Should Your Web Site Be In a Foreign Language?

It used to be that most of the Internet was in English. Experts in France joked the Net was a plot between the US and England to gain control of the world.

That is rapidly changing. The Internet's fastest growth has recently been in Europe among people who speak French and German.

Many web sites are providing at least some of their information in French, German, and Japanese. Translation expert Sheila Kennedy says those along with English are the four most used languages on the Internet.

Sheila says it's also good to include some info in Spanish as the Net is growing by leaps and bounds in Mexico, Central, and South America. It's exciting to consider the huge cities south of our border where you may have millions of potential customers surfing the Net.

Marketing that sounds great to an American will often fail to create a response in other countries. "You have to take into account the local customs and expectations. Europeans have a much higher regard to privacy," Sheila says.

There are many translation services popping up on the Internet.

Also check around your area for a foreign language teacher or a native speaker. Call your local Mormon Church. Over half of Mormon men spend two years doing missionary work in foreign countries and speak dozens of languages fluently.

Kevin Nunley provides marketing and copy writing. Read all his free tips at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 603-249-9519.

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