Businesses around the world compete to win consumers' attention and loyalty. Video content is one of the most effective ways to stand out from others and increase company profits. However, just creating videos is not enough. For your video to be successful, your audience must connect with your message. This is where multimedia localization comes into play.
Localizing your video content helps your message align with the language and cultural context of your target audience, which includes many activities, from translating the script to managing voice-overs and screenshots aim to make and all these make your video more accessible and appealing to viewers.
In this article, we explore the benefits of multimedia localization for your company's online dominance and share tips for creating localized video content that engages your target audience.
What is multimedia localization?
Multimedia localization adapts multimedia content to the linguistic, cultural and technical needs of a specific target audience. It involves translating and modifying various elements of a multimedia localization project, such as text, audio, video, graphics, and user interfaces, to meet the needs and preferences of the target region or market.
The process requires a range of skills and expertise, including linguistic and cultural competence, technical knowledge and creative ability. A successful multimedia localization project requires a deep understanding of the target audience, attention to detail, and the seamless integration of multiple components to create a cohesive and engaging user experience.
In summary, multimedia localization is the art and science of transforming a multimedia project into a culturally appropriate and user-friendly experience for a global audience.
Benefits of multimedia localization
The main benefits of multimedia localization are:
Creates an emotional impact
Multimedia localization helps your business create an emotional connection with your target audience. People are more likely to remember and connect with content that speaks to them.
Let’s discuss the success of Pixar's animated film Coco in Latin America. The film makers used cultural references to create an authentic representation of Mexican culture that struck a strong chord with audiences in the region. As a result, the film became the highest-grossing film of all time in Mexico and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
By aligning your content to your target audience's cultural and linguistic differences, you can create a stronger emotional impact and increase the likelihood of them engaging with your brand.
Eliminates cultural mishaps
Localization ensures that your content is culturally appropriate and prevents possible misunderstandings. For example, a positive gesture in one culture may be considered offensive in another culture.
Multimedia localization takes cultural differences into account, allowing companies to communicate effectively with their target audiences and preventing unintentional cultural mishaps, which helps your business avoid negative publicity and reputational damage due to insensitive or inappropriate content.
Localization means taking into account not only language differences, but also cultural norms, idiomatic expressions, and references that a foreign audience may not be familiar with.
Directs potential local investors towards your business
Localizing your multimedia content can also help you attract potential local investors to your business. When investors are assured that time and effort has been put into adapting your brand to the local market, they are more likely to consider your business as a credible investment opportunity.
Let's assume that you're a start-up company based in the United States that's looking for potential investors from Japan. By localizing your multimedia content, you can create Japanese videos, feature Japanese actors and use Japanese cultural references that will resonate with your target audience.
The very approach can help build trust and connect with potential investors, as they are more likely to invest in a company that understands their culture and values.
Critical points of multimedia localization
Multimedia localization involves adapting video and audiovisual content, such as commercials, movies, and documentaries, to meet the needs of specific audiences. It involves adjusting language, cultural references, and visual elements to make content more interesting and engaging.
Scenario transcription and translation
Transcribing the original script can support the translation process because it provides a written version of the original content. Translating the instructions file into the target language can contribute to the correct content localization
Subtitles and on-screen text
Captioning adds text below video or audio content to translate the spoken language. Screen text involves adding text to the screen to provide additional information, such as labels, titles, and captions Both can help the audience better understand the content and improve the overall user experience..
Voice-over and dubbing
Voice over involves adding a new audio track that is replaced with a translated version of the original audio. Dubbing replaces the original audio with a new audio track that matches the lip movements of the original video. Both can help your content be fully localized and ensure that the target audience perceives and is satisfied with the messages.
How to organize the multimedia localization process?
Here's a brief overview of how multimedia localization works:
1. Analysis and content auditing for translation purposes
The first step in the multimedia localization process is to analyze the content and determine what needs to be translated or adapted for the target audience. This analysis also takes into account cultural differences, visual and auditory cues, and other factors that may affect the final product.
2. Translation, adaptation or transcreation
Once you have selected the content to translate, it is important that the next step is to translate the content and adapt it to the target audience in question. In many cases, content may need to be localized to suit the cultural preferences of the target audience. Content localization may involve altering images or videos to better suit the viewer's preferences, editing text, or audio.
To translate content, you should work on a translation management system that supports many format files, especially those used in multimedia:
Video file formats: mp4, Mpeg, Avi, Mov, 3gp, 3g2, flv, m2v, m4v, mkv, mpg, ogv, qt, ts, vob, wmv
Audio file formats: mp3, wav, wma, mp2, ogg, aac, flac, m2a
Subtitle file formats: SRT, VTT
3. Recording
If multimedia content contains sound, voice over or dubbing may be required, which can be delivered by professional voice actors or using synthetic voices.
4. Testing
Finally, localized multimedia content is tested to ensure it meets the target audience's expectations that may include user testing, quality assurance checks or other feedback.
Multimedia localization is critical to expanding global businesses and reaching new audiences. The process involves adapting content to suit cultural and linguistic differences, making it relevant and relatable to the target audience. By contacting us You can get one step closer to success.
