There are many factors you can consider when calculating your return on investment (ROI) on website localization services. From view counts to actual sales, the overall value of localization services will depend on the needs and goals of your own business. Nonetheless, here are a few methods you can use to determine the success of the tool you’re using.
Page View Count
Keeping track of page views of your translated content is one of the most standard methods of measuring success in your website translation service. Monitor how many unique views your branded content receives after translation, relative to before, to determine if there has been an increase.
If view counts don’t show an increase after translation, you may want to examine other aspects of your localization plan. A straight translation may not be enough to engage consumers in the global market. For example, effective keyword choice can vary in different languages, so it’s important to make sure they are targeted locally to maximize their visibility among search engines.
App Downloads
With the international market is rapidly expanding in mobile broadband use, mobile app data is more useful than ever when calculating the value of localization. To determine the ROI on localization services or translating your mobile apps, compare the number of app downloads from a specific local market before and after creating a localized app. If your translated app has direct purchasing options or in-app downloads, you can analyze that data as well.
Engagement
Though it’s not an easy metric to measure, consumer engagement is a vital factor in calculating your return on localization. Keep track of content and website shares—as well as mentions of your brand on social networks like Facebook and Twitter—before and after translation to determine if there is an increase in interest among the local markets you are targeting. Keep in mind, however, that not all social media mentions are created equal. Tweets that are retweeted may be more valuable because they can reach consumers beyond one’s own following. Who the mention comes from is also important when measuring engagement. Tweets and shares by powerful social influencers with vast networks of followers have a longer reach than those by a typical user with a following of close acquaintances.
Above all, keep track of any increase in localized influencer engagement after translation. Positive engagement can have a domino effect in terms of success in global outreach. A translated site that features product reviews in one’s native language can engage new customers who look to their peers when making a purchase. In this case, you should also measure activity in local consumer reviews when determining website translation ROI.
Consumer Growth and Retention
A growing customer base is of course an excellent measurement of localization ROI, but keeping those new customers is just as important, if not more so, to your business’s long-term success. In addition to measuring the rate of new customers, track the retention rate of returning customers after translation.
When in doubt, go directly to the source after your content is translated. Take a look at consumer reviews of your company, or use direct contact to poll new and long-time visitors on their level of satisfaction.
Higher Revenue
Although an increase in actual sales is not the only way to identify when your localization efforts are catching on in new markets, it’s certainly an important factor. If your revenue increases in local markets after translation, it’s a good sign.
However, not seeing a rise in sales doesn’t necessarily mean you invested in translation software in vain. Depending on the goals and needs of your business, consumer engagement and overall brand awareness in a localized market may be all the indication you need.
About Shahrzad Warkentin Shahrzad Warkentin is freelance writer who is passionate about connecting with audiences through great storytelling. For the past five years she’s covered a variety of topics, with a focus on brand marketing techniques. She speaks three different languages, including Swedish and Farsi.
