Matt Grech
Content Marketing ManagerSmartling
If there's one thing for sure during this time of uncertainty, it's that COVID-19 has shown us how connected the world really is, by forcing us to stay apart.
Events and gatherings we once looked forward to as the highlight of our year have vanished, and the connections and communities we strive to foster have been put on hold.
Yet, despite the disruption, we still strive to keep the world turning and businesses moving, to keep learning and growing as individuals, and to keep connecting with people around us.
So, as the world reacts to remote collaboration and communication, brands have been shifting to digital experiences and content as a new way to connect with the world around us.
Digital Experiences are the new standard
It goes without saying, and it’s almost ad nauseam at this point, but we empowered like never before to connect and communicate literally around the world, instantly.
In fact, the very technology and concepts we once dreamed of as science fiction are now a reality -- video calls are so common we can facetime with our friends on a tiny phone we carry in our pocket.
And at the same time, businesses can host entire company meetings with their employees from literally across the world.
Of course, it’s not easy to replace the human connection of live events – but we can still create an amazing opportunity online. We can shift our events and connections to digital instead of physical. And, in fact, we can bring in a wider audience and connect even more people at the same time.
Focusing on a new medium
It’s a real shame that so many great events have been canceled or postponed, but it has offered an interesting opportunity for brands to innovate on the age-old paradigm.
As Drift put it themselves, "these events are the focal points of our year. They bring together our employees, customers, partners, and communities. They are endless sources of information and inspiration."
Yet at the same time, we're seeing innovative ideas emerge. Brands and leaders are reaching out to the world around them, connecting communities, sharing insight, fostering an opportunity of growth.
For example, Drift is launching its RevGrowth Virtual Summit. This is a digital conference brought to you, no matter where you are.
Drift is enabling their community to connect on a level like never before, by bringing leaders, innovators, and learners together on a new scale thanks to the global accessibility of a digital event.
And Smartling is on board: Adrian Cohn, Director of Brand Strategy and Communications, will be speaking on how you can better maximize your global content and humanize your brand; something more important than ever right now.
Right now is the chance for brands to try new things, share their learnings, and connect with their users and prospects around the world.
Translation Isn't Blind
Digital experiences offer an amazing opportunity for us to continue to learn and grow even when it seems like most of the world is coming to a halt. We've got time, might as well make the best of it.
And localization is such a unique opportunity -- translation what helps brands connect with customers, but also enables people to connect on an individual level as well.
And this unique opportunity allows for a lot pushing the envelope, with new ways to engage audiences, and even new audiences to engage.
That takes some out-of-the-box thinking, which isn't always easy of course.
But we've got a lot to share, and some experience up our sleeve, so we figured why not share it with the industry? That's why we're launching our new webinar series, Translation Isn't Blind.
Because unlike love, translation doesn't have to be blind.
Empowering localization teams
The idea came to Katie Adler, Smartling's Marketing Manager, while she was watching Love Is Blind one night: what if Love was more like translation? What if we could analyze exactly what each word meant, or the context around our decisions? Things might not get as rocky.
Not entirely unlike relationships, we tend to hear some of the same challenges about translation -- there just isn't enough information! Translation can feel blindp because:
- Brands don’t know their translators; therefore the process of translating is unclear
- Project managers don’t know how to use their data; therefore they are making decisions blindly
- Translation doesn’t always happen with context; so translators are working in the dark
But powered with the right tools, insight, and guidance, localization teams can really push the boundaries and offer some amazing experiences and content to new users, especially now when digital is more critical than ever.
And that's what translation is all about, connecting new audiences with amazing, engaging and localized experiences. By creating our own digital experience, localization managers, translators, developers -- anyone involved -- move the world with words.
Connecting with digital experiences
This time of disruption has forced a new spark of innovation. Brands that have typically leveraged in-person connections have been looking for new ways to capture that experience.
By shifting to digital experiences and content as a new way to connect with customers, partners, and their community, brands can not only stand out among the crowd but provide value. Provide value to their customers, their prospects, their community, and their industry peers.
Because it’s these connections that allow us to continue to learn, grow and thrive despite the disruption the world is facing.
So we hope you'll take us up on that offer -- be sure to check out our first episode of Translation Isn't Blind going live April 21 and secure your slot for RevGrowth!
