How Content Localization is Driving the Entertainment Industry

Setting up an entertainment website sounds like a lot of fun, but how do you make sure that the people who visit it get as much enjoyment as possible out of it? One of the key factors that we see in certain industries is content localization, which can enhance the visitors’ experience immensely. Content localization is a critical strategy for capturing new markets worldwide in today’s increasingly digital and global age. More than 50 per cent of internet users want information in their language and most importantly, 75 per cent of the internet users don’t speak English. These factors force the users towards the inferior option of using machine translation.

Mastering cultural part and local jargons are the tools to optimize for the local market. One should not use a cow for the Indian market; jumper and sweater differ in UK and US; using an Indian model wearing a Japanese local dress may look funny, even insulting; one should expose skin after judging a particular country and target socioeconomic status.

TV/Film Streaming Sites Provide an Authentic Local Experience

Services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu are booming. For example, Netflix had over 167 million subscribers at the end of 2019, while Hulu reported having more than 35 million paid members in the third quarter of 2020. While the US is the leading country in terms of subscribers, these companies are now adept at making people from all over the planet feel welcome.

Content localization is crucial to their success, with people from just about any country able to find an authentic viewing experience. The first step is to offer all of the shows either dubbed or subtitled into local languages. The Netflix site points out that up to seven of the most popular languages in the user’s region are listed as subtitle options.

After that, they need to ensure all of their content is attractive and suitable for the people in the target country. Erick Barmack is the vice-president of international originals at Netflix and he has pointed out in the past that each show has to be “true and authentic to the country it originates from”. They also ensure that their brand message and values are accurately translated for each market.

The iGaming Industry Needs to Meet Regional Demands

There are some unique challenges in the iGaming industry, as different countries have their legislation, which means that some sites are banned or restricted in one country but not in another. Advertising rules also vary between countries according to the specific regulatory authority’s latest legislation, adding an extra degree of complexity. The most basic solution here is to offer the content in a variety of languages and currencies, but it goes deeper than that. Each site also has to identify where the player lives and give them a selection of games that fit that country’s laws and are popular among players there. Roulette and poker are among the most popular casino games in the Western world, while Asian gamblers like to play sic bo and pai gow, for instance. The VegasSlotsOnline site shows how this works in real life as it gives users a list of online casino reviews that are recommended in their country. A British visitor will see Casimba, Win British, and Mr Q among their options. On the other hand, a visitor from the US is directed to American-oriented casinos like BoVegas and Slots Empire.

Entertainment Review Sites Give You What Most Interests You

Entertainment review sites and blogs also need to be targeted firmly at the right market to engage their audience correctly. These sites may look at areas such as new movies, live music, TV shows, and books. Each of these topics needs to be carefully localized, as what interests someone in New York isn’t the same thing that people in India or Nigeria are looking for.

One approach is to set up a specific site or section for each region. If it is done on one site and visitors can choose their country to get the most appropriate content, this needs to be marked on the all-important landing page that visitors see. This lets people quickly get what interests them. Someone from India will be pleased to see stories about Bollywood stars, while an American will want to skip past that to see the latest on Hollywood stars and so on.

This all shows how crucial good web design is when it comes to localization, too. If we look at the Variety site, we can see that users are encouraged to sign up. As well as creating a revenue stream through paid subscriptions, this also gives them the chance to personalize the experience for each member. Even if you don’t join them, there are three different editions to choose from; US, Asia, and Global. The E! Online site has even more choices, with eleven countries listed, from Argentina through to Venezuela.

Conclusion

A sexually suggestive advertisement from American Apparel may be suitable for India but may not be suitable for the middle eastern countries. Content marketization is not a mere machine translation. The advanced consumers notice the details of the effort. Transcreation is the process of rewriting in another language, changing the message itself upon the need to adapt any cultural difference. The entertainment industry has more challenges as sellable content such as a movie often not optimized for the local market. Investing in the right localization services is an important strategy for the entertainment industry.