How worldly is your web?

Today's web goes way beyond English. Global users surf in Chinese, Spanish, and more — and expect the sites they visit to support their native tongues. Offer them localized content, and you'll increase their engagement with your site and with your brand.

"You already know that the Internet enables people to find your website from anywhere in the world. Do you know how to turn those visitors into customers?"

image
Get started today!
20 %

Percentage of Americans that speak a language other than English in the home.

Source: US Census
18 %

US eCommerce sales made up only 18 percent of total worldwide eCommerce sales.

Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm (2007)
$25

Return on investment for every dollar spent on localization (up from $10 in 2001).

Source: Localization Industry Standards Association (2007)
12.9 %

2010 worldwide eCommerce growth rate (as compared to US growth of 7.5%)

Source: eMarketer 2009
85 %

Percentage of consumers who require information in native language, to make important purchase.

Source: "Can't Read, Won't Buy: Why Language Matters for Global Websites"
6x

People not proficient in English are six times less likely to purchase from English-only site.

Source: Common Sense Advisory, "International Survey of Global Buying Preferences", 2006
89 %

Spanish is spoken in 89% of US Hispanic homes.

Source: Roslow Research Group
22 %

Internet usage represents only 22% of the Chinese population (versus 75% for the US).

Source: Tom Melcher, The Business Insider, 2009
78 %

Percentage of internet users that are non-English native speakers.

Source: Internet World Stats
$27 B

2010 online shopping market in Japan.

Source: Fuji-Keizai, "Shopping and E-commerce businesses in Japan", 2009
33 %

US Hispanic population expected to triple to 1/3 of US population by 2050.

Source: US Census
$870 B

Purchasing power of US Hispanics in 2008 (exceeds GDP of Mexico and Canada)

Source: US Census
$1.2 T

Expected purchasing power of US Hispanics in 2011

Source: Selig Center for Economic Growth
30

Average number of languages available on websites of Top 10 Global Brands

Source: Jupiter Research, "Web Site Localization: Best Practices in Global Expansion"), 2008
15-20 %

Improved advertising effectiveness (over English) for Spanish ads on MySpace Latino

Source: eMarketer, "MySpace Latino: Better Ad Results", 2009

Watch your language

Surveys have repeatedly shown that people prefer to buy products and services in their native languages. In fact, people are three times more likely to make a purchase when it's presented in their native tongue.1

Doesn't everyone speak English? In a word: no. According to recent studies, over 70% of the Internet does not speak English natively.2 And if your site is English-only, visitors who aren't proficient in English are six times less likely to make a purchase.3 For important purchases, 85% simply will not buy if it's not presented in their native language.4

Broaden your reach

When you offer high-quality, branded, multi-lingual websites, you extend your reach into vast new markets — converting new customers, supporting your marketing efforts, increasing sales, and setting yourself apart from the competition.

  • 1 Forrester Research, "Strategies for Global Sites", May 1998
  • 2 Internet World Stats, June 2009
  • 3 Common Sense Advisory, "International Survey of Global Buying Preferences" September 2006
  • 4 Forrester Research, "How To Measure ROI For Spanish-Language US Sites", January 2009

Top 10 Languages

Languages Internet Users % of Total Growth in Internet (2000 - 2009)
Top 10 Languages 84.3% 351%
Other Languages 15.7% 430%
1. English 28.7% 237%
2. Chinese 21.7% 1,018%
3. Spanish 8.0% 631%
4. Japanese 5.6% 99%
5. French 4.6% 530%
6. Portuguese 4.4% 863%
7. German 3.9% 135%
8. Arabic 3.0% 1,862%
9. Russian 2.3% 1,125%
10. Korean 2.2% 96%
Source: June 2009, Internet World Stats

© Copyright Smartling 2010. All RIghts Reserved