{"id":1235,"date":"2022-01-16T06:16:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-16T06:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/?p=1235"},"modified":"2024-04-24T00:27:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T22:27:30","slug":"localization-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Localization Management: What It Is, and Why It Matters for Global Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_0bfbcee443d10517ddc083a4ab629ca9\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<p>Localization management means structuring, organizing, measuring, monitoring, and optimizing the process of adapting a product for different target markets.<\/p>\n<p>If your business is operating in different markets, you may sooner or later face the question of how to manage multilingual content effectively to reach as many customers as possible.<\/p>\n<p>With\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/csa-research.com\/Featured-Content\/For-Global-Enterprises\/Global-Growth\/CRWB-Series\/CRWB-B2C\">65% of online buyers<\/a>\u00a0preferring content in their language, you could be missing out on significant business opportunities if you offer an English-only product that fails to address local needs, expectations, and preferences.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/solutions\/localization-management\/\">Localization management<\/a> can be the key to bridging that gap. Keep reading to learn what it is, why it matters, and how best you can use it to expand the global footprint of your business with the help of localization technology.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Overview<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#what-is-localization-management\" title=\"What is localization management?\">What is localization management?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#why-do-global-businesses-need-localization\" title=\"Why do global businesses need localization?\">Why do global businesses need localization?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#increased-market-share\" title=\"Increased market share\">Increased market share<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#increased-revenue\" title=\"Increased revenue\">Increased revenue<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#a-competitive-advantage\" title=\"A competitive advantage\">A competitive advantage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#strengthened-credibility\" title=\"Strengthened credibility\">Strengthened credibility<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#higher-global-brand-visibility\" title=\"Higher global brand visibility\">Higher global brand visibility<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#why-is-localization-management-important-for-business\" title=\"Why is localization management important for business?\">Why is localization management important for business?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#the-benefits-of-localization-management\" title=\"The benefits of localization management\">The benefits of localization management<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#localization-management-needs-a-clear-strategy\" title=\"Localization management needs a clear strategy\">Localization management needs a clear strategy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#what-is-localization-management-software\" title=\"What is localization management software?\">What is localization management software?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#a-translation-memory-tm\" title=\"A translation memory (TM)\">A translation memory (TM)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#term-bases\" title=\"Term bases\">Term bases<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#integration-with-existing-systems\" title=\"Integration with existing systems\">Integration with existing systems<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#project-and-workflow-management-features\" title=\"Project and workflow management features\">Project and workflow management features<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#advanced-reporting\" title=\"Advanced reporting\">Advanced reporting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#machine-translation\" title=\"Machine translation\">Machine translation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#the-benefits-of-localization-management-software-at-a-glance\" title=\"The benefits of localization management software at a glance\">The benefits of localization management software at a glance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#what-are-some-best-practices-for-localization-management\" title=\"What are some best practices for localization management?\">What are some best practices for localization management?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#ensure-internationalization-before-localization\" title=\"Ensure internationalization before localization\">Ensure internationalization before localization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#design-with-an-international-user-experience-ux-in-mind\" title=\"Design with an international user experience (UX) in mind\">Design with an international user experience (UX) in mind<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#test-localizability-early-and-often\" title=\"Test localizability early and often\">Test localizability early and often<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-management\/#rely-on-the-right-localization-system\" title=\"Rely on the right localization system\">Rely on the right localization system<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-localization-management\"><\/span>What is localization management?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Localization management means structuring, organizing, measuring, monitoring, and optimizing the process of adapting a product for different target markets. This adaptation is called <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/how-important-is-localization-for-your-business\/\">localization<\/a>. To make the most of it, you need to bring all processes and stakeholders together on a localization management platform.<\/p>\n<p>Effective localization management can mean the difference between the success and failure of your global expansion. That\u2019s why, before you launch into reaching new target markets, be sure to create a clear\u00a0localization strategy\u00a0and select the right localization technology.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why-do-global-businesses-need-localization\"><\/span>Why do global businesses need localization?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It might be tempting to think that an English-only product will be able to reach the majority of the world\u2019s online population. However, the stats tell a different story: English speakers account for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.internetworldstats.com\/stats7.htm\">only 26% of internet users<\/a>. The rest of the world is online and looking for content in their own language.<\/p>\n<p>This means that if your site is in English only, you\u2019re effectively ignoring 3\/4 of all internet users. That\u2019s a pretty big market share. Of course, not everyone surfing the net is going to be interested in your product. Still, with a strong localization strategy and the right localization management technology, you can reach significantly more customers across markets.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some of the most important advantages of localization for your business:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"increased-market-share\"><\/span>Increased market share<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Through localization, you can enter new markets and get a piece of the global pie. The lack of awareness about local customs, preferences, and language nuances can be a big barrier to entry for international businesses.