p03 swisher val_developing a global content strategy_swisher

Developing a Global Content Strategy

Val Swisher Paula LandCEO CEOContent Rules Content Insight

© 2013. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

@contentrulesinc @content_insight


9:00 – 9:15 Introductions9:15 – 10:45 Global Content Strategy Best Practices10:45 – 11:00 Break11:00 – 12:00 Best Practices Exercise12:00 – 12:30 Seven Components of Global Content Strategy12:30 – 1:30 Lunch1:30 – 2:30 Content Auditing2:30 – 3:00 Auditing Exercise3:00 – 3:15 Break3:15 – 5:00 Auditing Exercise

Agenda


First…A Definition

A global content strategy is a structure for managing all of your content that is consumed by people who speak or read languages other than the source.


Why Do You Care?

1. Save money localizing and translating content

2. Improve content quality in all languages

3. Save time localizing and translating content

4. Someone told you that you need to figure out this mess (see 1-3, above)


Global Content Strategy Best Practices


Best Practice Categories

There are two types of best practices:

External

Internal


External Best Practices

Affect the user experience

Navigation

Ease of use

Cultural sensitivities

Branding

Excellent resource for best practice information:“Web Globalization Report Card,” by John Yunker www.bytelevel.com

http://www.bytelevel.com/


Where Is The Welcome Mat?

Splash global gateway

Button on the homepage

Button buried deep within the site that no one can find


Global Access “Sweet Spot”

If you are not going to have a splash global gateway, the next best choice is to use a simple button.

Upper right corner of the screen is the best place for it.

Keeping it in the same place for each language is a good idea, too.


Global Gateway Best Practices

Use a global gateway splash page, if possible

Display region or country names in the native language

Flag language

Use the global button sweet spot

Avoid lengthy drop-downs

Put the button in the same place

Be careful when emphasizing certain locations over others

Don’t hide the button


Where Oh Where Are My Global Sites?

Don’t make navigation harder than you need to

There are some companies who choose to hide their global sites

You need to hunt for them. Carefully.


Navigating Within A Global Site

Make it easy for people to find what they need, in the language they need it in, on the device they want to use.

Think like a customer when you lay out your global navigation.


Don’t Forget The Branding

Unless your brand is iconic, make sure you feature it on all of your language sites

That’s how iconic brands got to be that way


Cultural Sensitivity

Eliminate what is offensive

Include what is specific to the region

Pay attention to what you do and don’t translate


Avoid Offensive and Unrecognizable Images

Hand gestures

Images

Symbols


Cultural Expectations

Layout of pages

Specific items of celebration• Awards

• Campaigns


Recap - External Best Practices

Affect the user experience

Navigation

Ease of use

Cultural sensitivities

Branding


Internal Best Practices

Know when to translate, when to localize, and when to transcreate

Reuse content wherever possible eep text out of graphics Be consistent Use multilingual keywords Collaborate


Methods Of Handling Global Content

Translation Localization Transcreation


Literal word-for word translation of everything

-

The meaning stays the same

Different content developed to meet business objectives

The content stays the same

Language Translate the meaning of the words in a way that is culturally appropriate

Developed in local language; English may be used as part of the brand vocabulary

Images No change Change to fit local expectations / product needs

Change to fit local expectations / product needs

Layout No change Minimize changes Change to fit local expectations

BrandVocabulary

No change No change Enhance and expand

Translation Localization Transcreation

Methods Of Handling Global Content


Reuse Content


Text Within Graphics

Not picked up by free translation engines such as Google translate or Microsoft translate

Not picked up by optimization engines such as Acrolinx

Separate process to translate Not searchable


Choose Consistency


Language And Search

Site must be searchable in native language Even if site “returns” to English, maintain native

language search terms More on this when we discuss content auditing


Recap - Internal Best Practices

Know when to translate, when to localize, and when to transcreate

Reuse content wherever possible eep text out of graphics Be consistent Use multilingual keywords Collaborate


Best Practices Exercise

Evaluate Walmart for global best practices

Ranked #1 on the Fortune 500 for 2013 Presence in 27 countries More than 6,000 international stores Almost 1 million employees outside of the U.S.

So let’s look at their global online presence.


Best Practices Exercise

Evaluate Walmart’s global gateway using this list of best practices:

Access

Ease of use

Cultural elements

Branding

Reuse


How Long Does It Take You To:

Navigate to the Walmart site for Chile?Navigate to the Walmart site for India?

Note your observations to share with the class.


The Seven Components of Global Content Strategy


Understand GoalsContent Lifecycle

AnalysisContent Audit Gap Analysis

WorkflowRecommendations

Content-Specific Recommendations

InfrastructureRecommendations

Global Content Strategy Components


Understanding Goals

Identify business goals for global content strategy Identify current issues preventing the

achievement of the goals Outline criteria for successful global content

management


Common Goals Of Global Content Strategy

Increase sales by expanding into additional markets

Lower the cost of translation Increase the quality of global content in all

languages Lower cost of maintaining global content Improve time-to-market for global content Respond to region-specific feedback on global

content


Goal Setting

Talk to stakeholders• Product management / Brand management

• International managers / Region representatives

• Content creators

• Localization managers

• Others Write it down

• Identify common issues

• Look for consensus for success criteria


Content Lifecycle Analysis

Identify issues associated with global content

• Creating source content

• Translating content

• Managing global content

• Delivering global content Look at current processes and tools


Content Lifecycle Common Issues

Lack of communication between and among groups

Lack of common goals Lack of consensus on audience Loss of control over content creation Loss of control over translation process Outdated or isolated tools

• CMS, TMS, MT, Terminology Management, others


Content Audit

What do you have? Who created it? How is it organized? Are there missed opportunities for reuse? Is it properly tagged for multilingual search? Is it global-ready?


Content Audit (Continued)

What content is translated? Localized? Transcreated?

Which vendor is translating which content? How many translation memories do you have? Where are the TMs? How are the TMs being used? Is your pivot language acceptable?


Gap Analysis

How far off is the current situation from the goals? How does current situation map to industry best

practices? Outline each area for improvement


Recommendations

Usually fall into three areas:

Tools / infrastructure improvements Content global readiness improvements Workflow improvements


Tools / Infrastructure Recommendations

Content management system Terminology management Translation management Authoring environment Site-specific infrastructure:

• Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD)

• Geolocation


Content Global-Readiness

• Reduce word count• Increase use of identical sentences• Decrease word variability• Reduce sentence length and complexity• Eliminate word usage errors (idioms,

jargon)• Evaluate and change offensive,

meaningless imagery


Workflow Recommendations

Workflow needs to be an end-to-end process that starts with content creation and ends with worldwide delivery:

Interaction between people and tasks Touch points and handoffs between groups Dependencies Governance


Summary Of Seven Components

Understand goals Analyze current content lifecycle and workflow Audit existing content Analyze the gap Recommendations for tools and infrastructure Content global-readiness Workflow that enhances success


What You Can Expect To Achieve

Global content that is: Easier to manage Cheaper to translate Easier to find Easier to read Quicker to market Better aligned with sales and product goals

Val Swisher CEO & [email protected]@contentrulesinc

mailto:[email protected]

p03 swisher val_developing a global content strategy_swisher

Technology

content quality

global gateway best

global gateway button

global sites

splash global gateway

best place

best practices exercise

external best practices