The undeniable dominance of English as the primary language on the global stage of business and commerce have led many companies to ignore an increasingly popular trend – bilingualism. According to the American Community Survey, there has been a constant growth in the number of people who speak “a language other than English” in the last 40 years, reaching 22% of the total U.S. population in 2018. The significant rise of bilingualism is especially evident among the Hispanic minority in the U.S. representing the second largest number of Spanish speakers in the world after Mexico. Faced with this new reality, companies that know how to target more than 50 million bilingual Americans may be able to gain a significant edge in the e-commerce sector.
Going bilingual
It’s no secret that the overwhelming majority of US-based online shops are offered in English only! While this is not exactly conducive to going bilingual, adding a second language to your website will help you secure a sizeable customer base by benefiting from increased visibility among Spanish-speaking Americans. However, creating a Spanish version of your online store is not only about providing a translation of the products and services that you offer; there are several factors that you need to consider when adapting your business to the specific needs of your target audience.
Developing a strategy
Setting the right strategy is the first step towards achieving your goal of incorporating bilingualism into your business. You should keep in mind that this is not an overnight process, it takes time and effort to analyze your business and precisely identify the areas where you need to implement changes. You can start by introducing some Spanish into different materials, e.g. creating a bilingual format for banners, leaflets, catalogues or any other material that can be used to promote your business. LingoA&A can help you develop a strategic plan and accompany you throughout the entire process.
- SEO
Recent findings in sociolinguistics suggest that people who speak more than one language are more comfortable with content presented to them in the language of their original culture. Thus, offering your content in Spanish may attract bilingual visitors who prefer to browse Spanish websites even though the large majority of them may be fluent in English.
That’s why you need to enhance your Spanish SEO: it will not only make your online presence more visible to potential customers but also help secure a spot in the hugely profitable Spanish-speaking market.
- Metrics
Metrics is a fundamental tool that allows you to analyze user behavior and the impact of your content on Spanish-speaking visitors. Using Google Analytics you can track which products are more popular or which language is mostly used by visitors when browsing your website. Monitoring the behavior of your visitors can help identify their needs and adapt your content accordingly.
- Multicultural content
Providing only a Spanish version of your website is far from effective when it comes to reaching your desired target audience. As numerous studies have shown, it’s less about messages than cultural subtleties, i.e. slogans, patterns, colors, etc. that are most prevalent in the Hispanic community.
In addition to offering multiple language versions, the website content must be presented in a different cultural context that is both appealing and relatable to the Spanish-speaking audience. This is how you can achieve the greatest impact and successfully tap into the U.S. Hispanic market.
- Design
Another important aspect is design. Switching between languages can affect the whole layout as paragraphs, headings and other textual elements may have different lengths. It is therefore crucial to consider changes in design when creating multilingual content to make the navigation of your website more user-friendly.
- Budget
Budget is a critical factor when implementing a bilingual strategy. Depending on the extent of your planned bilingual content, you may need to allocate a significant portion of your marketing budget to translation services. It’s important to remember that professional translation is not a cheap service, and you should be prepared to invest accordingly.
However, it’s also essential to note that there are cost-effective ways to incorporate bilingualism into your business without breaking the bank. For example, using automated translation software can be a viable option for smaller companies that don’t have the budget for professional translation services. While the quality of automated translation may not be as high as that of a professional translator, it can still be a useful tool to provide basic translations and convey the overall message of your content.
Another budget-friendly option is to create bilingual content in-house. If you have bilingual employees or can hire bilingual freelancers, you may be able to save money on translation services by having them create the content for you. This approach can also ensure that the content is culturally appropriate and resonates with your target audience.
Finally, it’s essential to keep in mind that investing in bilingualism can ultimately lead to significant financial gains. By tapping into the growing bilingual market, you can increase your customer base and revenue. A study by the Selig Center for Economic Growth found that over the past 30 years, the buying power of the Hispanic population has experienced remarkable growth, surging from $213 billion in 1990 to a staggering $1.9 trillion in 2020. Hispanic buying power accounted for 11.1% of U.S. buying power in 2020, up from only 5% in 1990. By creating a Spanish version of your website and adapting your content to the needs and preferences of Spanish-speaking customers, you can tap into this vast market and boost your bottom line.