<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, assessing how the product fits into the local context and devising a strategy for successful localization can help you walk right in and start selling.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"increased-revenue\"><\/span>Increased revenue<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As your share of the market dramatically increases with each country you enter, so do your revenue streams.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/237082\">Fortune 500 companies<\/a>\u00a0that invest in localization report higher revenue than those that don\u2019t, which is a strong indication that localization equals more money.<\/p>\n<p>While there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/get-your-money-back-optimizing-localization-roi\/\">localization ROI model<\/a>\u2014with some companies measuring ROI in terms of increased sales, and others looking at various factors such as customer satisfaction or time to market\u2014a product that adapts to the local context is more likely to appeal to customers and generate revenue.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-competitive-advantage\"><\/span>A competitive advantage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Competition in the global marketplace is fierce. One simple and effective way to master your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/market-positioning\/\">market positioning<\/a>\u00a0and gain a competitive advantage is through website and app localization.<\/p>\n<p>Your localization strategy will help you understand how customers perceive your brand and product, what needs and wants they have, what your competitors are offering them, and how you can meet their expectations better than anyone else. You\u2019ll be leagues ahead of any competitors still trying to force a one-size-fits-all product on a worldwide audience.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"strengthened-credibility\"><\/span>Strengthened credibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you localize your content for your customers, you treat everyone as if they\u2019re first-class citizens. Rather than offering a weakly translated version of your original content, you show your customers that you understand and care about their problems, needs, and wishes.<\/p>\n<p>In simple words? You speak their language. You know what products they like and how to communicate with them\u2014and credibility comes naturally when you do that. Imagine trying to promote your winter line of wooly scarves to people living in the Southern hemisphere in a heatwave in summer. Localization helps you avoid such scenarios and maintain a high level of credibility with your customers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"higher-global-brand-visibility\"><\/span>Higher global brand visibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you enter a new market, it\u2019s not enough to simply \u201cbe there\u201d\u2014you want people to talk about your brand, and talk positively. On top of that, you want a consistent message, both in terms of quality and tone, across all markets. After all, what makes a global brand is a recognizable identity that people can connect with regardless of where they are, and which simultaneously caters to their specific needs.<\/p>\n<p>A well-executed localization strategy will help you understand the local culture and context, craft a message that\u2019s relevant to your audience without losing the essence of your brand, and make sure that you deliver that message in a way that resonates\u2014and converts.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why-is-localization-management-important-for-business\"><\/span>Why is localization management important for business?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Localization entails more than just translating text from one language to another. It encompasses the adaptation of all elements of your product or service\u2014from the user interface and the color palette to content, functionalities, and even the business model\u2014to specific regions or locales, considering the cultural, linguistic, and even political nuances that make each market unique.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a complex process that requires effective <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/ultimate-guide-to-stakeholder-management-for-product-managers\/\">stakeholder management<\/a>, including working with localization managers, translators, project managers, developers, localization testers, and more. It also requires reconciling different tools, workflows, and even file formats. All of this can quickly become overwhelming without a <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/strings\/\">localization management platform<\/a> to centralize all your localization efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Localization management tools can help you automate, streamline, and optimize your localization processes, making them more efficient and cost-effective. They can also help you manage your relationships with localization vendors, track progress, and measure the results of your localization efforts.<\/p>\n<p>A localization management platform provides a single source of truth for all your localization data and brings together all the tools, processes, and people involved in your localization efforts. This makes it key to ensure the success of your localization projects and, ultimately, your global expansion.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-benefits-of-localization-management\"><\/span>The benefits of localization management<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>By making it easier to control the localization process like the strings in a marionette, the right localization management service, website localization tool, or app localization tool will help you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increase productivity:<\/b>\u00a0Localization management tools include features such as translation memories, which let you set up a database of previously translated content. This can help you improve turnaround times, as you can simply recycle existing content rather than starting from scratch each time. Add machine translation capabilities to the mix, and you can further speed up the localization process.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ensure quality and consistency:<\/b>\u00a0The best localization management platforms will help you maintain consistent branding and terminology across all your localization projects through purpose-built features such as glossaries and term bases. They\u2019ll also help you automate quality assurance (QA) checks on your localization projects to ensure that they meet your standards. This includes checking for things like incorrect tagging, formatting issues, typos, terminological inconsistencies, and so on.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Save time and money:<\/b>\u00a0Localization management is all about automating localization tasks such as project initiation, file preparation, notification and assignment of tasks to linguists and other stakeholders, and quality assurance. Automating localization processes can help you achieve significant cost savings. For example, you can use machine translation (MT) to generate initial translations, which a professional human translator can edit and finalize.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Track progress and measure results:<\/b>\u00a0Localization management tools give you visibility into every aspect of your localization projects. This includes being able to track the progress of each project, see which tasks have been assigned to which stakeholders, see analytics on translation quality and the performance of individual translators, and measure the results of your localization efforts in terms of key performance indicators (KPIs).