A way with words? 4 ways marketers can better engage local markets in 2025

And it’s not just about translation. It’s not about swapping in one word for another, at scale. It’s about a nuanced understanding of language to deliver messages that engage and excite brand audiences in a way that’s relevant and authentic to them, wherever they are in the world. This helps build that brand identity and trust, says Lynsey Band, marketing director of global language service provider RWS. Particularly with consumers becoming more cynical and distrustful of information they’re given in our AI-powered age.

“Brands are going to need to really align with their customers, and give them that confidence in their content,” she says, because, as the world gets more competitive, “they need to use language to really connect on a deeper level, to acquire and retain that customer.”

So, how can marketers do that, so they don’t end up talking at crossed purposes to their audiences?

1. Start talking with a global-first mindset

Emerging economies, such as those in Africa and South Asia, are becoming critical to growth strategies. And with them comes a linguistic minefield. The sheer number of languages and dialects means that marketers need to make tough decisions on content prioritization without alienating potential audiences. Meanwhile, legal frameworks like Canada’s Bill 96, which mandates the prominence of Canadian French in marketing within Quebec, signal a rising tide of national identity preservation bound up in language.

So a global-first mindset is increasingly essential in 2025. But a massive ‘non, nein, no’ is treating global markets as an afterthought. International considerations need to be integrated into a campaign’s development right from the outset, to have more impact, more efficiently and cost-effectively. “Something for a Japanese market might be very different from a Latin American market. It’s about having those discussions upfront, rather than having to retrofit and shoehorn later,” explains Band.

2. Speak transcreation, not just translation

Transcreation is a growing buzzword in marketing for good reason. Unlike direct translation, transcreation is about adapting a brand’s message to resonate deeply in another culture. It takes into account idioms, humor, and context to ensure the content retains its intended emotional and cognitive impact across borders. It’s thinking about how to adapt a message, rather than just translate it, giving its international rollout the same time, money and passion as in the domestic market. And research shows it pays off: when companies localize the buying experience, trade can rise by up to 72%.

Band predicts this need for cultural and linguistic understanding will only increase over the next year, as brands navigate new linguistic challenges borne out by the cultural changes we are all experiencing. “We’re helping businesses tackle complex areas of language such as areas around gender neutrality in language. These are businesses that have been localizing their content for decades, but they’re coming up against new challenges as the world, society and content changes,” she says.

3. Say yes to a tiered content approach

To effectively manage resources and achieve maximum impact, marketers should adopt a tiered content strategy. Not all content demands the same level of resources. High-value campaigns with a long shelf life, such as major product launches or flagship campaigns, call for extensive language and cultural localization. But more transactional or short-term content, like user reviews or chatbot responses, could rely more on AI-driven translation.

“Think about what’s high value and has a long shelf life,” says Band: “That’s the content you need to give time and investment to. For things like product reviews, buyers want them readily available in their local language so are more accepting of machine-generated translations.”

The wildcard here is social media content. It’s often seen as transient, but it’s capable of causing lasting damage if a misstep goes viral. So marketers should balance the need for speed with accuracy and cultural awareness on social platforms.

4. Talk the language of ‘genuine intelligence’

AI has transformed how marketers approach translation and localization, offering efficiency and scalability. But it’s not without its risks. “The danger comes if you let the machine go too far before you bring in a human,” warns Band.

Enter ‘genuine intelligence’ – the next chapter of the artificial intelligence revolution. Marketers must navigate a “sliding scale” between using AI for tasks that prioritize speed and volume while relying on human oversight for the quality and sensitivity that’s needed for higher-stakes content.

To meet this market need, this year RWS launched HAI, an AI-powered online translation portal which integrates AI-enabled tools with the nuanced expertise of professional linguists.

For more advice and insights on how to make words count in a global marketplace, contact RWS.