Preparing to Invest in International Content

If you’re entertaining the idea of expanding into an international market but are wary of how to begin or how much it might cost, there are a number of ways you can prepare before making a big investment.

Know What You’re Getting Into

It’s important to realize that expanding into an international market means a lot more than translating your content. It requires knowing your audience and localizing your content. While your content will have a similar message, there is a good chance that it will be spoken differently; using phrases, words, colloquialisms, and styles relevant to the region, something Google Translate cannot do. Before you run into a translation disaster, contact a professional for help.

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Research

There are general emerging markets and also emerging markets for specific industries. Make sure your industry is globally marketable and look into where that might be. The fastest-growing European countries are not English-based countries. There is a vast amount of data available that points to these emerging markets as offering great potential for global expansion. Don’t believe me? Just do a quick Google search and you’ll find plenty of info to back me up—but don’t enter without a multicultural content strategy.

Prepare to Invest

Develop a strategy for how you are going to take on the international market. Assess your resources and determine what resources you need. If you are equipped for managing the international market yourself, brainstorm ideas for preparing a team that will manage that market specifically.

Even though you can manage to prepare for expansion, it is important to note the extent of your resources and expertise when it comes to seeking content marketing to create strategy. If anything, strive to create engaging content over translated content.

Taylor Crouch – Marketing Assistant