SaaS products have become essential in today’s digital, globalized world. You may use SaaS products if you use cloud services, online software, or other services. So, what are SaaS products?
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What are SaaS Products?
SaaS is an abbreviation that stands for “Software as a Service.” Software as a Service is based in the cloud and delivered to end-users through their Internet browser. Vendors host the services and applications their customers need to access on demand. For instance, Canva is a SaaS company that offers design services online for their customers.
With SaaS products, you don’t have to worry about where to install the service or how to manage it. You only have to learn how to use the software products, which are usually made available on a subscription basis or a pay-as-you-use model. Rather than purchasing expensive software, you only pay for using the service online, with all the functionalities paid for in one large payment.
SaaS products have become extremely popular for many reasons, but companies mainly use SaaS software because it’s affordable, easy to implement, and use. Moreover, businesses (especially small businesses) can scale without restrictions (such as building an in-office network, purchasing expensive software for their employees, and more).
What is SaaS Product Localization?
With SaaS products gaining popularity worldwide, it’s no wonder that these products must be translated and localized to meet the needs of their target users. SaaS localization is the process of ensuring the software product meets the target market’s language, culture, preferences, and regulations.
SaaS product localization is essential for companies in a globalized economy. The process is necessary for companies that want to reach target audiences across the globe and stay competitive in the global market. Adapting products to different languages and cultures not only breaks down language barriers but also provides users with a comfortable interface, all while increasing revenue for SaaS businesses.
What Types of SaaS Products are Localized?
SaaS product localization is becoming essential for organizations that want to reach global markets. But you may be wondering what types of SaaS products can be localized. Here’s a short list of product examples:
Website translation: a company’s website is an essential tool often used by international users. Reaching these foreign customers must take top priority, and it means localizing the website content for these global users.
Linguistic localization: is the translation and localization of a software’s written content (for instance, navigation menus, tooltips, and more). These should all be done in the local language to give users a better experience.
Price localization: pricing also varies around the globe. A business must do more than translate its content and prices into the local language and currencies. Prices may need to be localized to fit the economic situation of the target users in each country or region.
Payment system localization: payment systems can also vary around the world, so it’s necessary to localize the payment system of software to the local audience. What do we mean? Ensure that the payment systems for the software are those used by the target audience.
Feature localization: software features must also be functional for local users. These must also be localized to provide users with a seamless user experience.
UX localization: creates the feeling of familiarity and ease of use for the target audience. SaaS product localization must consider regional norms, aesthetic preferences, usage habits, and thought processes.
Media localization: these include the visual elements of SaaS products. These can cause confusion or offence if they’re not correctly localized. Media localization can consist of images, icons, and other features. All of these must suit the target audience to be successful.
Product marketing localization: an organization’s product marketing strategy must also be customized to the local audience. This process can include website content, pamphlets, and more.
The Importance of SaaS Product Localization
SaaS product localization is essential to companies and customers worldwide. While English is spoken around the world, most customers prefer to use websites and apps in their native language. This trend is the same with using software.
Not only that, but businesses that use localized SaaS products tend to be more successful. They also are better prepared to reach global markets.
Benefits of SaaS Product Localization
No Culture and Language Barriers
We briefly touched on this benefit earlier, which is quite a significant benefit. Two of the major barriers businesses encounter in the global market are language and culture barriers. Localization removes these issues and allows companies to communicate effectively with their target audience. Moreover, the target audience also has an improved user experience when the software has been localized.
Loyal Customers
When customers have an excellent user experience with their software, they are more likely to trust the developer company. Customers see the company has taken the extra step of localizing its software, making its services and support available in the customers’ local language.
In addition, when customers have an exceptional user experience, they are more likely to become loyal customers. They may also promote the company’s products, raising brand awareness in the process. Furthermore, the business may also strengthen its position in the local market.
Gain a Competitive Edge
Businesses that localize their software also find they have a better competitive advantage. SaaS product localization shows the company cares for its customers. Customers realize it takes additional work and investment to localize SaaS products, and they appreciate these efforts, especially when they have an excellent user experience.
Increased Revenue
SaaS product localization is also an exceptional way to increase an organization’s revenue. As the business reaches out to new target markets, it may find that more customers buy its products. The result is an increase in revenue and a chance to scale their organization.
Product Integration
SaaS businesses have found that product integration is much smoother and more manageable when software has been localized into their native language.
Product integration includes bug resolution, understanding the use of advanced features, and more. These are all crucial parts of product integration, making SaaS product localization important for companies worldwide.
Example of SaaS Product Localization: Netflix
One prominent example of SaaS product localization is Netflix. This company launched in 1997 and was only available in the US at that time. However, over the years, Netflix has reached a global audience. Today, the service is available in about 190 countries, and plans are to expand into new markets.
Netflix has heavily invested in localizing its streaming service with its content and user interface. The company has also developed its proprietary system to automate the localization process.
In addition, the team has also invested in a dedicated team of localization experts. They work closely with content creators to ensure all new content is properly localized for each market. They provide subtitles and dubbing in about 30 languages.
Netflix’s investment and commitment to SaaS product localization has brought the company over 200 million subscribers around the world.
Example of Content Localization: World Wildlife Fund
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the best examples of SaaS product localization applied to content. The organization has adopted localization strategies for its awareness campaigns in markets worldwide. WWF works to protect endangered species and habitats. To do this work, WWF uses its website, social media, case studies, news, and other marketing materials to get its message out.
The WWF uses the following localization strategies:
- Presenting content to its target audiences in their native language. The organization’s website is available in over 50 languages.
- Serving the right content to targeted users: the regional WWF websites offer information on relevant local issues that matter to local readers. For instance, the Spanish version of the WWF’s regional website provides details on fighting against factory farming of pigs. In contrast, its US regional website offers news about the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act and more.
Like Netflix, SaaS product (and content) localization has proven valuable in reaching new global target audiences. Companies that adopt successful SaaS product localization practices usually experience all the many benefits we discussed above.
The Strategic Importance of Content Localization for Marketing and User Education (E-Learning Platforms)
Not only can businesses benefit from SaaS product localization, but e-learning platforms can also enjoy the advantages gained from this process.
The pandemic was a turning point in education for businesses and e-learning platforms. Students could not go to school and learn, while employees were forced to work from home, with many upskilling to enhance their skills. It was at this time that localizing e-learning content became necessary.
Remote working and learning became the new normal, making it necessary for multinational businesses and schools to translate and localize their educational content to meet the needs of their employees and students worldwide.
Educational materials are essential, and it’s necessary to ensure the content is accessible and practical for learners in various countries and regions. The localization process involves translation and adapting the translation to the cultural nuances and preferences of the target market. Doing so ensures that employees and students have a better user experience. They’re able to relate to the content. Without SaaS product localization of e-learning materials, the content may not be acceptable, mainly if it contains expressions (such as idioms) inappropriate for the user’s culture.
The right content localization strategy can reduce the cost of creating new e-learning courses. When an organization develops the course correctly, it must only pay for the translation and localization of the content rather than creating new content for every new market.
Finally, localization of e-learning materials can result in a revenue increase and happy e-learning students. Moreover, educational content becomes more accessible to a broader audience, creating a positive learning experience for employees and students.
Concluding Thoughts
SaaS product localization is an excellent way for organizations to reach global audiences and build a competitive edge. The key is to find the right translation partner for this work.
Translation agencies, such as Pollion, offer expertise in this area, providing support for businesses looking to expand their SaaS products into new markets.
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