Technology has ushered in a new era with the globalization of information. Information can now cross borders with much more ease thanks to the likes of translation and captioning software. Regional barriers and language barriers are no longer great obstacles and the cost associated with them is no longer a great factor. More and more companies are operating globally and reaching global audiences and consumers.
Localization has helped enhance global reach for various sectors, ranging from businesses to media to eLearning. Being able to offer content that appeals to an international audience, has naturally opened the door to more potential customers, clients and students.
How written content is localized
Organizations can begin utilizing localization with their written content. When you visit a global brand’s website, for example, it’s not uncommon to find a featured drop-down menu at the top of the page with different language and location options. Additional written content a company is dispersing, such as leaflets, brochures and product packaging, can also receive the localization treatment.
Content can be localized in several ways. A company may decide to stick to direct translation. This process involves more than just pasting a piece of text into Google Translate. Consumers are much smarter and the expectations are higher. Companies must understand their translations must be accurate. While specialist software can be utilized to a certain degree, professional human translators are what’s really required to complete the job to a high standard and account for nuances, slang and more.
This is particularly the case when it comes to a full localization. There are certain phrases and idioms, for instance, which don’t work in one language compared to another. The same can be said for specific words. As a result, a translator needs to possess deep knowledge of the localized language to utilize alternative words or phrases when necessary.
The localization of video and audio content
Audio and video localization demands even greater effort than text content. However, the rewards are often worth the extra effort, as audio and video content tend to have a significant impact in today’s more social, tech-savvy world than the written word alone. Utilizing tools which allow your audiovisual content to be more accessible for a larger audience is also a greater expectation for today’s businesses and workforces to account for a variety of disability needs and the like.
Captioning is one means to begin this process. Fortunately, companies no longer need to dedicate significant time or in-house resources to caption their content. Verbit allows users to simplify the process and do so quickly with Artificial Intelligence based tools. The captioned text can then be translated into any language of choice, an extension to the captioning service.
By utilizing captioning translation tools, companies can greatly maximize the benefits gained from localization efforts.
The advantages of audiovisual localization
On its own, captioning supplies a wide range of benefits. It is known as an accessibility tool that can help those who suffer from hearing loss or prefer to consume content in different ways to account for learning disabilities and other factors. Beyond that, however, captioning is a great choice for localization.
For example, even if a viewer is fluent in a second language, they may struggle to comprehend certain accents. Users can then utilize the captioned content as an additional aid to make sure they’re effectively comprehending the information. Captions are particularly helpful for those who are studying a foreign language.
As highlighted, audiovisual translation tools further boost a company’s localization efforts and broaden their audience reach as a result. Selecting translation is a suitable method to both reach international audiences, as well as account for global workforces of organizations with employees based around the globe. With regard to the latter, closed captioning translation is ideal for many businesses.
When you think about countries such as Canada, where both English and French are spoken or the US where both English and Spanish are commonly heard, businesses can make sure they’re effectively meeting the needs of all employees in their workforces, as well as reaching all potential consumers based on their language preferences.
Adding captioning and translation to your repertoire
Whether you run an online university or a global business expanding into new international markets, both captioning and translation can play integral roles in the success and growth of your business. Having a clear localization plan is something every business which is producing products, releasing content and marketing themselves, must have in place. With the growth of technology and Verbit’s expertise in this area, businesses can look to embrace the technology tools which are designed to help meet the new demands of today’s global world.