If you are a member of executive, marketing, or localization teams that actively support international business expansion, you better continue reading. This post will shed light on localization, globalization, and culturalization to assist you in creating informed global growth strategies. Furthermore, we draw on our two decades of experience running an international localization agency. 

Let's begin now with exploring the specific factors that contribute to the rapid global growth of web-based products and services such as games, SaaS, consumer web, and mobile. Digitally-driven companies can grow globally with relatively little initial investment because of four key benefits that enable them to operate outside their home market. 

Their exceptional scalability potential is the first benefit. After creating the digital solution, a few more expenses are involved in expanding production and gaining more clients. In contrast to traditional ones, these companies are not burdened with complicated supply chain and logistics management, nor do they need to worry about locating ideal sites for sales, settling on leases, or keeping extensive inventories. Instead, their carefully designed digital goods are sent to clients worldwide via internet cables. Customers can use the product on a Mac, Windows, or Linux computer and enjoy the sharp skyline of Chicago, Illinois, or the vivid sunset of Bali Island. 

Moreover, the advantage of reduced operational expenses has transformative prospects for digital enterprises to devote resources to augmenting customer-facing functions. Organizations can proactively invest in critical areas that directly affect customer retention, worldwide brand visibility, and overall key performance indicators (KPIs) rather than being burdened by significant operating expenses. Here are a few investing opportunities:

• Investing in a regional presence can involve various strategies, such as expanding customer service teams or implementing AI-powered multilingual support systems; 
• Scaling marketing campaigns, influencer partnerships, and SEO efforts; 
• Improving the quality, features, and functionality of the product or service; 
• Translating websites and marketing material into multiple languages, customizing offerings, or other means. 

Another benefit of the digital sphere is its capacity for accurate outcome measurement. Contextual advertising, social media campaigns, email marketing campaigns, and other digital marketing channels provide invaluable data to online firms. In contrast to traditional advertising tactics that remain popular in non-web businesses, most digital advertising ROI is measurable, and campaigns can be instantly adjusted. Campaign optimization in the digital sphere necessitates minor changes to a campaign manager's settings, saving time and effort compared to the laborious process of developing and reinstalling physical advertisements.  

Finally, the availability of user behavior research makes granular and customized audience segmentation possible. Marketers can segment their campaigns and focus each one on particular languages, geographic areas, messages, and different offers. Because of how accurate and successful this granular targeting method is, multinational firms frequently use geo-targeted, customized multilingual advertisements when interacting with potential customers abroad.

Using geotargeting, companies can reach people in certain areas with customized ads, making their strategically dispersed marketing campaigns more relevant and successful.

InDrive, one of our 2020 clients, is an excellent illustration of a worldwide digital brand with a fantastic backstory for their product. It appeared in an area renowned for harsh weather. Cab firms increased their nighttime charges when the temperature fell below –45 °C (–49 °F) for the New Year's holiday in 2012. Students outraged by the exploitation decided to take matters into their own hands and started the Independent Drivers (also known as "drivers") social media organization. Group members listed the routes they wanted to take and the fees they were ready to pay, giving drivers direct access to contact passengers and complete their travel requests. The reaction was remarkable—the club gathered 60,000 members in six months.

Seeing the possibilities for their grassroots movement, the inDriver social media group evolved into a full-fledged mobile application where users could select their locations, bargain for lower rates, and connect with drivers who would be prepared to work for them in fair conditions.

As inDrive grew in popularity, it spread to Central and Southern Africa and Central America. Between 2018 and 2020, inDrive's coverage increased to 10 languages, 31 nations, and an integrated continuous localization project management system in just four linguistic localities without any localization process management. By June 2023, inDriver had grown to service clients in 614 cities across an astounding 47 countries.

What are The Keys to This Amazing Worldwide Expansion's Success? 

While inDrive was first created to solve the unique problems associated with ride-hailing in colder areas, the need for an inexpensive ride-hailing service was soon met by the answer it offered. This allowed inDrive to develop into a "communal Uber" because it was digital, and it was possible to test theories across markets without setting up actual offices. 

Every company has a different expansion strategy, but for inDrive, localization into new languages and local initiatives in new regions worked like a charm. At Alconost, we understand that language accessibility is the first thing to ensure when making your product available worldwide. This is a crucial component of global brands' strategy. Translation is the cornerstone of successful communication and engagement with a worldwide audience. Ultimately, it's crucial for helping the public find and interact with your business.

Alconost can assist you in efficiently communicating with your customers if you are thinking about expanding your business internationally. Since 2004, we have localized over 1500 projects—from ride-hailing apps to globally renowned e-learning platforms—into more than 100 languages using our expert translation services. Reach out to us for smooth product localization.