Taylor Swift's secret weapon for global domination (and how you can use it too)
04 Jul 2024
3 mins
Taylor Swift isn't just breaking records and captivating audiences with her music; she's demonstrating a masterclass in localization. If you've been lucky enough to see the Eras Tour live, or kept up on socials, you may have noticed a clever bit of translation in action. Backup dancer, Kam Saunders, has been adding a local twist to the show by incorporating regional slang and phrases into Taylor’s performances. "Bolt ya rocket" in Scotland, "Pog mo thoin!" in Ireland, “Eeee get on ya bike” in Liverpool – it's not just fun, it's a brilliant local marketing strategy.
What's the big deal about a few local phrases?
Imagine walking into a shop in a foreign country and being greeted in your native tongue, with a smile and a phrase that only a local would know. It's a small gesture, but it instantly makes you feel welcome, understood, and more likely to make a purchase. That's the power of localization.
Localization is the art of adapting your content, products, or services to resonate with a specific culture or locale. It goes beyond simple translation; it's about connecting with your audience on a deeper level, making them feel seen and valued. And as Taylor Swift has shown, it can significantly boost engagement and brand loyalty.
Three lessons for marketers from the Eras Tour
- Speak your audience's language (literally and figuratively): Kam's localized interactions demonstrate how understanding and embracing local culture can create a deeper connection with your audience. For marketers, this translates to tailoring your messaging, visuals, and even product offerings to resonate with the specific cultural nuances of your target market.
- Build stronger relationships, drive greater engagement: When you make an effort to speak your audience's language, you build trust and foster a sense of belonging. This leads to increased engagement, as customers feel more connected to your brand. In this case, Kam's localized comments have generated millions of views on social media, amplifying the Tour's reach and solidifying fan loyalty across the world.
- Unlock new markets and revenue streams: Localization isn't just about connecting with existing customers; it's also about unlocking new markets, just like Taylor Swift continues to do with her global tour. By tailoring your marketing materials, website, or product to different locales, you open doors to a global audience, expanding your reach and driving business growth.
Going global, the smart way: How to utilize this secret weapon
Taking these cues from Taylor, how can you implement localization into your marketing strategy? Let's explore the key components:
What is localization in marketing?
- Localization in marketing is the process of adapting your marketing campaigns and materials to suit the cultural, linguistic, and consumer preferences of a specific target market. It involves tailoring your messaging, visuals, and even product offerings to resonate with the local audience, creating a more personalized and engaging experience.
Why should you invest in localization for your marketing?
- Enhanced local relevance: Localized marketing campaigns feel more authentic and relevant to the target audience, increasing the chances of engagement and conversion.
- Improved brand perception: Localization demonstrates that you value and understand the local culture, which can enhance your brand image and build trust.
- Increased market penetration: Localized marketing materials can help you reach a wider audience and penetrate new markets more effectively.
- Competitive advantage: In crowded markets, localization can differentiate your brand from competitors and give you a competitive edge.
- Higher ROI: By tailoring your marketing efforts to specific locales, you can achieve higher engagement, conversion rates, and ultimately, a better return on investment.
How to improve your localization marketing strategy
- Thorough market research: Gain a deep understanding of the cultural nuances, linguistic preferences, consumer behaviours, and market trends in your target markets.
- Develop a localization style guide: Establish guidelines for tone of voice, terminology, and visual elements to ensure consistency across all localized marketing materials.
- Localize all marketing assets: This includes website content, social media posts, email campaigns, advertisements, product descriptions, and any other marketing materials you use.
- Partner with local experts: Collaborate with native speakers, cultural consultants, and local marketing professionals to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance.
- Leverage technology: Utilize translation management systems (TMS) and AI-powered translation tools like HAI to streamline your localization process.
Key questions about localization in marketing
What is the most important factor in a localization marketing strategy?
Understanding your target audience is crucial. Research their cultural values, preferences, pain points, and communication styles to tailor your marketing messages effectively.
What is the benefit of a localization marketing strategy?
Localization marketing offers numerous benefits, including enhanced local relevance, improved brand perception, increased market penetration, competitive advantage, and higher ROI.
What are some challenges of localization marketing?
Common challenges include managing translation costs, ensuring cultural relevance and accuracy, adapting to local regulations, and coordinating efforts across multiple markets.
How can I improve my localization marketing strategy?
Continuously monitor and refine your localization efforts based on market feedback and performance data. Leverage local expertise and technology to streamline your processes and ensure accuracy and cultural relevance.
HAI: Your secret weapon for seamless localization
At RWS, we understand the challenges businesses face when going global. That's why we offer HAI, our AI-powered translation platform. HAI combines the speed and efficiency of machine translation with the expertise of human linguists, ensuring fast, accurate, and culturally relevant translations for all your marketing materials.
Ready to join Taylor Swift on the global stage and unleash the power of localization? RWS is here to help your brand sing in any language. Whether you need help crafting captivating campaigns, adapting your message to resonate with diverse cultures, or simply want to explore how our AI-powered translation platform, HAI, can streamline your localization efforts, we've got you covered.
Reach out to our team of localization experts today and let's amplify your brand's global voice together.
Krissie Petfield
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