Multilingual Project Management in Translation and Localization 101

With the ever expanding and overly connected world, the ability to speak "the same language" to different target audiences becomes the center focus of businesses going global. This is where localization comes into play to make sure your company can thrive. But your localization strategy just will not be complete without efficient multilingual project management, a structured process of creating, publishing, and sharing information with a targeted goal across multiple languages. Keep reading this article to find out more.

Multilingual Project Trivia

Before we get properly started, let's explore a few interesting facts about languages in our world:

• There are 7,139 officially known languages in the world, but this number is in decline unfortunately.

• Despite this linguistic variety, over half of the world population speaks just 23 of them.

• If you thought English was the most spoken language by its native speakers, you'd be wrong! Mandarin Chinese boasts an impressive number of almost 1 billion native speakers!

• However, if you take into account speakers of English as a second language, the total number (native speakers + L2 speakers) for English rises to 1.5 billion people, justly ranking it the top spoken language in the world.

• Top 5 most used languages on the Internet are English (49.5%), Spanish (6%), German (5.5%), Japanese (5%), and French (4.4%).

• Most used scripts on the Internet are Latin (84.7%) and Cyrillic (5.1%).

Diverse, huh? Our world is very rich in a linguistic sense, which reflects on these selected stats. These are just a few reasons why effective multilingual project management can be a dealbreaker for many companies, yours included!

Managing Multilingual Projects: Why Bother?

With the total number of Internet users growing rapidly and steadily (5.35 billion or 66% of the world as of 2024) and around 1.1 billion websites on the World Wide Web, the market is constantly expanding but so is the competition. Multilingual projects won't just address this challenge, they will also help your business grow and expand for several reasons.

Building Trust in Target Language

As the great writer Maya Angelou once said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Appealing to the hearts of your target audience is easier in their native language with a well-crafted localization strategy. If successful, your company might even become a linguistic phenomenon even! For example, Xerox scanners once became so reliable and so well known, that in some languages (like Russian) Xerox became a widely used term that means an office scanner. Another example would be jacuzzi, a hot tub that elevated its reputation to the point that the two terms are now synonymous and interchangeable.

Building trust with your customers requires more than just a well-crafted message; it requires a genuine connection that resonates emotionally. According to a study by Gallup, customers make purchases while being 70% driven by emotional factors and only 30% rationality. This connection isn't just impactful; it’s a strategic investment that builds lasting customer loyalty and long-term success.

Unlocking New Markets

With nearly 2 billion internet users between China and India alone and almost 500 million Internet surfers in Latin America compared to North America's 424 million, the next wave of digital growth will largely come from emerging markets. These regions, including India, Brazil and others across Asia and Africa, are investing heavily in digital expansion, offering immense potential for businesses ready to engage with new audiences.

As English-speaking markets become increasingly competitive and saturated, early entry into these high-growth areas can provide a strategic edge. Expanding content to multiple languages not only helps tap into fresh markets but can reveal demand you may not even realize exists.

Enhancing Customer Experience and Engagement

Launching multilingual projects is like handing your customers the ultimate backstage pass—they feel seen, understood, and right at home. When you speak their language, you’re not just providing information; you’re building trust and making it easier for them to connect with your brand. Localized content clears up any “lost in translation” moments, making everything from browsing to buying feel smooth and intuitive.

The result? Happier customers who stick around longer, come back more often, and even spread the word. It’s a win-win: you’re not just another option; you’re the brand that “gets” them, no matter where they’re from. With this under your belt, you can expect several positives:

• Increased Customer Loyalty: Customers are more likely to stay loyal to a brand that communicates in their language, creating a deeper emotional connection and reducing churn.

• Higher Conversion Rates: Localized content resonates better, leading to increased conversions as customers feel more confident and understood when making purchasing decisions.

• Expanded Market Reach: By catering to diverse languages, your business can attract audiences from new markets, significantly expanding its customer base and revenue potential.

• Enhanced Brand Reputation: Offering content in multiple languages demonstrates respect and inclusivity, improving brand perception and increasing positive word-of-mouth in local communities.

• Competitive Advantage: Entering emerging markets early with tailored multilingual content positions your brand ahead of competitors who may not yet have localized offerings.

Best Practices of Project Management in Multiple Languages

With the benefits understood, we can move on to reviewing how to make sure your multilingual project is a perfect victory. The key thing to remember here is to always see your project as a multi-fledged system that needs to be approached accordingly. Localization won't go far if you just focus on the language side of things, don't shy away from redefining your designs, methodology, marketing slogans, CTA buttons and alike. But let's move on to the details now.

Content Management System Is Your Friend

Once your decision to go global has been approved, a content management system (CMS) to support your content in whatever language you are working with is your way forward. But not all CMS options are created equal. Here’s the scoop:

• Platform Choices Matter: Start with platforms that are built for multilingual support:

  • WordPress: The classic. It’s powering 35% of all websites, so there are plugins galore.

