No, non, nein: why language barriers are still holding back global business growth

That’s a lot of cross-market communication campaigns. But, despite emerging technologies helping business bridge borders more easily than ever before, they’re still being held back by language barriers – to the tune of almost £50bn per year in the UK.

When words cost business

We’re living in a turbo-CX age. From hyper-personalization to customer-centric, data-driven campaigns – consumers increasingly expect their needs to be understood and met. And that means that language, more than ever, is not just about words. It’s about making a deep, personal connection with someone based around cultural nuances. But these cultural nuances are often missed in generative AI’s word churn, jeopardizing audience engagement in an era where building trust is everything.

Without this richer understanding of language, marketing messages are misinterpreted. That makes brands seem distant and out of touch. And that makes customers feel dissatisfied and disengaged.

When companies don’t localize the buying experience, they risk losing around 40% of their target market. But when trading partners use similar languages, trade can shoot up by 72%.

More regulated sectors such as law, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals are even more at risk: accurate and precise communication is crucial, to prevent misunderstandings which could have heavy legal or financial consequences.

SMBs’ economic power at risk

SMBs are the backbone of global economies, accounting for 99.7% of companies worldwide. And they’re increasingly going global in 2024, with a 46% international customer base and a growing roster of worldwide vendors, too. But, alongside their cross-border business, challenges with language barriers have also boomed, with 35% of small business owners feeling like they’re getting lost in the noise.

They know that effective communication across diverse markets and languages is key to unlocking their growth potential. But, as Krissie Petfield, head of marketing at HAI says: “Free translation software and apps can offer a good, short-term bridge to understanding. But they can miss all-important nuance. And the costs and potentially lengthy turnaround times of professional translation services can get in the way of marketers expanding their brand’s reach.”

So, what’s the answer?

Human + AI options bridge the language gap

Businesses are starting to embrace hybrid language technology services where AI’s speed and accuracy is combined with human expertise to ensure fast, reliable, and culturally relevant translations.

For example, RWS has recently launched HAI, an AI-powered online translation portal which integrates AI-enabled tools with human oversight.

“By blending the efficiency of advanced AI technology with the nuanced expertise of professional linguists, businesses can ensure their content not only speaks the right language more quickly, but also resonates culturally with their target audience, wherever they are in the world, more effectively, Petfield comments.

Translation memory (TM) tech is an essential part of the process with language tech. This memory database store segments of text that have been previously translated, so they can be reused in future. So, for instance, marketers with access to TM tech input campaign materials which need to be translated. This content is then analyzed against the TM-stored text to identify repetitions, 100% matches and fuzzy matches. Content identified as new words is translated and all reused content is reviewed by a human for contextual accuracy. At the end of their project, the final translations are uploaded into the marketer’s dashboard for storage and future reuse, reducing time and cost and ensuring consistency later.

How else can marketers translate their business ambitions into global success?

Top tips for speaking audiences’ language

1. Localize, don’t just translate: Localization goes beyond translation; it’s about adapting content to fit the cultural context of the target market, taking into account local idioms, cultural references, and even regulations. Ultimately, a localized campaign resonates more deeply with a target audience.
2. Use multilingual SEO: To reach global audiences effectively, optimize content for search engines in different languages. This means researching and using keywords that local audiences use, to boost organic traffic from international markets.
3. Engage with local influencers: Partnering with local influencers who speak the language and understand the culture can help bridge the gap. Influencers can communicate your brand message in a way that is authentic and relatable to the local audience.

For more advice on effective and efficient translation services, contact HAI.