Translation vs. localisation
A word-for-word translation rarely lands. Here is how localisation adapts tone, culture and context so your message works abroad.
Every brand entering a new market bumps into the same question: do we translate, or do we localise? On the surface they look identical. In practice, they produce very different results.
Translation moves meaning from one language to another. Localisation moves an entire experience — voice, references, humour, units, imagery — into a new cultural context. A Dutch homepage that reads beautifully in the Netherlands can feel oddly stiff in Belgium if it is only translated. The words are right; the register is not.
At Linguista we start every project by mapping the audience before we touch the copy. Who reads this? What do they already believe? What would make them trust you within two sentences? Only then do we choose the right level of adaptation.
The rule of thumb: translate documentation, contracts and reference material. Localise anything that has to persuade — landing pages, ads, product tours, onboarding flows. The extra care pays for itself the first time a customer says 'this feels like it was written for me'.
