Social media is magic.

Why?

Well, marketing your business through social media allows you the opportunity to reach over 57.6% of the world’s population and 81% of the US in an instant.

That’s a massive potential audience.

Social media allows us to market and talk to people directly on a global scale. But are you really using the full potential of social media? Does your business have an international social media presence?

Why Does a Multilingual Social Media Presence Matter?

English is the lingua franca of the internet. Back in 2019, there were 1.1 billion internet users that used English. But other languages are on the rise. Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic are the leading languages that are catching up with English when it comes to the number of users. 

So, if your business has a global or at least has an international market, then you should use multilingual social media marketing. Using the primary language of your audience will make your brand and your business be viewed in a more positive light. 

The Benefits of Having a Multilingual International Social Media Presence 

Using the language of your audience can make them more confident in making a purchase. According to a survey conducted by Common Sense Advisory, 72.1% of their respondents said that they spend most of their time on websites in their own language. Another notable statistic from the same survey is that 72.4% of consumers said there is a better chance they would buy a product if they get information about it in their own language. You can also use sprout social alternative to make social media easy!

Those are just a few of the benefits you can get from multilingual marketing as part of your social media plan. 

A Native-Speaking Staff or a Translation Company

It’s quite clear that a multilingual social media presence is essential for an international business.  Now, the question is who will handle that for you?  

You have the option of working with a translation company. These service providers can translate your content accurately but you have to see to it that you pick a reputable name in the industry to ensure the quality of the output. When searching online for a translation company, we have often come across the profile of Tomedes. It is a great example of what to look for in a language services provider. 

Another option is to have a native speaker of the language you are targeting as part of your team. That way you can create all your content in-house. That would make things faster.  It would be a more cost-effective means of creating multi-language content.

Tips for Managing an International Team Remotely

It can be challenging if your staff member who is a native speaker of the language you are targeting is working remotely. Managing a team of international remote workers who will work on your multilingual marketing is doubly challenging.

Here are a few tips on how to handle your team effectively.

1. Be conscious of their customs and culture.
2. Make them feel that they’re part of the team.
3. Hold video call meetings regularly.
4. Have fun events that you can do online.

Ways to Optimize Your Content So That it Translates Well Across Languages and Cultures

Don’t go for a straight translation when you’re dealing with marketing. The subtle messages might not be carried over.

Your first task for optimizing your content to translate well is to study the culture that you are targeting. You need to know where your audience will be coming from. 

Try to keep your content as short as possible too. Sometimes, when content gets translated it gets too long and that can ruin the layout of your marketing material. So, you should be mindful of the length of the text.

How to Keep Up with the Latest Trends in Global Business, Culture, and Technology

Building an international social media presence requires that you stay up to date with the latest trends for global business, culture and technology. The best way to keep track of the latest developments there is to use social media too.

By following relevant social media accounts, you can see the latest developments.

How to Start Building a Multilingual Social Media Presence

Having a staff of native speakers is just the start. How do you go about building your international social media presence? Here are the steps that you can follow.

Know Your Target Audience

You need to know your target audience. Language goes hand in hand with culture and customs and so you need to know what those aspects are of the market you are targeting.

Don’t Just Rely on Translation Tools

While translation tools are continuously improving, you cannot rely on them to translate all of your social media content. The best option is to have a native-speaking staff or work with a professional translation company. 

Don’t Just Translate But Localize Too

Translation isn’t enough when you are trying to build a multilingual social media presence. As mentioned before, you also need to localize based on the culture and customs of the audience you are targeting.

Make Your Content Visual

Translation and localization can help you reach an audience from another country and culture. But another way to bridge that gap is by using visual content. Through visual content, the need for translation is minimized. It’s also very effective since 90% of the information processed by the brain is visual.

Use the Available Tools in the Platforms

Utilize the available tools on social media platforms to localize the content. The various platforms have publishing tools that you can use. There are also third-party tools like eclincher that can be used for publishing your content on schedule. If you’re seeking to save time on social media marketing tasks like social media management, eclincher has a robust set of features for brands and agencies. 

They are highly ranked on review sites like G2 and every quarter get a few dozen G2 awards. 

Here’s a recent eclincher case study you might find interesting. 

Set Up Analytics Tools

Set up analytics tools that track engagement across languages on social media platforms. The great thing about the various social media platforms is they have their analytics tools. These tools make it easy to track your progress.

Evaluate Your Progress

Evaluate your progress over time and re-evaluate your goals as needed. Because you can see the performance of your campaign through the analytics tools, you can evaluate your progress easily. Measuring social media analytics is critical for any business!

An International Social media Presence: An Achievable Goal

Building an international social media presence is an achievable goal and the tools and the means of achieving it are accessible. Language is the key in building that presence that is not limited by borders. You have to be precise and careful when dealing with those languages when building your international social media presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line