"If you speak to someone in their native language, it touches their heart."
- Nelson Mandela
These words signify the role of regional content in today's world. The global marketplace is becoming more interconnected as the internet continues to expand, including remote areas. By understanding and speaking different regional languages, your brand can create content that resonates with customers in these new markets.
Regional content is already a leading trend in marketing. In India, for example, 80% of the country's 799 million internet users prefer content in their regional language over English. As a result, brands are starting to cater to these preferences. For instance, from sending notifications in regional languages to dubbing TV commercials originally recorded in Hindi into other local languages, Zomato has already seeped deep into the local market. Other prominent brands that have adapted regional content are - Amul, Godrej, Coca-Cola, Flipkart, and Nykaa.
Here are some tips to help you create regional content:
Develop a clear core message that aligns with your brand values and key proposition, ensuring your tagline translates seamlessly into different languages.
Create content that is easily adaptable to minimize the need for extensive overhauls and reduce costs and effort.
Localise, don't just translate. The ultimate goal is to personalise your content as much as possible. Utilise local terms and colloquial language that your audience uses daily.
Integrate your regional content strategy across all marketing channels, from hoardings to your website and social media. Start small by adding translations to your social media posts, and then move on to creating separate websites with translated content.
So how do we integrate regional content into our strategies?
Regional market research: Conduct market research to understand the needs and preferences of your target audience in specific regions and tailor their content accordingly.
Regional influencer partnerships: Work with local influencers and thought leaders to create content that speaks to the interests and values of your target audience in specific regions.
Regional-specific language and terminology: Tailor your content to the language and vocabulary used in specific regions to increase its relevance and effectiveness.
Localised promotions and offers: Create promotions and offers that are specific to target regions to drive engagement and sales.
User-generated content: Encourage your customers and followers to share content related to specific regions, such as local photos and testimonials, to increase the authenticity of your regional marketing campaigns.
Regional social media platforms: Target specific regions by utilising local social media platforms and communities that are popular in those regions.
As the world becomes more connected, the importance of regional content will only continue to grow. Utilise regional content to reach new audiences and drive the growth of your brand.