5 Examples of Successful Website Localization

Website localization is the process of tailoring a website to a specific target market. This can involve localizing content into a different language, adapting web design elements to accommodate cultural differences, and more. Website localization is crucial if your objective is to reach a wider audience and tap into new, unexplored markets.

To appreciate the importance of website localization in expanding your business, let's take a look at five outstanding examples of startups that have boosted their business growth with thriving website localization.

Lyft is a ride-sharing service that was founded in 2012. First, the company started its journey in the US market but quickly realized the growth potential in other countries. Lyft localized its website and app into Spanish, French, and Portuguese to explore and engage with new markets.

As part of the localization process, the company also adapted its payment system to work with local currencies. These efforts paid off, and Lyft improved its business and presence in new markets.

Airbnb is a popular online marketplace where people list and book properties all around the world. Right from the start, the company realized that localization would play an important role on the road to international success. Consequently, Airbnb ensured the seamless localization of its website into various languages.

Taking one step further, the company also strived to comprehend each market's needs and partnered with local organizations. These efforts to engage with the targeted audience transformed Airbnb into a global phenomenon.

Duolingo, founded in 2011, is a famous app for learning languages. The company has come to realize, it needs to localize the app to achieve business results in international markets. Moreover, the company also adapted its content according to the prevailing hot topics of different cultures.

For example, Duolingo created courses specifically for English speakers who want to learn Spanish for medical professionals who need to keep up with medical terminology in another language.

Consequently, Duolingo has become one of the most popular language-learning apps in the world, with over 300 million internet users.

Slack, found in 2014, is a messaging app focused particularly on communication with teams. First, the company focused on serving the US market but soon it realized the common need for the app and decided to extend its business to other countries. Slack localized its content into different languages and, by the nature of the app, applied local currencies and time zones.

In addition, Slack created country-specific versions of its website for users in different countries to see local information (e.g., contact and address information for local sales teams).

Paying special attention to the importance of localization Slack could expand its user base significantly in various markets with over 12 million daily active users from all over the world.

Square is a financial services company that provides businesses with tools for accepting credit card payments. The company rehabilitated its website localization strategy in 2016 to enhance user experience and the level of customer service quality for international customers.

One of the key changes adopted for the new localization strategy was to give up on machine translation tools and include human translators and localization professionals in all of its online content. This way, potential clients could be provided with accurate and culturally appropriate Square content. Other than linguistic adjustments, Square also designed its website for users from different countries to see relevant information the way they are used to.

For example, website visitors from Canada would see information about how to accept payments in Canadian dollars, while visitors from Japan in Japanese Yen. This successful localization solution paved the way for Square, now available in over 200 countries, to grow its business significantly.

As the examples have shown clearly, a solid website localization strategy is a great contributor to achieving success in various markets. This article has just given place to the top 5 companies with successful multilingual website localization. However, there are many examples that prove localization’s significance time and time again. By localizing their websites and content into different languages and adapting their services to meet the needs and requests of local customers, these companies have managed to grow their businesses significantly.

If you are looking for a way to expand your current coverage, localization will hold the key to increasing global engagement and sales.