The concept of globalizing a brand or product is no longer a new one, so why does it remain so elusive?  Because it is far from straightforward.  To get it right, consumers and readers around the world need to be able to interact with your brand.  Here are some tips:

Content Matters

This sounds obvious, but no matter how global your brand or how big the star name you use to pull in readers and customers, you will not hold on to interest unless you have something meaningful to say, and can communicate it clearly and with impact.  This is obviously a big challenge when you are trying to make something that is relevant in every market across the globe.

Be Personal

In general terms, people want a brand and writer who is willing and able to interact with them on a personal level.  They want to feel that a company cares about them.  This is very much the first step in trying to create a relationship of trust that will gain their loyalty.  Consumer expectations have increased dramatically and their tolerance for mistakes from companies is low.  What tolerance does exist, however, relies completely on this trust relationship, which is in turn built on the belief that the customer matters to that enterprise.  Anybody writing or marketing on behalf of the company needs to be able to convey that message every time they write.

Add User-generated Content

User-generated content has a great power to build trust with your target market, and demonstrate that you really do listen to them and understand them.  It also has the added perk of giving it a local feel.  You can use anything from social media photos to customer reviews or feedback, but using something from your users makes your writing feel all the more engaging and authentic to the end audience.

Be Wary of Technology

Regional technological capabilities vary widely, so ensure you know what they are in the regions that you are hoping to appeal to.  Ensure that you know things like available bandwidth and what kind of standard you can expect the typical end-user devices to be.  There is no point creating a stunning set of marketing graphics if nobody will be able to see them, or indeed if they will only be the source of frustration as they crash their computer network.

Social Networking

Look out for different countries using social media platforms that might be different to the ones most popular in your home markets.  For example, Wechat is popular in China, Line in Japan and KakaoTalk in South Korea— be careful not to fall into the trap of just thinking about Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mind the Law!

This might sound obvious, but it is incredibly easy to accidentally fall foul of regulatory, marketing or other legislation when you are trying to do business in a new country.  Obviously, the potential PR ramifications are horrific, so doing your homework before you formally write and release anything is very important.  This is where local experts really are key.

Go Global, but Act Locally

This phrase has become so over-used as to be almost a cliché, but it is nonetheless absolutely true.  While you may want to appeal to a global market and audience, your readers’ prime concerns are likely to be much smaller – their town, their family, their neighborhood.  One way some companies and writers get around this is to have articles or marketing where the majority is the same, but then small elements are tailored to the local market.