How Sportswear Brands Can Leverage Localization
The fashion industry, like many others, has become increasingly global. Localization is still essential to your overall strategy and connection to your customers. As a sportswear brand, you want to target your marketing materials for customers in distinct locations. Localization can take several forms, depending on how you approach this common strategy—and it can have impressive results.
The Benefits of Localization for Your Sportswear Brand
Choosing to localize your sportswear brand's marketing materials can have many benefits. Done right, you can:
1. Make Your Brand Stand Out
Many global audiences need help with content tailored to their specific needs. Even if they are interested in your sportswear, they may conclude it isn't for them due to your marketing materials. The content may focus too heavily on scenes that don’t resonate with them.
Different cultures can have very different approaches to modesty and a sportswear brand that fails to acknowledge that can dissuade potential customers long before they make it to your website. When you focus on localizing for their needs, on the other hand, you can help your brand stand out from the crowd.
2. Increase Conversions
Customers are 70% more likely to purchase a product from a website that uses their native language. Likewise, customers are more likely to respond to personalization than a generic approach that does not consider their interests and needs. As you localize your content and focus on the needs of your target market's unique segments, you also increase conversions on your website.
3. Improve Brand Loyalty
Many diverse consumers need help finding brands that market to their needs. When they find a brand that does consider those needs, they will feel a more profound sense of connection to (and a higher level of trust in) that brand. As a result, they will be more likely to stick with your brand in the future rather than turn to others for their needs in your industry.
4. Raise Your Search Engine Ranking
Search engines often focus on localized content. They want to provide customers with content that meets their needs. Also, they understand the statistics: customers are far more likely to visit and return to websites that focus on their needs. As a result, search engines may prioritize localized content for specific users and fits their ongoing needs.
5. Avoid Potential Brand Image Problems
Part of your localization efforts, especially as a clothing brand, is ensuring that you meet the standards required by citizens of the local area. Whether it's ensuring that your clothing meets cultural standards or that you do not showcase logos or content that could be offensive to potential buyers, your brand must avoid potential problems that could damage its image. As part of your localization efforts, you can ensure that your brand fits those needs and that you get all the essential details.
How to Effectively Localize Your Sportswear Brand
As a sportswear brand, you must consider several things when localizing your brand, including your marketing materials, website, and even your products. Make sure you do not miss these key elements:
1. Identify Your Target Market
Carefully consider the target market for your sportswear brand. Some brands may target people who participate in specific sports or activities. Others may have a broader audience. Lay out your target market, including the geographic areas your marketing must cover.
2. Segment Your Market
Carefully think about and identify your market segments. As a sportswear brand, you may already have several unique buyer personas in mind. For example, you may have separated personas or different segments based on specific sports in which the people attracted to your brand might participate.
However, you must also include segments for the geographic areas you want your brand to cover. As you approach each segment, address some elements that prove most likely to change as you move from one location to another. Consider:
Modesty standards: In some cultures, modesty standards are very different than in others, even in sportswear. Ensure that your marketing and the products you highlight meet those standards.
Color meaning and symbolism: In many cultures, a color's meaning can change how people view a specific item. For example, many sports teams in the United States focus on red and blue color schemes. In South Africa, on the other hand, green and gold may appear more commonly.
What sports are most common in a specific geographic area? You should highlight the sports members of your segments are most likely to engage in.
Carefully segmenting your market can give you a clearer picture of how to shape your materials. That, in turn, can lead to better-localized content.
3. Do Your Research
As you work to localize your sportswear brand, you must take the time to get to know your audience. Doing your research can give you a deeper understanding of your customer's needs and preferences. Not only can that help you localize your marketing content, but it can also help set you up for success as you create products for a broader market. Ask:
What need does your brand fill for members of a global audience? What problem can you solve?
Why should your brand appeal to people in a specific geographic area? What does it offer them?
How does your brand fit into the larger market in this area? What are other brands providing? What makes you stand out?
Working with a localization expert can help you get a better feel for the needs of a specific target market as you expand your reach, grow your brand, and localize your marketing.
4. Avoid Simply Translating Templates
When expanding to a larger, global audience, it's tempting to start by simply translating your existing marketing templates. For example, you may change the language on your website when you have customers from unique geographic areas. Alternatively, send the same email marketing content in the buyer's preferred language. Localization is about far more than just the specific words you use. You also need to consider:
The images, video, and other media used in your content
The messages you're conveying
The colors you use to market your brand
The needs of specific target audiences
Furthermore, more than straight translation is required to accurately convey the ideas and concepts you want to share with the members of your target market, particularly if they have different needs than the market you used for your standard template. You can better fill their needs by localizing your content, not just translating it.
Start Localizing Your Sportswear Marketing Content
If you want to expand your reach and ability to connect with customers in a global market, localization is essential. At Vistatec, we focus on high-quality localization efforts that create a deeper connection for wide-ranging geographic markets.