In today’s society, the evolving world of technology has become crucial to our day to day life. The use of technology, primarily mobile devices, has become somewhat of a norm to the way we conduct business practices. According to a study done by the Center for Retail Research in 2015, 41% of online buyers who made a purchase from their mobile device were located in Europe. Thus, the continent is an essential area for mobile commerce companies. Another study on localization led by Forrester Research estimates that nearly half of online sales in European countries will come from mobile commerce in 2018. Developing this business method in the continent seems to be the opportunity to reach a market that is consistently increasing.

However, a company wishing to get set up in Europe has to adapt to the local culture of the country in question. Studies by Forrester Research on localization show that products bought from a mobile device by a European citizen vary according to each country. For example, a French, German or Spanish national will prefer to buy children’s products on their mobile device while an Italian would use it to purchase videogames. On the contrary, a Polish citizen is more likely to buy food and drinks from his mobile device rather than specific products. Moreover, 24 official languages are spoken in the continent. Therefore, you have to take into consideration the different cultures, languages and develop specific marketing strategies in order to reach as many customers in the European continent.  

Furthermore, English is spoken among 41% of Europeans, 13% of whom the language is their mother tongue.  Additionally, after English the three most spoken languages in Europe are German (27%), French (26%) and Italian (16%); respectively. For localization, there is a crucial advantage in setting up a translation management system as it will allow for better management of content  produced in various languages. These fundamental tools will enable you to communicate with non-English speakers and expand your market reach.

Adapting the content of your web and mobile site according to the country you are reaching out to is a significant factor of success. To do this, you will have to translate your content in the mother tongue of the country you are targeting. Well translated content will be a real asset for your company and will allow customers a better access to your products. Additionally, having the necessary tools to target European countries will give you a competitive advantage over your competitors.