Do you struggle to make your brand tone of voice (TOV) resonate with audiences overseas? Unsure of how to navigate language barriers and cultural nuances across regions? 

In our latest TechTalks Live session, held on June 20th, 2024, at Camley Street Natural Park in London (UK), we joined forces with Managed Language to host an in-depth discussion on mastering the art of global content marketing. 

Our guest panellists included: 

• Mariana Pessoa, Managing Director at Managed Language 
• Alex Collins, Head of Marketing at WEX 
• Toni Gregory, Head of Content Marketing at GoCardless 
• Alvin Gunputh, Social Media Lead at Thredd
• Zhenya Winter, Head of Global Marketing - Financial Messaging at Bottomline 

Read on for a recap of the key takeaways from the event.

‍Balancing internal and external insights is key in global content marketing

The discussion opened with the panel sharing their advice on the best research strategies for understanding international audiences: 

• Harness internal expertise: Zhenya believes Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) sit on a goldmine of information and should be the  first port of call in international marketing research. Their direct interactions with potential customers provide valuable feedback on customer needs and pain points. Combine these insights with keyword research on forums like Reddit, Discord, and other social media channels to build an accurate picture of your new target audience. 

• Seek diverse external data sources: Mariana recommends consulting with linguists, subject matter experts and marketers. Their deep knowledge of local trends, cultural nuances and competitors make them the perfect brand ambassadors for your message. 

Create a consistent brand Tone of Voice that resonates across all markets

According to recent research, around 75% of customers prefer to buy from brands that display content in their own language. The panel was asked to share their thoughts on developing a cohesive Tone of Voice (TOV) across markets and channels while at the same time being mindful of language barriers and cultural differences: 

• Be flexible in cross-regional TOV: Toni believes that brand Tone of Voice should be consistent across regionals and channels, but companies should allow some TOV flexibility across regions, as slight differences in slang, informality, sense of humour, etc., can help brand messages resonate more with potential customers. 

• Leverage local influencers to create a consistent customer journey: Alex pointed out that using local language hashtags can help you grab the   attention of new audiences, but its vital regional TOV differences are captured in subsequent landing pages, paid ads, etc, to create consistent, multichannel messages. He also recommends that companies seek out local influencers to help with this, as brands can utilise influencers’ platforms to bolster their message and save money on paid media budgets. 

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Globalised vs. regionalised content marketing strategies, which is best?

The panel discussion covered a wide range of viewpoints regarding whether content marketing teams should favour global cohesion in their marketing strategy, or create separate, regionalised campaigns, landing pages, and platforms. 

Alvin recommends taking a regional approach if you have the resources. However, be mindful that the content pool could be ever-expanding (he cited exploring new channels like WeChat as a specific example applicable to customers in APAC regions).  

Alex emphasised that a regionalised approach ensures seamless customer journeys. Localising content marketing strategies can sometimes be as simple as providing country-specific statistics to differentiate messages. Additionally, Google Translate can offer brands a great starting point by automatically geo-targeting visitors and translating web copy as needed. 

However, Alex cautioned against overreliance on these technologies, and added that detailed transcreation (adapting content to suit regional preferences) is still required. But even that can lead to misunderstandings if not executed flawlessly. Deep regional understanding combined with tech-enabled translation delivers the best international marketing solution. 

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‍SEO can make or break your international marketing strategy

Toni raised an important SEO consideration in global content marketing. Yes, customers in many countries use Google as their main search engine, but not all of them do. 

Therefore, copying and pasting translated metadata may not be the best tactic for driving organic traffic. She recommends brands seek support from specialist linguists who can capture the right keywords and tie them in with their content’s purpose. 

Zhenya recommends working with established partners in local markets as the easiest way to get your foot in the door and start gaining organic traction. She also noted that many companies can experience lacklustre results when favouring a 'quantity over quality' strategy. Building relationships with international publications and influencers is a far better approach than developing 20 landing pages in 20 languages with little understanding of the new markets' preferences. 

All the speakers agreed that you must win key stakeholder buy-in to ensure you have the resources to offer international customer support, PR and outreach on the right platforms. They also believe that data-backed insights (even synthetic data) can help you attract and retain new customers. 

The discussion wrapped up with an audience Q&A, during which AI translation took centre stage. The panel acknowledged the usefulness of generative AI for tasks like summarisation but agreed that AI-generated content needs the human touch to resonate with audiences. 

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Work with a content marketing agency who truly understands global audiences

We're an award-winning, global content marketing agency that collaborates with a wide range of cutting-edge tech brands worldwide.

So, whether you're looking to create stunning infographics, informative eBooks or eye-catching social media content, we put you in the fast lane towards achieving your marketing goals. If you want to learn more about our services, get in touch for a free consultation now.

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