You might know this proverb! “You are the average of the five people you spend time with.” Our teachers asked us to choose friends wisely, although we were among the friends who created the problem in the first place. Well, we came across another quote while watching a podcast. It said that we consume content so often now that it shapes us in a similar way now.
Well, if you think about the five creators you follow. Think about the creators you would comfortably walk up to and talk to. Wouldn’t they feel more approachable if they were from your community?
In this blog, Hoopr explores community building through Content Localization. But what is that?
When you create specialized content for a specific region or country and cater to the cultural expectations of the audience, the process is known as Content Localization. While creating a piece of localized content, you must consider several factors like language barriers, cultural differences, etc. Simply, you capture the entirety of the people in the region you target and connect with their unique needs through your content.
Most often, creators confuse localization with translation. But can it be as simple as running content through Google Translate and posting it for the customers to decode?
When you adapt content to suit the local’s needs, you mould and shape it for the nuances of the target group. It changes the context, topics you talk about, the language, cultural references you include, and even the music you add to enhance the content’s quality.
Yes! It requires you to be thoughtful and, more often than not, belong to that community. Think of this as talking to a new group of people. You move out of home for the first time and go to a new city or country. The culture there is different, and it takes time to understand what is happening.
Think of how you would connect, make new friends, or crack a great joke. It would take some time to understand their cultural intricacies, right?
However, when you belong to the same culture, they laugh at things that you find funny. It is easier for you to connect with them and build a relationship. While you can create for the masses from a different culture, you study their behavior first. But why is content localization a thing? Why is everyone talking about it?
“It’s the age of regional!” At least most content creators say so. And community building is more accessible when you belong to the community. We agree! However, let us understand why localization sounds so important.
A research study by CSA reported that around 60% of non-native English people rarely buy from an English-only website. 64% of the buyers have even agreed that they value localized content more. People trust more of their kind. And are we any different? But again, aren’t we missing out on globalization, then?
When you create pieces of content, products, or services, you want to build a relationship with your customers. Creators need subscribers or followers to grow, and brands need a loyal consumer base. You do that by first building a community.
There are two ways to do that: target a region and grow, then focus on the next, or target a wide range of audiences. The second way is to ensure views, and not necessarily “followers” or “repeat customers.”
Let us consider this example. We often call India several countries in one country. Each state has its own culture. If you research a bit about the most famous creators in that state, you come across ones that create for the locals, belong to the community, and have a huge amount of fan following. Their fans recognize and trust them.
Now think about a brand. Don’t you feel comfortable when you find out that a brand perfectly understands your behavioral patterns?
This increase in trust creates:
You want people to share your content. When you create content for a community you know, it is easier for you to hack their minds and present what they find relatable. You can map out a way to hit the right chord every time.
Also, as they find your content relatable, they will keep sharing it across groups. It gets more manageable for you to reach more people from the community and create an audience base. Content Localization streamlines the everyday hustle to impress a new set of audience.
Knowing which music to play at a party makes it easier to vibe with the crowd. Isn’t it? Similarly, when you create Content influenced by their behavior, preferences, etc., it is easier for them to interact with it. And the unique mix in this process is personalization.
As we have already established why Content Localization is essential, let us explore ways to make that happen for us and do it right.
Do you know The Bong Guy? He is a YouTuber with around 3.7 million subscribers. He produces his videos in Bengali. The videos are based on the day-to-day lifestyle patterns of the Bengali community. Now think about the numbers! How do they do that?
You need to focus on two questions:
Building an audience persona is essential. And if you belong to the region, be an audience and think about what you resonate with then. As you answer these questions, brainstorm topics, you can create on and how. Build a plan to kickstart your journey.
You can not create content for the locals without including their elements in it. What music do you want to use? What about the background? What outfit do you choose? When you start, it is easy to get overwhelmed. A mood board helps you get back to a plan whenever you feel like you miss one.
Also, when you consider these elements, think about what can be inappropriate and how you can improve it. Create a plan around what you want to talk about and what not. You can then focus on what’s important and avoid the chaos around do’s and don’ts.
Everyone learns through their mistakes. But you cannot take chances if you want to consider YouTube your full-time job. Consult with people from that space who have been through the journey. They can help you understand the different possibilities while giving you a reality check.
Also, make sure you understand copyright terms and choose music accordingly.
There are so many artists we love. But then, we can not use their tracks in our videos. Who wants a copyright claim again? We agree! Finding a good fit for a regional piece of content takes a lot of work. The YouTube library has very few tracks to choose from, and the scarcity of options is often a buzz kill.
However, you can get it all at just ₹99 a month. Hoopr presents you with premium Indian music curated for content creators that helps you skip the copyright strikes. Stock music can get boring, and we have checked out your content! It deserves more. So, explore curated thematic playlists to fit the perfect fit with us now!