Think Global, Click Local

When you have the whole world at the tip of your finger, where do you go?


The answer is: where they speak your language(s). For all its world-wide reputation, the web is still a local affair, even if local means a few hundred million speakers of a particular language.

The way we speak is closely intertwined with the way we think. In many cultures a non-verbal communication is often more important than the spoken words. Such differences in creating and processing of information inevitably result in different “Internets” as well (I guess, Al Gore was right about this, too).

Whether a website is going to take you on a meandering quest for knowledge and hidden treasures or briskly march you to the “designated area”, depends a lot on the group’s prevailing culture. Researchers found the perception of time influences web design from the site's architecture to its visual elements. Elaborate intros are preferred by the groups where time is less relevant and by those who believe that artistic expressions trump everything. Societies where time is considered a commodity with a price tag attached, favor speed and functionality.

So far, English seems to be the only language with a global crossover success. But, as a connective tissue it can only go so far. The business world which adopted English as its Esperanto often presents grammatically and even semantically correct yet poorly translated local values.

For those who wish to take full advantage of the web’s global reach, going beyond language is necessary. That doesn’t mean you have to lose your authenticity, just explain it better, even when your native language is in fact English.

Case in study (PDF): Sweezers – How a well-known Swiss precision instrument maker introduced a line of cosmetic tweezers to the U.S. market.