If you’re a regular to the Linguistica international blog then firstly hey, how are you? You’re looking really good today!
But secondly, you will have seen that over the years, we’ve had plenty to say about the importance of creating local content that targets specific markets. The reason being that local content can target customer groups more effectively and really tap into their interests and reflect their cultures and tastes.
For international businesses, creating local marketing messages can be a hugely costly and time-consuming undertaking, particularly when they operate in many different territories. For that reason, some businesses have tried to create a single content strategy with global appeal. Finding a way to appeal to such diverse markets with a single campaign is a major challenge, but some companies have managed to do so with some success.
So what can we learn from their efforts? Here are our tips to help you create local content with global appeal…
1. Keep it simple
Creating content with a universal appeal doesn’t need to be complex. In fact, simpler campaigns will often work the best. You cannot possibly try to appeal to the intricacies of different cultures with one campaign, so instead, choose an interest that just about everyone in the world shares.
In its ‘Shot on an iPhone’ campaign, Apple decided to tap into the universal love of photography to engage iPhone users and prospective new customers around the world. It invited individuals to share the best images they had taken using iPhone camera technology. Because the campaign is almost entirely visual, it can easily be reproduced across different markets. Apple then asked its campaign managers to choose the most appropriate images for local markets, which brings us neatly to our next point…
2. Go global, but keep it local
Some other brands have managed to tap into universal human emotions around the world by tailoring global campaigns to local concerns. For example, Red Bull has managed to do this by sponsoring global sporting events in countries as diverse as Ghana and India. While very few businesses have that kind of budget, the theory behind this approach can still work for smaller businesses.
Airbnb produced a referral scheme to help support its in-country expansion. The #OneLessStranger campaign tapped into universal human emotions by encouraging and incentivising people to be hospitable to strangers in their local areas. This very simple campaign used a common set of values to great effect and engaged more than 3 million individuals within just a few weeks.
3. Let users generate the content for you
Given the incredible size of the potential audience, most effective global content campaigns rely on the users to do the work for them. User-generated content is an effective way to source content that’s locally minded and strikes a chord with specific audiences.
However, you must be careful when creating a globally relevant campaign. It’s all too easy to use references that are deeply rooted in your home market that aren’t as relevant to consumers elsewhere. For example, a Christmas campaign which references typically European seasonal images like Christmas trees and snow will not be relevant in markets such as Australia and Asia.
You should also avoid things like dates, which are written in different formats around the world, and currencies, as they can immediately alienate customers in certain markets.
Instead, focus on high-impact visuals combined with emotionally-appealing universal human values. That is the key to creating local content with global appeal.
How can we help?
At Linguistica International, our translation services help you create local content that appeals to an audience around the world. To find out more, please call 02392 987 765 or email info@linguistica-international.com.
