Nearly one-half of large Web-site decision makers had translated content on their sites into another language to optimize for international search, suggesting solid recognition for the evolving global marketplace, according to JupiterResearch.

By contrast, fewer than one-quarter of these same decision makers had engaged in localization or adapting site content to a specific language, country, or culture by taking into account nuances such as local terminology and consumers’ preferences.

These findings are outlined in a new report published by JupiterResearch, International Search: Benchmarking the Global Search Marketer, and focus on the ever increasing need for marketers to do more than simply translate content.

Search marketers must build the localization piece into their campaigns or risk misallocating their globalization spending. “True localization, rather than just translation, is essential to international search,” explained Vice President Zia Daniell Wigder, lead analyst of the report. ”

Direct translations of a site are unlikely to include the most commonly used search terms, resulting in a site that can be understood by the local audience but may receive little traffic if it fails to appear in search results.”

The report also states U.S. marketers are lagging behind European counterparts, which were more likely to use or plan to use international search tactics such as language and location targeting. The relatively smaller size of European marketers’ home markets and the proximity of foreign markets make the international piece an important part of many search campaigns.

“Localization can add significant costs to simple translation efforts, but this next step is becoming increasingly necessary. The unfortunate thing is that more U.S. marketers than those in Europe do not fully understand the need, said David Schatsky, President of JupiterResearch.

“The simple truth is U.S. marketers risk leaving substantial revenues on the table if they fail to look beyond basic language translation.”

Source: JupiterResearch. “Global Search Efforts May Be Getting Lost in Translation for U.S. Marketers,” Press Release 12/17/07.

Related Post: “Third of Businesses Have Globalized,” EBT Blog 04/14/07.

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