  • Drupal: Ideal for big projects, supporting 94 languages and loaded with features.

  • Joomla: Free, open-source, and supports 75 languages—great for smaller sites.

  • Contentful: Headless and highly adaptable for when you need a backend-only setup.

• Make Unicode Your Friend: Unicode (or Universal Coded Character Set) makes it easy to work with multiple languages and scripts—whether it’s right-to-left Arabic, Hebrew or Devnagri characters.

With the right CMS in place, you’re ready to give customers that localized experience they crave.

Streamline Your Workflow with a TMS

Use the technological advantage to your benefit when dealing with translation! Just imagine trying to simultaneously localize into Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, and Romanian... Romance languages have a lot in common, and after a few hours of work all of them will merge into one in your mind. This is where Translation Management Systems (TMS) will be your guiding light. By automating and standardizing your translation process, you'll significantly cut the project time without sacrificing quality. All that will be needed in the end is to review the output.

But not all TMS work the same or offer the same things. Let's explore a few main ones to keep an eye on.

• Localit: If you are looking for an affordable, AI-powered, and handy TMS to aid your project, you've come to the right place. Localit's intuitive design and interface makes easy work of thousands of keys for your website or apps, all the while handling this task with a high speed of up to 200 mbps. The platform also has built-in chats where developers, project managers, and editors can communicate directly and attach screenshots, designs, voice notes and more to further streamline work processes. Localit also has subscription plans that will satisfy smaller companies and tech startups. Explore what Localit has to offer here take a look at the prices below:

• Phrase: This translation service is a decent localization tool that excels with its AI-driven translation memory and customizable workflow automations, designed for larger projects needing consistency and efficiency across multiple content formats. It supports over 50 file types, though its advanced features and higher price point may be restrictive for smaller companies or teams with limited content​.

• Localazy: It provides a streamlined, cloud-based platform ideal for app and software localization, featuring in-context translations and a collaborative interface, with a free tier suited to startups. However, its focus on app localization may feel limited for teams managing diverse or complex content types, making it better suited to app-focused projects​.

Contextualize Your Localization and Translation

When dealing with content, always remember that it does not exist in a vacuum. Your project needs to fit in with the culture, norms, traditions, and regulations of your target market.

Legal Considerations

Research national legislations before venturing into their territory. Did you know that marketing materials in the UAE have to feature the same amount of Arabic as any other language that you are using? If you just want to tap into the country's expats, think again! Another interesting example is that in Texas, US you are not allowed to call yourself an "interior designer" without a proper certificate (but working as an interior designer is allowed, it's just the name that matters). These little things can sink your project, so do your best to explore the legal framework beforehand.

Adapt Designs

Your marketing visuals deserve to be noticed in a new place, but only after being appropriately modified. To ensure they capture attention and resonate with your target audience, tailor your visuals to the specific cultural differences, context, and platform where they will be displayed.

1. To make a splash with your visuals in a new market, start by getting familiar with the local tastes. Find out what colors pop, what styles feel fresh, and which cultural cues to nail (or avoid). This isn’t just about knowing your palette but about understanding the underlying mood and subtleties that make the locals tick.

2. Next, make sure your visuals are format-ready. A social media post, a billboard, or a digital ad—each one has different specs, so size them right. And sprinkle in some local touches while you're at it! Using images or themes that resonate with the culture is like speaking their language without saying a word.

3. Finally, test and tweak. A/B testing lets you try out different versions to see what sticks best. Remember, the goal isn’t just to be seen; it’s to be remembered. Thoughtful adjustments boost impact and increase engagement, so your campaign doesn’t just fit in but stands out.

Invest in Customer Support

Investing in customer support isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the secret weapon of smart businesses. When something goes wrong, it’s the support team that turns an unhappy customer into a brand loyalist. Take Zappos, for example: they’ve built an empire around legendary service, including the time a customer support rep spent a record-breaking 10 hours on a call helping a customer pick the perfect pair of shoes. Now, that’s dedication. This kind of commitment goes beyond solving a problem—it shows customers they’re valued, creating loyalty that’s hard to beat. Investing in customer support means investing in your reputation, your brand’s personality, and a memorable customer experience.

Successful Multilingual Projects within Reach

Taking your brand global is no small feat, but with the right approach to multilingual project management, it becomes an exciting journey of growth and connection. By investing in localization and embracing customer support, your business doesn’t just cross borders; it becomes part of new cultures. From tailoring content to legal considerations, every step makes your brand more accessible, relatable, and trusted by diverse audiences. The payoff? Greater customer loyalty, higher conversions, and a lasting presence in untapped markets.

Localization is more than translation—it’s about creating a memorable experience for your audience. With the world becoming more interconnected, there’s no better time to reach out and speak to customers in their language. From adapting designs to choosing the right CMS, the tools are all there. With these strategies, your brand won’t just fit into new spaces; it will stand out, resonate, and grow globally.