A successful localization program is one that has a comprehensive understanding of the industry. Technology, strategies, processes, data… All of these topics are in a state of constant change, and anticipating these changes and trends is what allows companies to stay ahead of the game and gain a competitive advantage over those that don’t.
With that in mind, here are our top three predictions for the localization industry in 2024.
Generative AI’s breakout in 2023 undeniably revolutionized the language landscape and the localization industry in particular. The game had changed, and we were seeing the biggest change in the human role in the translation and localization industries since the arrival of machine translation.
According to McKinsey’s Global Survey published in 2023, more than one-third of the survey’s respondents were using AI tools regularly in business functions less than a year since these had come out. This rise in AI use inevitably brought up the question of “What now?” for human roles in language activities and if this was the beginning of the end for human-led activities in the industry.
After the hype has died down and the dust has settled a bit, we have started to see concerns with Generative AI, such as the quality of the copy it generates being unsuitable for certain types of content, questions on data privacy and intellectual property, and issues with inherent bias based on the data used for its training. Despite the data provided by McKinsey mentioned above, application of Generative AI is still very much an unanswered question for many companies, amid the fear of the consequences of publishing AI-generated content of low quality, or the efficiency of extensive post-editing.
In any case, these fears have established that no matter how human-like GenAI can be, and how its “learning time” in comparison with machine translation has been drastically reduced, human input, at any stage of the process, will always be required, whether it has to do with the level quality or applying a simple sanity check. Therefore, the conversation will turn from “Is AI going to take over our jobs?” to “How can we best work together with AI technology?”. And this is the smart approach we believe will bring in the most success.
Many times I have heard that AI is going to take over people’s jobs by outperforming humans in various tasks. However, just like spaceships need pilots and heavy mining machinery needs operators, humans will forever be a part of the show, regardless of how powerful the technology shall become.”
Rafał Jaworski
Principal AI Engineer
The arrival of AI technology has provided the tools for companies to create content at an unprecedented pace and volume. This trend is reshaping how businesses connect with diverse audiences by tailoring content experiences to individual preferences, behaviors, and cultural nuances. But mass personalization is nothing new. According to a report published by Deloitte in 2015, 1 in 4 consumers are willing to pay more to receive a personalized product or service. However, now, companies have the tools to provide this level of personalization at much lower costs and higher speed.
The rise of advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and data-driven insights is propelling this shift towards hyper-personalization, allowing companies to craft more relevant and resonant messages for their target demographics and, as a result, enhance their brand image. Which is why hyper-personalization and localization will go hand in hand.
Translation services are no longer confined to mere language conversion; they now encompass a nuanced understanding of local preferences, idioms, and cultural sensitivities. Companies are investing in localization strategies that go beyond linguistic accuracy, ensuring that content resonates emotionally and culturally with diverse audiences.
Whereas, before, companies communicated with their audiences via email or advertising boards, they can now leverage new technologies such as voice integration, personalized chatbot messages, and highly-targeted geolocated communications.
AI technology is being and will be implemented in marketing emails, and this represents a whole new level of hyper-personalization and revolutionizing outreach strategies. From voice integration and chatbots, to data collection and predictive analytics, companies are going to be able to be more engaging than ever before.
As technology continues to evolve, the ability to create meaningful, individualized content experiences will become increasingly pivotal for companies seeking to gain a competitive advantage and enhance their brand image globally.
We’ve always talked about the need to have agile localization models and the many benefits that they bring. We’ve also talked about the importance of data-driven decisions in your localization program, and how this allows companies to make better-informed decisions that boost cost-efficiency.
Being agile and data-driven is no longer an option for companies if they wish to remain competitive, but rather an imperative need. With the increasing amount of time-sensitive digital content that is consumed globally, having it localized on time can make a considerable difference in successful market penetration and user adoption.
For example, according to DemandSage, social-media platform TikTok has 1.677 billion users, and over 1 billion videos are viewed on its platform every day. Also according to DemandSage, Instagram, on the other hand, has over 500 million active users every day, all of whom interact with stories daily. These are just two examples of platforms that can allow companies, through posts or ads, to reach vast amounts of potential customers and raise their profile in existing markets or penetrate new ones. Appropriately localized messaging is key to enhancing effectiveness, and non-agile processes would be incapable of keeping up with the rapid pace of content localization and distribution required to build a successful presence on these platforms.
But it’s not just social media that requires an agile localization process. If your company is announcing an event, a launch, a partnership, or simply time-sensitive news, doing so in a timely manner is key. Delays in publishing content in different markets and in different languages due to a rigid (waterfall) localization workflow can be detrimental to your overall communication strategy, potentially resulting in missed opportunities, decreased audience engagement, and a less effective global reach. For these reasons, an agile strategy is imperative for any company that wishes to be globally successful, because if you don’t do it, your competitors will, and will therefore gain the upper hand.
Targeting the right user profile is just as important. Thanks to powerful business intelligence (BI) reporting tools, localization programs can now go as granular as they wish to obtain the data they need to make better decisions and ensure that their message reaches the right people. All the agility and quality content in the world is lost if not delivered to the correct audience, and with speed, cost-efficiency, and quality becoming the dream triumvirate for any localization program, launching your message to everyone and hoping that it sticks to the right audience is no longer an option.
The use of BI tools has become paramount to pinpoint target audiences accurately. Precise audience targeting maximizes the impact of the messaging, and it’s the strategic combination of agile, data-driven localization that propels businesses beyond mere adaptation. This dynamic approach anticipates and meets the evolving needs of a diverse global audience and, ultimately, enables companies to become successful in their target markets. Those who have implemented this system are already reaping the benefits; those who haven’t may have a lot of catching up to do.