Language Variations and SEO
Here’s a quick quiz: Can you tell which countries the following words are from?
Zmorge
Frühstück
If you know any German, you’ll recognize Frühstück as the standard German word for breakfast. But perhaps you don’t recognize the first word? Zmorge is actually the Swiss German word for the same thing. The Swiss don’t use the High German word found in Germany. Their dialect has a different word for it.
Why did I give you this little quiz? It’s to show you the importance of knowing the language or dialect of the region you’re targeting. In English, spellings, pronounciation, and usage differ across the US, UK, Australia, Africa, and beyond. The same is true of Spanish, French, Chinese, and many other languages that have large populations of speakers or are spread across many different regions. Terms may be used in Argentinian or Chilean Spanish that aren’t found in Mexican or Castilian Spanish.
The lesson here? When you’re writing your copy or having it translated, do so in the language or dialect that is best suited to the specific region you’re targeting. You want to be able to reach a broad audience in that language, but you also don’t want potential customers distracted by funny wording or terms. You want your copy to show off your products and services, not your grammar issues! And don’t forget, proofreading is always important! Be sure native speakers look it over for any mistakes.
