Think Outside the Country: A Guide to Going Global and Succeeding in the Translation Economy

by John Yunker

Overview

Succeed Globally. Passport Not Required.

You don’t need to travel the world to take your company global. What you do need is an open mind and the desire to become a global generalist. This book will help. Based on 15 years of experience helping companies go global, author John Yunker provides:

• A process for creating world-ready products, websites, and software
• Cultural insights into China, Russia, Germany, Brazil, India, and more
• Tips for localizing text, images, icons, and pictures for the world
• New rules of the translation economy

In the information economy, information is power. In the translation economy, translation is power. Thanks to translation and localization, companies like Apple, Nike, and General Electric now make more money from outside the US than from within it. This book helps marketers, designers, and executives develop sound strategies for going global—and avoid costly and embarrassing mistakes along the way. In addition, you’ll find the ultimate globalization checklist that your web, marketing, and product teams can use to make sure you go global the right way.

About the author: John Yunker is the world’s leading expert on web and content globalization and is author of Beyond Borders and The Savvy Client’s Guide to Translation Agencies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781618220493
Publisher:	Byte Level Research
Publication date:	04/10/2017
Pages:	258
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Over the past decade John has helped hundreds of companies and organizations improve their global websites and processes. He also has extensive experience managing globalization on the client side, most recently as a sr. program manager at Microsoft. He has written a number of landmark reports, including nine annual editions of The Web Globalization Report Card. He authored the first book devoted to the emerging field of web globalization, Beyond Borders: Web Globalization Strategies. John has spoken at numerous industry events, including the Unicode Conference, Internet Retailer, and Localization World. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and an MS from Boston University. He is a contributor to UX Magazine.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Welcome to the translation economy
• The translation economy timeline
• Why this book?

  New Rules of the Translation Economy

  
  
  • Rule 1: The internet connects computers; language connects people
  • Rule 2
  • Rule 3
  • Rule 4
  • Rule 5
  • Rule 6
  
  
  
  

  Think Globally

  
  
  
  • If the world were 100 people
  • Websites speaking in tongues
  • Thinking beyond .com
  • How to take anything global
  • Conflicting names
  • When going global, be flexible
  • Crossing the mobile divide
  
  
  
  

  Think Locally

  
  
  
  • Think locale
  • With translation, less is less
  • You say Czech Republic; I say Czechia
  • When in doubt, geolocate
  • All commerce is local
  • Avoiding abandoned shopping carts
  • Spanish: The second language of the US
  
  
  
  

  Think Culturally

  
  
  
  • Cultures visible and invisible
  • Holidays
  • Lucky numbers
  • Why translate when you can transcreate?
  • The obligatory lost in translation chapter
  • Some brands are foreign by design
  
  
  
  

  Think Visually

  
  
  
  • Global design is less design
  • When colors clash
  • Local models
  • The language of the body
  • Taking icons global
  • The evolution of an icon
  • Wave flags with caution (if at all)
  • Visually managing language expectations
  
  
  
  

  Think Outside

  
  
  
  • Think .cn
  • Think .br
  • Think .de
  • Think .th
  • Think .in
  • Think .uk
  • Think .ru
  • Think .au
  • Think .ar
  
  
  
  

  Becoming World-Ready

  
  
  
  • We are more alike than we are different
  • We’re all translators
  • Globalization is a journey, not a destination
  
  
  
  

  Resources

  
  
  
  • The ultimate globalization checklist
  • A few global resources
  
  
  
  

Editorial Reviews

“This book is a rich collection of global web design recommendations, best practices and plenty of interesting screenshots to help readers gain a more nuanced understanding of key cultural and user interface issues when connecting with online users worldwide. It is a must read for content marketers, localization professionals and almost anyone interested in global digital media communications and global marketing.” -- Dr. Nitish Singh, Associate Professor of International Business, The Boeing Institute Of International Business, St. Louis University

“John Yunker is the quintessential expert on web and content globalization and Think Outside the Country proves it. Wonderfully engaging and packed with practical guidance on how to thrive in the translation economy.” -- Laurel Delaney, president, GlobeTrade.com; author of Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably

“Think Outside the Country is a primer for those starting out on their globalization journey and a useful refresher course for those who think they know it all. Crafted by a seasoned copywriter and industry insider, the book is a fun read while providing some serious food for thought.” -- Multilingual Magazine

From the Publisher