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I keep hearing about localization, but it's not always defined very clearly. What is it?
Briefly, localization refers to making products, websites, apps, and communications feel local and relevant to the people of a country or region. A very clear example is in using the language of a country on your website rather than your own if they differ. There are other areas which are not as obvious if you are new to localization, such as the colors that you use, the images of the people on your site, the spelling of words (British vs. American, for instance), and even your contact information and time zone. When localization is done right, it's seamless and invisible. If it's done wrong or not at all, it can have consequences for your success in other countries or regions.
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While the primary language for both the US and the UK is English, there are differences that you'll want to consider for your website and marketing communications content. First, there are spelling differences for common words such as 'theater' and 'theatre'. Second, there are some notable differences in the words used for the same thing. Good examples of this are 'pants' vs. 'trousers' and 'French fries' vs. 'chips'. If your strategy is to proclaim your American brand, then keeping the US spellings is appropriate. On the other hand, if you want your product or service to feel local, then you will want to review your content and copy to ensure you've made the necessary updates. It never hurts to have locals help you with this process. They will be able to find not only words that differ, but phrasing and references that may not make sense to your British audience.
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