Globalization vs. Localization - What is the difference

Globalization (g11n) is the overall strategy and process of taking a product or business to multiple markets, while localization (l10n) is adapting that product for one specific market: its language, formats, culture, and legal requirements. Between the two sits internationalization (i18n), the engineering work that makes a product adaptable to any market without code changes. In short: globalization decides where you go, internationalization makes the product ready to go anywhere, and localization makes it feel native once it arrives.

From the outside, globalization and localization could appear like complete opposites of each other. However, that is not quite the case: they actually go hand-in-hand, which is often where the confusion arises.

To help you understand the differences between globalization versus localization, we take a closer look at what each one means, where internationalization fits, and which comes first.

Globalization vs. internationalization vs. localization at a glance

Want the full definitions? Read what localization is, what i18n means for developers, and where the l10n abbreviation comes from.

What is globalization?

Before looking at the differences between the two, it is essential to understand what each term means. Globalization is often the process that needs to happen before content can be localized, although the process does not stop once localization begins.

Globalization is the process of preparing a product, its content, and the organization behind it to serve multiple cultures and markets. It covers the business side (which markets, which languages, in what order, with which budget) and the product side, where internationalization (i18n) makes the software itself ready for any language and region. Some companies use globalization as the umbrella term for internationalization and localization combined (Wikipedia). Two areas need attention early on:

Language

One of the core aspects of globalization is deciding which languages you will support and making sure your product and content can handle them. While language is also central to localization, globalization requires a different approach. Instead of translating, it means writing source content that translates well (clear wording, few idioms or culture-specific jokes), storing text as Unicode, and keeping user-facing text out of the code so it can be translated without code changes. The translation itself then happens per market, as part of localization.

Content

Alongside language, globalization also examines the content and design being used. This requires thinking about every aspect of the design and style, ensuring that it can work for your target audiences, no matter where they are based.

This can be a challenge; for example, English and most European languages are written from left to right, while Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Urdu are written from right to left, so layouts need to be able to mirror. This requires flexible code and design: layouts that leave room for longer translations, and date, time, number, and currency formats that follow the reader's locale instead of being hardcoded.

Globalization is all about thinking of the bigger picture and how customers around the world will be able to interact and engage with your content.

Note that economists use the same two words in a different sense: global versus local production and trade. For that business angle, see the Financial Times (FT Business) Video: Globalisation to Localisation?. This article is about the product and language sense of the terms.

What is localization?

When it comes to understanding globalization versus localization, knowing the differences between the two is crucial. While globalization is the process of ensuring the content can meet multiple markets, localization is the process of adapting your product and content to the requirements of one specific audience, usually defined by a locale: a language plus a region, such as French in Canada (fr-CA).

Effective localization requires multiple factors, including:

Translations

Translation is the most visible part of localization. For example, do you know the difference between localisation and localization? The former is the common British spelling, while the latter is the American one.

While this might seem like a minor difference, it is these small nuances that can transform a customer’s perception of your brand. Of course, when it comes to translation, a literal interpretation does not always make sense. That is why you need to ensure that when converting content into a new language, the meaning remains the same. Whether the first draft comes from a translator or from machine or AI translation, a review step and a glossary of key terms help keep the meaning and your brand voice consistent.

Utilize the right formats

Another important aspect of localization is ensuring that you are using the right format for things such as:

• Date and time
• Measurements
• Currency
• Telephone numbers and addresses
• Keyboard layouts and input methods
• Punctuation and symbols

Consider the design

The design and style are also a very important part of the localization process. This requires ensuring that the visuals match with the requirements of your target audience. This includes everything from the photography and layout of the site to the colors and tone of the writing.

More detailed information wanted? Read this article about what is localization, or see what l10n stands for.

Globalization versus localization, what comes first?

When it comes to understanding what is meant by globalization versus localization, you should now have a clearer idea of what both terms mean. However, which one should you focus on first?

In practice, the order is: globalization decides the markets, internationalization prepares the product, and localization adapts it market by market. The W3C recommends building internationalization into design and development from the start, because retrofitting it later is harder and more expensive.

If you are only looking to enter one additional market, you may not need a formal globalization strategy, but your product still needs basic internationalization before it can be localized. Typically, however, globalization is the first process to undertake, as it gives you a clear and strong base to work from when you begin the localization process.

When it comes to looking at the differences between the two, there are three key factors to remember:

1. Localization is the process of focusing on a specific culture, location, or audience. Globalization is the process of looking at multiple cultures, locations, or audiences.
2. Localization is a part of the wider globalization process, whereas globalization forms part of your overall business strategy.
3. Globalization is often part of a larger long-term business strategy (see: strategy), while localization is the ongoing, per-market execution of it, repeated for every locale and every product update.

The pros and cons of globalization versus localization

Both globalization and localization strategy can be a complex process, but they are an essential part of any international growth strategy for your business. Both options are able to provide companies with a wide range of benefits, but they do also have some drawbacks.

Pros and cons of globalization

Globalization is able to provide businesses with a wide range of benefits, helping them to reach a far greater audience. Not only can this help to increase revenue by expanding your customer base, but it can also strengthen your overall brand reputation and global image. This, in turn, can help to decrease dependence on a single market, ensuring your business is more resilient in the face of economic challenges.

However, globalization can be a very time-consuming process and does require additional resources alongside the many challenges of a market expansion.

Pros and cons of localization

If you are looking to enter specific new markets, then localization is essential in helping to facilitate this. It can help to create brand loyalty from customers, improving their overall experience with your company. By building loyal customers, you will be able to increase revenue and secure a more competitive advantage in that market.

Of course, just like globalization, localization does require investment in terms of time and resources. If not done correctly, it can also have a negative impact on your brand image, so it is worth involving native speakers or professional translators, at least for review.

So which is right for you?

When it comes to globalization versus localization, both strategies can help you to transform your business. While they might sound like two completely different methods, globalization and localization work in tandem to help you successfully branch out into new markets and increase your revenue.

Knowing where to start will depend on your overall strategy and the audience you are looking to reach. Whichever you start with, a translation management system (TMS) keeps translations, review, and delivery in one place, which reduces the time and effort each new market costs. Locize is one such system, built by the team that created the i18next library.

Frequently asked questions

Further to read (examples)

If you want to read about real-world website localization examples, including some from Locize customers, check out our blog post on website localization.

Read more about how software is affected by globalization and localization and what potential localization of software has in the "what is software localization" blog post.