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Localization

Translation and Localization trends in 2016

2016.02.04
LS Div.

Each new year brings a raft of new trends for the translation and localization industry and it is more important than ever that localization service providers (LSPs) embrace these trends to stay ahead of the competition. The rewards for such an approach are growing each year, with a report from the Common Sense Advisory revealing that the global market for outsourced language services and technology is estimated to have grown by 6.46% in 2015 to reach $38.16 billion. This growth is likely to continue over the coming years, according to Don DePalma, Common Sense Advisory’s founder and Chief Strategy Officer.

“The market for outsourced language services and supporting technology is immensely important to the businesses, government agencies, non-profits, and individuals that produce or consume information,” he said. “As organizations both large and small address more languages, we predict that the industry will continue to grow and that the market will increase to $49.8 billion by 2019.”

So with demand for translation and localization set to rise, let’s take a look at some of the biggest trends which are likely to dominate the industry this year.

1. Growth in demand for long-tail language translation

LSPs have long focused on the most widely-spoken languages such as English, Spanish and French, but this year demand for translation of so-called long-tail languages is set to grow rapidly. Long-tail languages, or the less-widely spoken languages, are becoming increasingly prevalent online as more parts of the world get connected to the Internet. In a 2013 study, the Common Sense Advisory found that a total of 290 languages were supported on the 2,787 analyzed websites, with 150 of these languages appearing only once. In contrast, English appeared on 89% of the analyzed websites. Firms which focus on providing support for these long-tail languages will be able to steal a march on their rivals.

2. Rise in merger and acquisition activity

The translation and localization industry has seen a marked rise in merger and acquisition activity over the last few years and this trend is set to continue in 2016. Many larger firms are set to expand their operations by purchasing smaller translation and localization service providers, as they potentially look to cater for more languages by simply acquiring the required personnel rather than training them themselves. Furthermore, there will also be a lot of investment from outside of the industry by organizations which recognize the potential returns offered by the localization and translation industry.

3. Support for a wider range of services

As technology continues to develop at a rapid rate, companies around the world are offering their services through a wider range of platforms than ever before. From new mobile devices such as smartwatches to the Internet of Things, new technological developments will give firms new ways to communicate and interact with their customers. These new service lines will need to support a wide range of languages, and LSPs which have the knowledge and resources to translate content for new and emerging platforms will no doubt be inundated with work from clients new and old this year.

There have been signs in previous years that these three trends would take-off and it looks like that 2016 will be the year that they dominate the localization and translation industry. Let’s see at the end of the year if these predictions come true!

Based in South Korea, HansemEUG is a leading localization service provider. Our highly skilled team can create and localize content in more than 72 languages. We work tirelessly to ensure our clients’ brands and content are accurately conveyed throughout the world. For more information about our services, please contact Brian Cho (briancho@hansem.com) or visit our website.

About Hansem Global

Hansem Global is an ISO Certified and globally recognized language service provider. Since 1990, Hansem Global has been a leading language service company in Asia and helping the world’s top companies to excel in the global marketplace. Thanks to the local production centers in Asia along with a solid global language network, Hansem Global offers a full list of major languages in the world. Contact us for your language needs!

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