The most asked question when considering e-commerce advertisements is the one about whether to use English or the local language. Sounds simple, right? However, the solution is not that simple.
Think about it. Your audience is diverse. Others read easily in English, and some others are quickly introduced to information in their own language. So what makes more sales? Is it fairness, feeling or familiarity?
We can make it more real and practical to help you determine what actually works with your brand.
Understanding The Audience
The first thing you want to ask yourself before you select a language is who is your audience? Since, frankly speaking, your readers determine all that.
Providing English advertisements may be just the thing to do, as long as your target audience is urban, educated, and already consuming content in English. But what about the majority? In most places, individuals are more at home with their native tongue. It is there that the emotional attachment grows more rapidly.
Have you ever felt that adverts in your native language are more personal? Not by coincidence, it is psychology. Human beings have faith in what they know well. Why then cram English down the throats of your audience who think in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, or whatever language they may think in?
Power of English Ads
Now we should not underrate English. It remains the world language of business and branding.
English advertisements tend to be more refined, contemporary and elite. In high-end or technology products, English can generate a quality perception. It is also effective when you are aiming at international customers or when you are doing international campaigns.
The only snag is, does premium mean improvements in conversions? Not necessarily. English advertisements are either remote or not relatable to the locals at times. So they can be attractive but may not necessarily convert.
So, then, do you want to impress your audience, or really sell to them?
Impact of Local Language Ads
Here the interesting thing comes in. English language advertisements fail to perform as well as local advertisements in terms of interest and credibility. Why? Because they feel real.
Suppose you scroll and view an advertisement in your native language. You instantly pause, right? It is as though the brand knows you. Such association can have a direct influence on purchasing behavior.
Language also eliminates the confusion of local language. No beating around the bush, no translation in your head, plain, straight forward communication. And in e-commerce clarity is conversions.
But there’s a small challenge. The local language advertisements may not always convey that business personality unless it is planned well. This is why it is just as important as the language.
When to Use a Mix of Both?
Is it then English vs local language? Or should it be both?
Fact is, the best brands are not the most intelligent, but they are smart enough to blend both. You may use English headlines and local language captions as examples. Or do individual audience-based campaigns.
This practice provides you with the best two worlds. You have a contemporary brand image and you resonate with your audience in an emotional way. Sounds like a win, right?
And, to tell the truth, testing plays an important part here. Run A/B tests. Compare results. Know what your audience is really reacting to as opposed to guessing.
Role of AI in multilingual Ads
It would be an inconvenience dealing with several languages, right? Yet this is where AI tools come in and make all of it easier. AI tools are making creating multilingual ad campaigns faster and more affordable.
You can now create a multilingual ad campaign in a few minutes, rather than manually creating a separate ad. This saves time, as well as brings uniformity to your branding.
From English campaigns to multilingual ads, Lapis handles it all effortlessly. This ensures that e-commerce business ventures can experiment, scale, and reach larger audiences without being overwhelmed.
The question now arises: Why not hit many with one stick when you can hit one?
Which One Drives More Sales?
Now to the actual question, what is it that drives more sales.
When it comes to local and emotionally appealed audience, then local language ads will benefit. Their trust is achieved quicker and stronger ties are formed.
When you have a global or a niche audience, English could work better since it would meet their expectation.
But most often the best performing strategy is a combination. A brand that makes adjustments to the language depending on the audience tends to be more successful. It is not about taking a side but is about making a smart choice.
Then rather than saying which is better, ask what works to the audience I have.
Final Thoughts
Language in advertising is not about words but about connection and it is at the end of the day. English is the English language that may help you to make your brand appear slick and international, whereas local language allows making it personal and relatable.
The magic is the actual balance between the two. Test, modify and get to know your audience. In e-commerce the brands that connect are the ones that convert.