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Become more agile:<\/b> Content integration is an essential feature of any localization management platform. It allows you to let content flow freely between your localization system and other platforms, such as your content management system (CMS), customer relationship management (CRM) system, or ecommerce platform. This gives you the agility to localize on the fly, without having to go through a lengthy process of exporting and importing files each time you need to make a change.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improve collaboration:<\/b>\u00a0Localization management tools improve collaboration between all stakeholders involved in localization projects. For example, many platforms include features such as a comments section, where stakeholders can discuss localization issues and provide feedback. Others allow your designers to include automatic screenshots of their designs in the localization platform so that localization teams can access more context and see how the translated text will fit into the design.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are just some of the ways in which localization management can benefit your business. The key is assessing your specific localization needs and finding the localization management platform that\u2019s right for you.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"localization-management-needs-a-clear-strategy\"><\/span>Localization management needs a clear strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A localization strategy should be the foundation of any localization management process. It\u2019s what will help you determine your localization goals, priorities, and processes, and ensure that your localization efforts are aligned with your business goals rather than working in silos.<\/p>\n<p>A localization strategy will inform your localization management decisions. It should answer questions such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What are your localization goals?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Who are your target markets?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What content do you need to localize?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">How will you manage and optimize your localization workflow?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What technology do you need to support your localization efforts?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What budget do you have for localization?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">How will you measure the success of your localization efforts?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve answered these questions, you\u2019ll have a clear understanding of your localization needs and requirements. This will make it easier, among other things, to select the right localization management platform for your business.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you establish that you need to turn around hundreds of product descriptions per day for different markets, you\u2019ll need a localization management platform with specific features. For example, content integration with your ecommerce platform, AI-driven machine translation to speed up the localization process, and advanced reporting to help you pinpoint localization bottlenecks.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-localization-management-software\"><\/span>What is localization management software?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Localization management software is a tool that helps you manage the localization process from start to finish. It typically includes a combination of features that allow you to streamline localization operations.<\/p>\n<p>Below are some of the most common features of localization management software:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-translation-memory-tm\"><\/span>A translation memory (TM)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-memory\/\">translation memory<\/a> is a database of all the translated content that your localization team has produced. It\u2019s used to store translations so that future localization projects can benefit from previously translated content. This saves time and ensures consistency across your localization efforts.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"term-bases\"><\/span>Term bases<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A good way to reduce human oversight and localization errors is to use a glossary of terms, also known as a <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/term-base\/\">term base<\/a>. This is a repository of all the approved terms and phrases that translators should use in their localization work. It helps to ensure consistency and accuracy in your translations, and you can use it as a reference tool for future localization projects.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"integration-with-existing-systems\"><\/span>Integration with existing systems<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Most localization systems offer some degree of integration with existing tools, such as CMS, design software, coding environment, and so on. This allows you to streamline localization operations by automating tasks\u2014such as importing and exporting files, sending notifications, and generating reports\u2014and avoid errors and delays that can occur when localization teams have to switch between different tools.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"project-and-workflow-management-features\"><\/span>Project and workflow management features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Localization projects can be complex, involving multiple stakeholders, workflows, and processes. Localization management platforms typically offer project management features to help localization teams keep track of all the moving parts and ensure that localization projects are completed on time.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"advanced-reporting\"><\/span>Advanced reporting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Localization management platforms usually come with built-in reports that give you insights into your localization efforts. For example, you might be able to see how many words have been translated in a specific language, how much the project has cost so far, or which localization bottlenecks are causing delays.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"machine-translation\"><\/span>Machine translation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some localization management platforms offer machine translation (MT) capabilities. MT is a form of artificial intelligence (AI) that can be used to automatically translate content. While MT is not yet good enough to completely replace human translators, it can be used to speed up the localization process significantly. By translating large amounts of content quickly\u2014especially low-visibility or non-customer-facing content\u2014MT can free up localization teams to focus on more creative or complex localization tasks.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-benefits-of-localization-management-software-at-a-glance\"><\/span>The benefits of localization management software at a glance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Check out the benefits of using a localization management platform vs. localizing manually.