What does understanding mean to you?

With the global internet connections now exceeding 5 billion, it’s essential that brands have a global outlook when it comes to engaging global audiences. That's why we conducted a global survey on consumer attitudes towards language and localization across 13 global markets. The respondents were digitally connected and had bought online within the last six months. The research included a robust sub-sample of B2B buyers and consumers living with one or more impairments.

 

We believe that three essential criteria must be met by organizations that want to deliver effective global communication. Firstly, consistency in messaging and positioning across channels, contexts, and touchpoints. Secondly, context, where customers expect personalized communication that is relevant and timely. Lastly, culture, which requires real insight into local cultures to be inclusive and produce engaging content that builds lasting relationships.

 

After analyzing the research results, we identified six key themes that are driving change in global communications.

 

While some people question the future of globalization, we take the view that globalization is a fact, and we can’t turn back from our globally connected world. Too much emphasis is put on similarities rather than differences, and too little thought is given to culture, as reflected in the continued dominance of the English language online. Our survey shows that 44% of global respondents find the dominance of the English language online frustrating. This highlights the importance of language localization and cultural understanding. Despite decades of globalization, consumer mindsets remain quite local, even among younger generations.

Our research shows significant differences between markets in their attitudes towards history and identity. 88% of global respondents agreed that it’s important for global brands to show they understand their cultural insight - but only 31% agree that brands are actually making this effort. Overall, it’s important to appreciate that culture goes beyond language. Too many assume that language represents culture when the reality is that it’s just one level or artefact of a culture.

Trust is a subtle concept that works differently in different cultures and markets. The value of trust to a brand includes the breathing space that it creates. Trust built on integrity can help alleviate the impact of mistakes, especially in complex communications. Interestingly our research found that for a majority of global consumers, a fully localized online experience offsets the absence of a physical presence and generates a comparable level of trust. Clearly, this creates new opportunities for brands to efficiently build relationships, reputation, understanding and trust to support growth across global markets.

Brands need to provide real-time translation for customer service as people, regardless of their location, expect it. Our survey results show that 82% of global respondents reported that a lack of local language customer support would prevent them from buying from at least one of the consumer categories listed. As brands try to deliver on the promise of global social networks and video platforms, and meet consumer appetite for personalized content across markets, more are turning to smart content intelligence and real-time multi-lingual machine translation.

As the internet and artificial intelligence evolve, new forms of communication will emerge. We found that 58% of our respondents had some level of involvement with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), digital avatars, and crypto. Moving into immersive spaces will create new demands on automation and machine translation to enhance the real-time experience. The rise of Web 3.0 promises far greater openness, autonomy and a fairer distribution of digital revenues. Brands will need to use culturally appropriate, non-verbal signals to communicate understanding or agreement.

Optimizing the customer experience (CX) is challenging because consumers are using various devices and channels to access the internet and engage with brands. It’s essential to understand and cater to consumer preferences in every market to enhance customer experience. According to our survey, 93% of respondents believe it is important for global brands like ours to speak to all customers in their own language at all times, and 89% of respondents feel it is important to deal with companies online in their own language. Furthermore, 82% of the respondents indicated that they would not buy from major consumer categories in the absence of local language support. These results reveal a massive opportunity for brands like ours to engage with global audiences and build trust.

 

In conclusion, unlocking global understanding is crucial for brands to engage with global audiences and build trust. The key to successful global communication is to prioritize consistent messaging, personalized communication, and cultural understanding. Brands that address linguistic inclusion as a priority and adapt to local cultures will be well placed to win the markets of tomorrow.