FOCAL
Website Localization, Content Translation, Webmaster Services
Since 1979, Focal has been recognized as a world leader in high fidelity audio solutions – their ‘Made in France’ know-how has been recognized for over 40 years. Focal approached Sekkei Studio with aim to introduce the brand to the Chinese market. Focal’s goal was to become “China Ready”—by ensuring their website and marketing content compatible with the Chinese business environment. Three goals have been specified:
- Establishing a digital presence in the Chinese market,
- Localizing their global website and translating content into Chinese,
- Website SEO to increase visibility on Baidu search engine.
What We Did
China is a starkly different technological and marketing environment from other places. Many elements that Focal previously used in the EU market would not be suitable for China, i.e. plugins, video players, fonts, etc. A technical and SEO audit of Focal’s website gave a clear picture of which elements to be kept, vice versa which to be removed or fixed.
Sekkei Studio’s plan came with three phases.
What We did
China is a starkly different technological and marketing environment from other places. Many elements that Focal previously used in the EU market would not be suitable for China, i.e. plugins, video players, fonts, etc. A technical and SEO audit of Focal’s website gave a clear picture of which elements to be kept, vice versa which to be removed or fixed.
Sekkei Studio’s plan came with three phases.
Technical and SEO Audit
Phase 1 – Perform a technical and SEO audit to identify needed improvements to the site.
Technical Audit
- Website Status from China Network: Sekkei analyzed the website’s scripts, and overall traffic to the website, as well as which devices were used to log on to the website. From this, Sekkei was able to analyze different markets segments, users’ origin, and through which links they were entering.
- Elements localization: Replacing Focal’s website elements that were non-accessible in China with local ones, for instances – videos player, map, language etc.
- Onsite Webpage-Health Check: As well as parsing through the website for potentially blocking scripts, the health check unveiled number of issues, such as broken links, that could be fixed before the website went live in China.
- Offsite analysis: Knowing who is talking about Focal—and where—will be the key to their success in China. Sekkei ran a thorough digital check for Focal’s brand exposure and advertising status on third-party platforms such as public forums, Baidu, etc.
- Social Media & eCommerce: Sekkei examined Focal’s existing Weibo & WeChat status. From this, Sekkei Studio was able to identify valuable content types to help Focal build a digital identity in China. As for ecommerce, Tmall & JD stores would be a prime source of Focal’s commercial presence.
SEO Audit
To become China Ready, Focal’s SEO work was a multistep process.
Each page of the site, after rewriting the URLs, would need to have updated meta-titles, descriptions, and heading tags. Sekkei Studio also suggested keywords matching with Focal’s business needs.
With the launch of the localized site, Sekkei Studio implemented analytics tools, i.e. Baidu Analytics, to track website data and traffic to the new site. These tools are specifically geared towards the Chinese market, either traffic sources from Baidu, direct mentions on social media, or backlinks beyond Focal’s ecosystem.
Website Localization
Phase 2 – Translate and localize the website that meet Chinese standards.
Localizing a website does not simply mean translating the content into a new language; it means adapting the contents, message, images, user experience, SEO methods, as well as technical elements that would increase the website’s performance, to a different market.
It requires an understanding of the cultural differences, especially in China. Sekkei Studio was able to provide Focal with in-house writing and translation services, as well as suggestions for best practices in the Chinese market, ensuring that Focal’s message would be more appealing to Chinese customers.
Sekkei Studio also helped Focal to abide local internet laws and regulations. We provided a China-based hosting for Focal, ensuring an accessibility and fast-loading website to customers. Sekkei Studio was able to help Focal apply for the ICP number— a mandatory requirement for websites hosted in China — by facilitating communication with the China Internet Bureau on behalf of Focal.
Providing Webmaster Services
Phase 3 – Provide webmaster services for Focal’s Chinese site in order to keep it updated, active, and on trend.
Websites need to be constantly updated with new content in order to remain relevant and attractive for both visitors and search engines. Sekkei Studio was able to provide Chinese language support for the site including new product launches, news, and important updates. Weekly and monthly updates to the site would keep Focal looking fresh and relevant to Chinese customers.
Results
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