Social networks are the door to the outside world, with them you can see beyond what happens in your life and even your own country. Thanks to this, we can all reach any type of audience just by unlocking our mobile phone.
According to Statista, in 2022 approximately 3,000 million people actively use social networks And that number is rising! For this reason, if you manage a brand, you cannot neglect this important digital medium to reach your audience or customers.
Globalization is already a fact, if you want to adapt to today’s world, don’t ignore those users who speak a language different from yours. Think that out there, many potential followers still do not know your brand because of the language barrier. Do you want to know the advantages of multilingual social media? Keep reading…
Social media and its importance in digital marketing
We can’t talk about the importance of multilingual social media without first mentioning why social media itself is critical. Now that much of the world is connected to the Internet, it is impossible not to see this medium as part of the dissemination of a brand or emerging business.
Like people, a business is much more than what meets the eye. Behind it, you have values, a history and reasons why you made each of the decisions that led you to where you are today. Unfortunately, your users only see a logo and a potential product or service like everyone else. Through social networks you can show them why you are unique!
If you manage a brand, these are the best method to get closer to your target audience. Social networks are a space for sale, yes, but also a place of meeting and engaging. No matter where you or your followers are in the world, there are no borders in the comment box.
However, language can become a wall. Perhaps somewhere in the world there is that person you dream of reaching, but they do not speak your language. It is a fact that if you want to globalize your company, you must make it multilingual, and that includes your social networks.
Obstacles in the way of multilingual social networks
Unfortunately, technology does not always facilitate this mission. Many social network applications and websites have not adapted to the multilingual nature of today’s society. It is increasingly common to see polyglot people and yet not all platforms allow us to access content from different languages.
For example, if you are a person who speaks Italian, English and Spanish and you are in Caracas, it is likely that your Instagram or Twitter feed will show you mostly content in Spanish. Although it is something that is in the process of being adjusted, even social networks tend to position the language with which you signed up for them.
Many of them also have the option to translate the content through an automated plugin, which only makes the user experience worse! As we already know, a translation without localization feels depersonalized and often does not convey what you really want to say. For the same reason, many people prefer not to use automatic translation and only browse profiles available in the languages of their domain.
For that reason, if you speak more than one language or want to present yourself or your brand in more than one, you must choose wisely how to do it on your social networks. Do not forget that through them you want to show your image as it is, so do not risk confusion!
How to create content on your multilingual social networks
The good news is that there are many ways to tackle the above. One of them is to create several profiles in different languages. However, we do not recommend that you take this option if you do not want to segment your audience. Although it is an option that the largest companies take and works successfully for them, it may not be the best idea if you are just starting out.
Surely you have seen that the great The Coca-Cola Company has an instagram profile for each country. Just take a look at them and you will understand what we are telling you. The content shared on Coca-Cola Spain is diffreent than in Coca-Cola Colombia and it is because they are extensions of the same brand.
As we already mentioned, the idea of your social networks (multilingual or not), is that you show your brand as it is. If you segment it, you will stop being a company that speaks three languages and will give the impression that you are three different companies. That is why you must be careful when choosing!
A good alternative if you don’t want this to be the case is to choose to make shorter posts but publish them in several languages. And why should they be shorter? The answer is very simple, remember that each social network has a limited number of characters to write, so you must be able to convey your messages concisely.
The great advantage of this option is that it will be much easier for you to manage your accounts. And don’t be afraid to confuse your users. It will be enough to put an emoji of the flag of each language you chose to organize the information. Do not forget that on the internet everything enters first by sight!
Multilingual social networks: The open door to the globalized world
Don’t be scared by the work behind a multilingual social network. Believe us, as soon as you see the advantages of them for your business, you will want to adapt yours immediately. Do not forget that the globalized world is delighted to accept your brand!
First of all, you will have the advantage of the proximity of your brand with potential users. Translating your content and localizing it to different places will make them forget that you are not a local business, which will also reinforce their trust in you. This will make them want to buy your services or products!
On top of that, and it’s worth mentioning, the more languages you use, the more people you can reach. Select the market you want to reach, translate, correctly adapt your message and that’s it. In this case, less is more!
Add your company will show a much more professional image. On a general level, a multilingual social profile shows care for the content. Therefore, the perception of your users will be even more positive if you decide to speak to them in several languages.
Don’t worry if languages are difficult for you. We can help you!
Creating a multilingual social media profile is not easy, especially if languages are not exactly your forte. Do not forget that everything, from your profile to the last detail of your content, must be translated and localized. Leave that task to us!
At YOPPEN we are multilingual social media experts. Contact us at info@yoppen.com and tell us about your project, so we’ll help you go from local to global!