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td>Why working without a localization platform is painful<\/td>\n<td>How a localization platform benefits your projects<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>You have to carry out lengthy and tiring manual work<\/td>\n<td>You can stay productive by automating repetitive tasks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>There are no useful resources to rely on, such as a translation memory<\/td>\n<td>You can use previous translations and past work to speed up your projects<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>You\u2019ll have to shift through and fix a ton of human errors and mistakes<\/td>\n<td>Avoid simple errors completely with built-in quality control<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Start each new localization project from scratch<\/td>\n<td>Use your translation memory to speed up projects and improve consistency<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Take longer to build a product without the use of technology<\/td>\n<td>Complete your product faster, in some cases, with just a few clicks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reporting and monitoring will have to be done manually at every step<\/td>\n<td>Generate reports and monitor your project status with one click<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-some-best-practices-for-localization-management\"><\/span>What are some best practices for localization management?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When dealing with multiple languages and remote teams in different locations, there are plenty of pitfalls to avoid. For effective localization management, there are several best practices you can follow to keep your team on track and ensure you meet all deadlines.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ensure-internationalization-before-localization\"><\/span>Ensure internationalization before localization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before you start on your website, app, or software, you should always design with localization in mind.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/software-localization\/#What_is_internationalization_and_why_is_it_important\">Internationalization (i18n)<\/a>\u00a0is the process of preparing your product so that adapting it for different languages and cultures is easy.<\/p>\n<p>By designing your product for localization from the start, you can avoid having to redesign your product later on\u2014which can be both costly and time-consuming. Internationalization includes considerations such as not hard-coding translatable strings into the code, accounting for different writing directions, supporting\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/number-localization\/\">variations in date, time, and number formats<\/a>, etc.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"design-with-an-international-user-experience-ux-in-mind\"><\/span>Design with an international user experience (UX) in mind<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s good practice to combine internationalization considerations with a localization-friendly user experience (UX) design. For example, space is a key element in any\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/how-to-create-good-ux-design-for-multiple-languages\/\">good UX design<\/a>, and especially important when you plan to make your product available in more languages. Different languages take up different amounts of space, so leaving enough room to accommodate new ones is vital.<\/p>\n<p>Adapting the user experience to local expectations is also about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Verifying the cultural appropriateness of your visuals, such as graphics, colors, icons, and illustrations<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Fulfilling local expectations for layout, such as where navigation links should be placed<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Ensuring the overall tone and style of your product is appropriate for each target market\u2014for example, whether it should be formal or informal<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Letting users choose what language they want to use rather than imposing a language based on their location<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Supporting locally preferred payment methods<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"test-localizability-early-and-often\"><\/span>Test localizability early and often<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Testing is essential before you launch your product to the market.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/9-steps-to-get-your-website-localization-started\/#9_Testing_before_launching\">Localization testing<\/a>\u00a0includes rigorous linguistic testing, to ensure that all your translated content is up to par, and functional testing to check that there are no bugs in your software, no date formats are incorrect, or broken strings appear.<\/p>\n<p>Testing is a fundamental part of any project, and an effective localization management tool can help you program appropriate tests throughout your project. Some common areas to check include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Hardware compatibility<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The format of times, dates, weights, measurements, etc.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Entry fields<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Hyperlinks<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Images<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Broken strings\/design<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Payment processing<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Loading time<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Cultural appropriateness<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Keyword use<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Untranslated strings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"rely-on-the-right-localization-system\"><\/span>Rely on the right localization system<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Choosing the right localization management solution will ensure a seamless translation project from start to finish. With everything in one place, no key information is missing, no strings are forgotten, and everyone\u2019s comments and questions are displayed. All your team members work on the same page, with context, instructions, and even the chance to chat with each other to bolster team spirit. Being confident in your translation management software will allow you to reap all the benefits of\u00a0entering new markets\u00a0faster and with reduced hassle and cost.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_9d482178c5b7a8983bac057f3d101739\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta alignfull bg--grey image--orientation-landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image image--align-middle\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1890\" height=\"1730\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite.png\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"Phrase localization platform key visual | Phrase\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite.png 1890w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-300x275.png 300w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-1024x937.png 1024w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-768x703.png 768w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phrase-localization-suite-1536x1406.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1890px) 100vw, 1890px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"h6\">Unlock global business with the Phrase Localization Platform<\/p>\n<p class=\"small\">Expand into new markets with all the tools you need in one technology suite for high-quality, fast, and scalable localization.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/platform\/\">Explore Phrase Platform<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover the power of localization management and how technology can help you leverage it to expand the global reach of your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":1238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"class_list":["post-1235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-localization-strategy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1235"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60671,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235\/revisions\/60671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}