3 Reasons Why You Should Translate Your Marketing Materials Into German

Whether you are selling a product or marketing a tourist destination, it pays to translate your website and other marketing materials into German. While it is true that most Germans speak English, that does not transfer to their online browsing behavior. If you want to attract Germans’ attention, you need to speak their language. Here are three reasons why that is a good idea from a business perspective.

1. Most Germans use the Internet

There are approximately 95 million people in the world who speak German as their native language, and nearly 90% of them use the Internet. That’s the highest penetration of Internet users within a given population, just behind the Japanese.

2. E-commerce is booming in Germany

Germany ranks among the five top markets with the highest e-commerce potential, according to a 2015 consumer study by AT Kearney. Moreover, the growth potential of the German e-commerce market is estimated at nearly 30% – more than that of the United States and the United Kingdom.

3. Germans want information in German

30% of global consumers never buy from English language sites, and 75% say they prefer to engage with websites in their native language, according to a 2014 study by Common Sense Advisory. And as it turns out, Germans are particularly discriminating, the authors note: Global brands can trump language, causing buyers to choose such products over those with information in their own language. Egyptians constitute the nationality that is most infatuated with global brands (83% agree or strongly agree with the statement). Those least won over are the Germans (56%).

Conclusion

By translating your marketing materials into German, you can reach a large potential customer base that otherwise would never even have come across your products or services. The initial cost of translation will soon be offset by the business growth you can expect to follow as a result.

Ready to tap into the German e-commerce market? I’d be happy to help you get started with your translation needs. Contact me for a free consultation.