If going global isn’t a long-term plan for your business, then you’re not gearing for growth. With more enterprises leaning towards a worldwide market, accurate translation and localization of content are essential.
One roadblock that businesses may face is the fact that there are over 6,500 languages spoken all over the world. Localizing content for each of these languages is a strenuous and inefficient task. Thus, it’s vital to know which languages to focus on in order to get the best results.
We gathered the top 10 languages used for localizing websites in 2021 to help you out. You will be able to narrow down and pinpoint the languages you need to translate and localize our content for so that you may be able to tap into the biggest and most responsive markets.
English
Since the dawn of the internet age, English has always been the de facto language of the web. This language is spoken in 94 countries and is one of the most commonly taught languages in schools and institutions.
It is the most universally spoken language in the world. Thus, it is a no-brainer that it takes the first spot on the list. Moreover, over 25% of people consume internet content exclusively in English.
If your website isn’t optimized for English, then you’re already missing out. Get up to speed and acquaint your site with the founding language of the internet: English.
Aside from English, what is the fastest-growing language used for an online business?
Chinese
With the Chinese economic explosion in recent years, China is an exciting prospect worth looking into.
The Chinese language refers to a group of languages known as Sino-Tibetan. It is one of the fastest-growing languages in the world, with 19.8% of users primarily opting for Chinese content only.
It is crucial to localize your website for Chinese content, as English is not widely used in the country. China is home to the world’s leading e-commerce market in 2019, further proving its localization is necessary.
Spanish
Don’t underestimate just how widespread and prominent the Spanish language is. It caters to various international markets that can potentially expand your business opportunities.
It will open up new doors for you, as the Spanish language is not limited to Spain. Localizing for the Spanish language means that you will have access to various other countries that comprise Latin America.
Arabic
Arabic is the official language of 28 countries, with over 274 million speaking it worldwide. Due to this, Arabic is growing to be one of the most crucial languages for internationalization.
Internet use in the Middle East is growing at an unprecedented level, and, thus, your website content needs to be able to meet that demand. It’s important to remember that many Arabic speakers only speak Arabic.
Hindi
India is one of the largest and most populous countries in the world. Because of its massive population, the country is becoming one of the hot spots for international businesses and brands.
Hindi is regarded as the unofficial primary language of communication in many states, despite the country not having an official national language. More than 43% of its population considers Hindi as their mother tongue.
German
This might be surprising for many, but German actually deserves the 6th spot as there are 105 million native speakers, and roughly 75 to 100 million people speak it as a foreign language.
German is the official language for many of the world’s most economically prominent countries, such as Austria, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Lichtenstein. Here’s the most important consideration: Germany has the largest economy in all of the European Union.
Portuguese
Similar to Spanish, localizing for Portuguese isn’t just limited to Portugal. It is mainly about Brazil, which has the largest economy in Latin America. Portuguese is even generally regarded as the fastest-growing European language.
Japanese
Japanese has been a consistent member of lists regarding the most popular languages used online since 2011. It has kept a firm hold on its position, making it worthy of localization.
A lot of Japanese internet users consume their online content exclusively in Japanese. Thus, localizing your website to Japanese will lead to more traffic, and it will allow you to tap into a market. With roughly 115 million internet users, Japanese consumers maybe your target audience.
Russian
Russian is the 8th most spoken language globally and one of the topmost used website content, trailing a little bit after English. This country is still considered one of the world’s four superpowers, being a member of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) block.
This country boasts of vast natural resources, consistently growing economic and IT sectors, and more. With their low proficiency in English, localization for Russian is something you should consider.
French
With over 29 countries using French as their official and primary language, it is considered one of the most widely used languages worldwide.
It has 80 million native speakers, with 110 million people using French as a second language. If you factor in the number of people who use French as a foreign language, then you will end up with a considerable number of potential French-speaking consumers.
Why Should You Localize Your Website?
● Language affects global purchasing behaviors.
Online consumers would tend to stay and trust a website that they can understand, particularly if it uses their native language. It’s important to remember that not all internet users are English speakers
● A multilingual business website will help you market your brand.
It will be easier to increase your sales with a multilingual website as you will tap a wider variety of potential customers. A study from CSA states that 65% of consumers prefer content in their language even if the quality is poor.
Localizing your website will help boost brand visibility and sales. Your business will be able to reach a wider variety of audiences. Each language that you incorporate into your localization is a new market and a new potential revenue stream that’s up for the taking.
We can help you localize your website!
When you’re ready to localize your website, we’re here for you. eTranslation Services offers excellent localization services for different clients worldwide. Our localization teams comprise experts in different fields. They are native speakers and adept at localization and creative writing. Entrust your site localization to professionals who speak your language. Let’s discuss your requirements. Kindly get in touch with us by sending an email to [email protected] or call us at (800) 852-6258.
