for RTL languages can make navigation more natural. Alternatively, a horizontal menu can serve all languages without need for adjustment.

Another useful feature is an ‘entrance page’ that allows users to select their preferred language before proceeding. This can be particularly effective if English is the default language; providing clear options to switch languages ensures all users feel welcomed and catered to.

Some sites implement IP2Country technology to automatically suggest a language based on the visitor’s IP address. While this can streamline the process, its accuracy isn’t guaranteed, making it advisable to allow users to choose their language manually to avoid potential confusion.

These strategies are just the beginning in crafting a multilingual website that is accessible and user-friendly. Good luck with your global outreach efforts!

The post A Basic Guide to Designing a Multilingual Website appeared first on Hongkiat.

Yes, it is. By adhering to certain fundamental guidelines, you can increase the likelihood of your website attracting readers from different linguistic backgrounds.

1. Clarify Your Website’s Purpose

One of the biggest mistakes a content provider can make is to venture into various markets with a product that lacks a clear identity and, as a result, fails to communicate a precise message.

If your website’s purpose isn’t immediately apparent, it’s unlikely that international internet users will invest time trying to decipher it. Instead, they’ll likely navigate away quickly. Therefore, it’s crucial that visitors can grasp the core concept of your website within the first 30 seconds of their visit.

2. Identify Your Target Markets

After you’ve clearly defined your product or service, the next step is to determine which markets you want to reach.

For instance, if your website focuses on French wine or Persian carpets, conducting market research can reveal valuable insights, such as the countries where your potential readers reside. Alternatively, you might decide to be a trailblazer by entering a market that traditionally hasn’t shown much interest in your type of content or product. However, if you choose this path, ensure that you’re taking a calculated risk.

3. Use Simple Language

It’s crucial to use simple language on your website to ensure it’s easily understood by a global audience. This applies to both single-language websites (often English) and multi-lingual ones. Using clear, non-idiomatic English that avoids jargon or wordplay makes your content more accessible to those who don’t speak English as their first or second language.

Even if your website offers content in multiple languages, starting with a text written in plain English can simplify and reduce the cost of translation. The key is to make your content as straightforward and universally understandable as possible.gns and messages chosen by Philips clearly demonstrate how design choices are made based on the cultural contexts of the target audience.

5. Selecting the Appropriate Color

Choosing the right color for a website is a significant decision. It’s common knowledge that colors can greatly impact our instinctive reactions to various things like locations, products, and even people. For instance, many banks opt for a blue color scheme for their brand because it conveys a sense of trust. Conversely, we wouldn’t typically paint our bedrooms black or bright red, as these colors are not conducive to relaxation.

However, when designing a website intended for international markets, there are additional factors to consider. Colors can have varying interpretations across different cultures.

In Western countries, black is often associated with death, evil, and mourning, but in China, it’s the color traditionally worn by young boys. Similarly, while white symbolizes marriage, peace, and medical assistance in Western culture, it represents death and mourning in China.

Therefore, choosing the right color isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s also about the implicit messages conveyed.

6. Translation and Text Length

When your website targets international audiences, it often necessitates providing your content in multiple languages.

This scenario presents several crucial decisions. The first and perhaps most important one pertains to the method of translation: automated versus human translator.

Opting for an automated translation, such as the built-in translation bar in Google Chrome, offers two main benefits: speed and cost-effectiveness. However, this approach may lead to errors and unintentional humor. Employing a proficient human translator can mitigate these issues, but it may increase your costs.

There are more affordable alternatives available, such as freelance platforms like www.peopleperhour.com or translation websites like www.proz.com, which offer competitive rates. Another potential solution is to initially translate only certain sections of your website, leaving the rest in your primary language.

Remember, when content is translated into another language, the length of the text often changes. Therefore, it’s advisable to keep text separate from graphics. For this purpose, using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is highly recommended as it allows content to be separated from page design. Additionally, Unicode is a useful tool that enables you to switch between over 90 languages and thousands of characters.

Lastly, it’s important to note that not all countries or regions have high-speed broadband connections. To accommodate these users, it’s advisable to minimize the use of Flash and heavy graphics.

7. Local Website Promotion

Social media remains a cost-effective method for website promotion. However, when your target audience is in a different country, you may discover that there are more options beyond Facebook and Twitter.

Various countries have their own popular social platforms that can be utilized for website promotion. You can choose from a variety of these platforms by referring to the world map of Social Networks.

8. Pay Attention to Your Communication Tone

Another important aspect to consider is the tone of communication. Beyond language differences, different cultures often adopt distinct tones. For instance, an American website is likely to employ a more direct and approachable style compared to an Arab or Japanese one.

Given the potential for cultural misunderstandings, it’s advisable to maintain a polite and respectful tone when addressing people from other countries. This approach helps to avoid any unintended offense due to overly informal communication.

Conclusion

Remembering these points will help set your international venture on the right path. When dealing with products that cross cultural boundaries, it’s crucial to empathize with your clients. Try to see things from their perspective and be mindful of their viewpoints. This sensitivity will go a long way in ensuring successful cross-cultural interactions.

The post How to Design Websites that Communicate Across Cultures appeared first on Hongkiat.