How to Write and Publish for a Global Audience

Table of Contents

Introduction

It’s not always easy to write for a global audience.

There are many steps to take in order to create a successful global audience.

First, we need to consider our own language and how it’s often interpreted differently by other cultures.

An article should be written in a way so that it reaches out to a wider audience and not just those who understand English. This can be done by translating your article into other languages or by adding subtitles or captions in other languages so that readers know what you are saying

We also need to consider the cultural aspects of our home country and what those aspects mean for others.

Next, we should understand that the way we present ourselves and our company will be different depending on the culture of the people reading it.

We should also keep in mind that different audiences might view us as experts in different industries, so we should research them before trying to publish content for them.

Finally, understanding the ways people around the world use social media will help us reach out to a global audience.

How To Get Your Content Translated Into Multiple Languages

A lot of people are getting their content translated into multiple languages nowadays. Why? Well, it’s because they want to reach out to a broader audience.

The first step is to find a good language translation service provider that will be able to translate your content into the languages you want.

The second step is to make sure that your original content is well-written and understandable in other languages. We are talking about writing in “Plain Language” or “Plain English.” If interested, please check out the plain writing course I’ve created to help you.

The third step is to make sure that the translated content matches the original copy in terms of quality and tone.

Finally, you can use social media or any other marketing tool to promote your translated content on a global scale.

About Localizing Your Content

Localizing your content is not just about translating it into the local language. It’s about adapting it for the culture and customs of your target audience in that country.

If you’re targeting customers in Japan, for example, you would need to use different words and phrases than if you were targeting customers in France or Spain.

Check out these resources about the challenges of localization:

International Social Media Marketing Tips for Writers

The most important thing to remember is that social media marketing is not about broadcasting your message to the world. Instead, it is about building relationships with your audience and giving them reasons to want to buy what you are selling. Audience analysis is easier said than done. Again, to help you, you are welcome to check out my free course on audience analysis.

Here are some international social media marketing tips for writers:

Identify your target audience and create a strategy accordingly.
Keep it short and sweet, but also compelling enough so people will want to read more.
Give them something valuable in exchange for their email address or social media follows.
Stay consistent with the content you put out there on a regular basis.

Wrong Assumptions on the Web

Sometimes web designers get caught up in the illusion that they are building just a tiny little “local” website, or that their employer is such a “well known” entity that “everybody” knows what their acronym stands for.

Mega illusion.

No matter how “local” your business is, if it’s a public site, remember this: it takes the same amount of clicks (“one”) to reach it from Mongolia as from Michigan.

So design it as though your visitor would be a total stranger. Otherwise, you can frustrate even your local visitors.

Global Audience, Example 1

I forgot the number of local newspaper or TV station sites which do not even bother to mention the STATE in which they are located!

Many times in the past I read a story I liked in a local publication. I then wanted to give full reference to the story but all I’d see on the page would be “Springfield Herald” or “Rockville News”, etc.

WHICH Springfield or WHICH Rockville?

If you spend a few minutes clicking on 3, 4, or 5 pages in a row, you eventually find the state but you end up asking yourself “why?””

Why does a local publication be so oblivious to the fact that people NOT from your neck of the woods might be visiting your site as well?

Why alienate them since you never know who will click and honor your advertisers?

Global Audience, Example 2

Again, the issue of acronyms... Some large organizations get so complacent that they simply forget to write the open form of their well-known acronyms.

AARP is a case in point.

I challenge you to visit www.aarp.org and find out what “AARP” exactly means.

If you find it let me know and I’d be happy to note it down. But if you can’t, don’t feel too bad because I’ve already spent 15 minutes in order to find it — with no success.

I’m of course 100% sure that AARP stands for “American Association of Retired People” due to the power of the AARP brand but why turn it into a mystery game and a puzzle who may not know it?

Why frustrate the visitors who might not be too familiar with your acronym?

Conclusion

Help your global audience easily find the MOST OBVIOUS INFORMATION about your company or organization like your full address, or the full name of your organization.

Frustrated visitors do not make profitable customers or members. They do not come back either.