Many businesses run text ads in different countries. Many of the local ads are translated versions of the original ads (i.e., English targeting the USA). It makes the launch of local campaigns quick and easy, but you may be jeopardizing the campaign’s performance.

Typical Ad Copy Localization Process

Many businesses typically run the same advertising campaigns across multiple markets at the same time. In this case, they write a set of ad copies in one language and translate them into all other languages where the campaigns are set up. Since the landing pages are localized versions of the original ones, I can see why people think this is enough.

Problems with Localized Ad Copies

There are several points that the ad copies are edited in addition to being localized. By paying attention to these details, you can improve the campaign’s performance.

Adjust the Ad Copy Length
If you manage the text ads, you are aware of the maximum number of letters you can use in the headlines and descriptions. The numbers vary from the advertising platforms.
When you translate the ad copies into another language, oftentimes, the ad copies become either too short or too long depending on the words. In order to cope with this issue, it is good to have local copy editors for each language. They don’t have to be translators, but having an in-house person who can tweak the ad copies to make sure that the ads convey the important message is helpful.

Use Local Units
It is easy to overlook the local units such as currencies and sizes used in ad copies. However, if you read the ads from the customers’ view pint, it is clear how much of a “turn-off” this is. To ensure that your ad copies use the locally specific units, you can either prepare a list of units to be used for each country ad and provide it to the translators, or make the edits in-house.

Change the Messaging
The ad copies you see in the USA are usually very direct. The simple call-to-action message works well with the audience. However, the tone of the voice may be translated as “rude” or “not considerate” in some countries. When this happens, your ads click through rate will suffer. Consult your local reps, or at least check other ads that appear in the local market to make sure that your messaging is acceptable and works.

Be Competitive
When your ad copy includes information such as the discount rate or pricing, make sure that those numbers are competitive in the local market. When your competitor’s ad shows “10% discount”, you don’t want to use an ad saying “5% discount”.

Use Localized Ad Copies

As you read, the localization of ad copies is much more than text translation. Put the check points to review these points in the ad copy localization and publishing process. It makes your campaigns fit better for the local audience, and perform better.