Boosting ecommerce sales with localisation

Supporting sales with language

According to the global content and language services market research agency, CSA Research, language is often the first buying obstacle that businesses need to overcome to give customers the smoothest possible route to completing a transaction.

Appropriate use of language should be a top priority for foreign businesses looking to establish themselves in a new international market, build brand awareness and bring in new customers. You’ll significantly increase your chances of success if you’re able to use language naturally and persuasively, which relies on effective translation and localisation of key materials like your social media posts and website copy.

“Foreign companies with an unlocalised mobile-centric site, website or product face a bigger set of challenges than outsiders that have adapted both their presence and offerings to local market requirements.” – CSA Research, ROI of Customer Engagement.

With global ecommerce and marketplaces delivering an increasingly borderless customer experience, brands with global ambition are likewise faced with increasing competition and must consider their localisation approach as an integrated part of their go-to-market strategy. 

Being visible to the right audience requires expert insight into each audience, including their search engines, marketplace platforms, and a solid digital marketing strategy across SEO and PPC in each language to get in front of new and returning customers.

Survey findings from CSA Research provided some interesting insights into how language impacts buying decisions in the B2C segment. Nearly six out of ten consumers (58%) agreed that, when choosing between two similar products, they would be more likely to purchase an item that featured information in their preferred language. Almost one in five (18%) strongly agreed with this.

It’s important to understand your audience’s preferences in these areas and to be aware of any language-related barriers that could be holding up sales. Addressing these issues as early as possible will make a big difference to your conversion rates.

Earning trust

If you expect people to hand over their financial details to purchase from you, first you need to earn their trust. Customers need to feel confident that their sensitive information will be safe with you, and that you will fulfil your end of the bargain and deliver on the promises made in your marketing and sales materials.

So, what constructive steps can you take to gain and keep people’s trust? Again, language has an important part to play. If a prospective buyer’s experience of navigating and using your website is marred by language that has been poorly translated – or not translated at all – they will have little reason to trust you or go ahead with a purchase.

You must be able to communicate with your audience in a natural, appropriate way across all channels if you want to form positive connections with them and earn their business. This could prove particularly important when you’re sharing vital information like your refunds policy, payment security measures and delivery details.

Another good way to gain the trust of your audience is by featuring customer reviews and other user-generated content on your website and social media platforms. This adds to your credibility by providing evidence to back up the claims and promises you make to potential buyers.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents in CSA’s research said they preferred to buy products with user reviews in their preferred language, while 41% said they would only make a purchase if the user instructions or owner’s manual was in their language.

It’s also important to remember that the most trusting relationships are built over a long period of time, so businesses need to focus on how they can maintain and constantly strengthen their bonds with customers to encourage repeat purchases.

After-sale service

The customer experience doesn’t end once a transaction has gone through and delivery is completed. Research has shown that it’s five times more expensive to attract a new customer than it is to keep an existing one, so it’s vital to focus on maintaining relationships with past buyers as well as looking for new business.

One effective way to keep your existing customers happy is to place a strong emphasis on after-sales service. This could involve checking in with people shortly after the purchase to gauge their satisfaction levels and to see if there’s any way you can offer them additional help or support.

More than six out of ten respondents (62%) to the CSA Research survey agreed that they would be more likely to purchase from the same brand again if they received after-sales care in their language. More than one in ten (13%) strongly agreed.

If your post-sale follow-up activity is up to a high standard, you’ll provide a considerable boost to your business by turning one-off buyers into loyal customers.

Locaria’s language services can help you remove barriers to buying by delivering a high-quality experience to new and existing customers alike.

Contact Locaria to start a conversation or download one of our guides here.