Adventures in web globalization, since 2002
Awhile back I mentioned the missing scrollbar from the Delta Airlines global gateway. It seems that Delta is not alone in making this rookie mistake. Even the folks at Google are not immune, as seen below on the Google Firebase …
Scrollbars are one of those UI elements that you don’t realize you miss until they’re gone. Of course their prime role is to allow you to scroll up and down. But they also provide an equally important role — in …
Last year, I noted that Mailchimp had begun its global expansion with a few rookie mistakes. Mailchimp was using its super-header to announce support for multiple languages: The globe icon was (and is) perfect. But the location was not sustainable; …
For the 2022 Web Globalization Report Card, we benchmarked the following 16 consumer technology websites: Adobe Apple Canon Dell Fujifilm HP Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Panasonic Samsung Sony Toshiba Xiaomi (Mi) Adobe emerged as number one for a second year …
I’m pleased to announce the publication of the 2022 Web Globalization Report Card. This is the 18th annual edition of the Report Card, and it reflects another difficult year. And yet there is much to be optimistic about as we look …
This blog post originated from an email I received recently from someone starting a small business and wondering how to manage all those newly localized websites. Specifically: Should I make a webpage with the name of the country I am …
As an author and small publisher, I’m excited to see the rapid growth — and globalization — of the online bookstore Bookshop.org. Bookshop.org positions itself as the anti-Amazon, by working with independent bookstores to share revenues more generously. There referral …
I suppose it was just a matter of time before the advertising algorithms figured I’d be in the market for a country code top-level domain (ccTLD), perhaps .CA. And so I happened upon this ad the other day: Choose.ca links …
Robert Frost wrote that good fences make good neighbors. Yet when it comes to virtual fences, visualized as maps, I’m not sure there is any way to create “good fences.” So many regions around the world are under dispute. And …
Did you know that World Usability Day is November 11th? There is an impressive virtual event planned for this day and hosted by the Cleveland User Experience Professionals Association. Here is a list of speakers including yours truly: Colin C. …
Earlier this year I was asked about how best to align global social media content with global websites. My answer ultimately resulted in this article in Multilingual. When asked by a reporter why he robbed banks, the stick-up man Willie …
Rarely do I see a global gateway make it into a TV commercial. But I was watching ESPN’s recent advert for its mobile app and there is was — a global gateway, shown below. The commercial shows the global gateway …
A number of cities around the world have adopted bespoke top-level domains, such as .NYC, .Tokyo and .London and .Vegas But the key to a successful global city website is that it is a multilingual website. And, sadly, too many …
Starlink, the SpaceX-operated satellite communications service, “is now delivering initial beta service both domestically and internationally, and will continue expansion to near global coverage of the populated world in 2021.” Naturally, I was curious to see if the Starlink website …
A common refrain in Global by Design are the many risks of using flags as part of your global navigation strategy. As I’ve noted over the years, many companies have since dropped flags, companies such as Apple, Airbnb and Spotify. …