Publishing exclusively in English limits the exponential growth potential for brands. English, despite its prevalence, ranks as the fourth-most spoken language worldwide. Native Spanish speakers alone number 350 million, with 40 million residing in the US. Additionally, one-fifth of the global population speaks Chinese as their native language.
To tap into a global audience online, a highly targeted social media strategy, top-quality multilingual marketing content, and culturally aware translations are essential. If your goal is to expand your company through a multilingual digital presence, follow these key guidelines:
1.Understand Your Audience
Identify your potential clients and their preferred platforms by utilizing analytics tools and conducting international audience research. This enables you to create tailored and localized content, aligning with their linguistic and cultural preferences, demographics, geographic locations, schedules, and social media habits.
2.Set Clear Goals
Define your desired outcomes for the multilingual social media strategy. Social media demands significant time and long-term commitment, and incorporating multiple languages adds complexity. Establish your goals before proceeding.
3.Choose the Right Platforms
Avoid the mistake of creating numerous accounts without considering their usefulness. Research each platform, especially if you plan to post in multiple languages and countries. User preferences vary by country, with Instagram being favored in some and Facebook in others. Consider platform availability and restrictions. This initial research saves time and money.
Once you’ve chosen platforms for each audience, fully localize the respective pages/accounts. Utilize features like LinkedIn company pages in multiple languages or Facebook Global Pages.
4.Determine Posting Approach
Organize your social media posts effectively by selecting the right approach. Consider the following options:
A.Run separate accounts for each language: This targeted approach allows posting in specific time zones, building engaging, culturally specific content and avoiding overwhelming customers with irrelevant posts.
B.Double posting: Publishing the same post in different languages eliminates the need for separate accounts. However, it may inundate users’ newsfeeds with potentially irrelevant updates, potentially leading to unfollows.
C.Include multiple translations in the same post: Keep all your followers on the same account and communicate through one post. Specify at the top if a translation follows.
5.Embrace Social Media Tools and Trends
Utilize useful tools like Hootsuite to manage multiple social media platforms and schedule posts. Stay updated on trends, content marketing platforms, and localization tools to adapt your toolbox and strategy accordingly.
6.Quality Content is Key
High-quality content is the cornerstone of any effective social media strategy. Instagram witnesses the sharing of 95 million photos and videos daily, while Facebook Live accumulates 8 billion views. Content marketing generates conversion rates six times higher than other methods, benefiting big brands and small businesses alike. Quality content helps you stand out and connect with your audience.
7.Localize Your Content
Maintain consistency across social media accounts while tailoring the messaging to different countries and demographics. Avoid direct translation; instead, transfer ideas and emotions from one language to another through localization and adaptation.
8.Find the Right Hashtags and SEO Keywords
Implement SEO localization best practices for social media success. Popular hashtags and keywords vary across languages, especially for boosted posts or multilingual paid media. Choose keywords and hashtags carefully to maximize visibility and engagement.
9.Don’t Rely Solely on Machine Translations
While CAT tools are valuable, human editing is crucial before sharing text. Machine translations are improving, but cultural nuances may be overlooked, leading to embarrassing mistakes. Invest in quality content to maintain credibility.
10.Be Authentic and Human
Authenticity is vital in showcasing the human side of your company. Connect with your audience through written and visual content. Social media is about establishing connections, not bombarding with product and service information.
By following these guidelines, brands can expand their reach and successfully navigate the multilingual digital landscape. Don’t hesitate to contact Digiboost to help you in your Multilingual marketing strategy.
