Mailchimp keeps making rookie mistakes
I know it appears that I’m out to punish Mailchimp — as I first started calling out its rookie mistakes back in 2021. I am a paid subscriber so I feel as if I’ve at least earned the right. What…
Tag Facebook
Long live the website
If yesterday’s epic #facebookfail has taught us anything, it should be to not rely too heavily on any one platform that you do not control. Sadly, a number of global websites still rely on Facebook as their de facto local…
Think Socially; Act Globally
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…
What’s the world’s most multilingual website? (2019 update)
Last year, I wrote an essay for Multilingual in which I noted that the world’s most multilingual website isn’t Google or Facebook or even Wikipedia. It is the website of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. As I noted in the essay: The JW.org website supports more than 675 written…
The internet may connect devices, but language connects people.
I had an OpEd published this week in the Los Angeles Times about the importance of languages — and the slow but steady increase in languages supported by the world’s leading brands… America’s biggest brands are increasingly multilingual
Leading with languages: Why 30 languages is below average
According to the 2019 Web Globalization Report Card, 32 languages is the "average" number of languages supported by the leading global brands.
The best global websites from the 2019 Web Globalization Report Card
A little more than 15 years ago, I began benchmarking websites for a new report I had in mind, tentatively titled the Web Globalization Report Card. The number one website in the first Report Card was a startup company by the…
What’s the world’s most multilingual website? (2018 update)
A few months ago, I wrote an essay for Multilingual in which I noted that the world’s most multilingual website isn’t Google or Facebook or even Wikipedia. It is the website of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. As I noted in the…
To create a world-ready mobile app, think small, as in “lite”
If you don’t know what your mobile app weighs (in kilobytes), then it’s safe to say your emerging market strategy could use some tweaking. That’s not to be harsh, but to face the simple fact that mobile users in emerging…
Speaking in Tongues: Corporate America needs to get religious about languages
I was happy to have an essay published in the recent issue of Multilingual. In the essay I write: While Wikipedia, Google and Facebook are among the leaders in languages at 298, 172 and 107 respectively, they don’t come even…
Think you can succeed in India supporting English only? Think again.
#serveinmylanguage It’s more than a hashtag; it’s a social movement. And it’s growing. A movement among Indian consumers to force the vendors who depend on their business to actually support their native languages. As this Times of India article notes: From ATMs…
The top 25 websites from the 2018 Web Globalization Report Card
I’m excited to announce the publication of The 2018 Web Globalization Report Card. This is the most ambitious report I’ve written so far and it sheds light on a number of new and established best practices in website globalization. First, here are…
China sees the future in Africa (and it’s not alone)
Earlier this year, The Los Angeles Times ran a fascinating series on China and Africa and I only just got around to reading it. I recommend at least reading Part I. China is funding a massive railroad project connecting Addis…
India: Growing like crazy and craving local-language content
Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins released her 2017 Internet Trends report today — the mother of all PowerPoint decks. I last commented on the 2014 deck. A few slides jumped out at me this year — as part of her in-depth focus…
Is your website losing the language race?
For the past 12 years, the Web Globalization Report Card has closely tracked the languages supported by the leading global websites, including companies such as Apple, IBM, 3M, GE, Microsoft, and Google. This year, the average number of languages supported by these…