You think you know about video content, but did you know about video content for an international audience? Global video content is sometimes ignored, and it shouldn’t be.

In this article, I’ll provide a definitive guide on the ins and outs of creating international video content.

I’ll start by talking about international advertising methods and translating your ads in your international video content.

Then I’ll go back to basics with what is video content, the types of international marketing video content, and international video content creation.

Lastly, I’ll offer advice on how businesses can leverage video content on the international advertising stage.

Did you know that 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices?

And that video content is one of the most important types of content out there, with the average user spending 100 minutes every day just watching videos?

Want to find out more? Let’s begin.

advertising translation

International Advertising Methods For Video Content

An international video marketing strategy always starts with research into language. You need to research your audience and their language demographics.

  • What languages do they speak?
  • Where are they from?
  • What languages are available in their regions?

You can also check for other insights – what type of video content appeals to them more? Do they like vlogs or videos from social media? We’ll go into more detail about this later.

But the first thing you have to do as an international video creator is to find out more about your audiences.

Your Spanish-speaking audience in Spain might have different video tastes than those from Mexico.

Your French-speaking audience in France might prefer a different style than those from Morocco. And so and so forth.

Make sure you’re researching the audience demographics based on locale and language, not just one of those criteria.

   

advertising translation

International Video Content In Advertising Translation

Once you have tailored your video marketing strategy to a certain audience, now’s the time to start thinking about your ads. Advertising translation translates the text, the audio, and the visuals of a particular advertisement into languages that others can relate to.

The translation of your video advertisements also requires product adaptability, or the ability to tailor your videos to your product or service – and you have to make sure that it’s tailored to your specific regional audience.

For example, a video advertisement in French about Parisian fashion won’t go over so well in Montreal, Canada.

Make sure also that you keep in mind the different cultures, languages, and dialects of the regions you’re targeting – Portugal has a different variant of Portuguese than does Brazil.

Keep in mind that if you really want to apply a global marketing strategy to your videos, you have to translate your ads in a fitting way that applies to the cultures of the regions you’re targeting.

Translating your advertisements with professional linguists can give you a deeper understanding of the culture you’re targeting, gives you:

  • outstanding language skills,
  • advertising experience, and
  • other skills such as desktop publishing / graphic design skills,
  • subtitling,
  • transcription, and
  • other video translation skills.

What Is Video Content?

Video content is any form of content that includes videos. Common forms of video content include vlogs, GIFs, live videos, webinars, presentations, and animation.

Video content is varied, as you can tell, and its placements can range from uploads on YouTube or Vimeo channels to videos on landing pages to email marketing attachments.

According to Hubspot, more than 50% of consumers want to see videos rather than any other content out there.

According to the same source, video content on landing pages are capable of converting 80% of consumers. And, 90% of consumers say that video content helps them in their purchasing decisions.

These statistics show the huge increase in video content and video marketing from 2016 onwards. Video content is a relevant part of any marketing strategy today.

In the same way, as video content is part of marketing, international video content is a key part of your global marketing strategy.

It requires adapting your video marketing strategy to the key research you’ve gathered from your new targeted territories.

The key to international video marketing is not the technicalities of the video but the technicalities of cross-cultural marketing.

You have to have the cross-cultural competencies to communicate effectively with your international audience.

Be it animation or live video you’re going to be making, cross-cultural communication for your intended audience is key.

advertising translation

Types Of Marketing Video Content

There are many types of marketing video content. This includes but not limited to:

Informational Videos

At the top of the funnel, your target audience is searching for information. That’s where educational or informational videos come in, where we learn something new about your product or service, or brand.

Branded Films

Branded films are usually huge productions, and may contain interviews.

The purpose of these films is to connect your audience to your values, your mission, your vision, and what your brand should mean to these audiences.

Company Culture Videos

Company culture videos are like brand films, but more importantly, they equate your audience with the human side of your company: how it works on an operational level.

   

Tutorial Videos

Tutorial videos are meant to instruct, and they transform the viewers by making the video a live learning experience.

Tutorial videos could be ripe with presentations and slides, and some webinars can also be tutorial videos.

Product Videos

A product video showcases your product to your audience and is a great advertising tool for your company.

Product videos are often used by Nike, Apple, and the like when they’re unveiling a new product in the market.

Client Testimonials

Client testimonials work on a referral basis–think of it as a way to refer someone to your company based on the testimonials of someone else.

These videos could be a great way to introduce your company based on your client’s words themselves.

You can take these videos during a release party, or any quality time spent with your clients.

Animation Videos

Animation videos have high traffic because they’re fun to watch, providing visual stimulation that you can’t achieve with live video.

Short and snappy, they’re a great way to provide information or promote your brand, at any stage of the funnel.

Adapting your video content to the international stage may require translating not only your ads but your video content itself.

Find the right translator who can work with you on your video marketing projects, to appeal to your international audience.

International Video Content Creation

International video content creation requires you to:

1. Know Your Audience And Their Context

Knowing your audience and their context allows you to grasp the knowledge of the right content that will appeal to them.

If there’s a trending topic in Zimbabwe, and they’re your intended audience, you might need to cover that issue using video.

Knowing your audience’s context might also help you to target even deeper audiences–for example, the Gen Z in China.

2. Use Translation To The Smallest Details

Mistranslated ads are the worst. For example, KFC in China mistranslated “finger-lickin’ good” to mean eating your fingers. You don’t want a mistranslated ad.

To avoid this, use a native translator such as those provided by translation companies like Tomedes.

Even a stray comma could go awry, or the wrong grammar for particular slang phrases. You don’t want your video content to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. It could make or break your brand.

3. Be Open To Suggestions

If you don’t think you’ll be super adept at video editing or video content, and you put the final product out there – chances are you will receive some feedback.

While this may be positive or negative, take these opinions seriously and take it as an opportunity to do better next time.

Whether it’s a mistranslated ad or an edit that didn’t go over so well, make sure to pick and choose what you’ll take away from the comments.

Advertising Translation – What You Need To Take Away From This

If I haven’t hammered it in yet, video marketing is a without-fail strategy. 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices.

Think about your own normal day in your life, and watch how many times you watch a video or open a video channel.

An astounding number, right?

Now, transport yourself to a non-English speaking part of the world. What do you think they’re doing too?

Watching videos, like you already do.

An international video marketing strategy will require a global marketing strategy that takes into account translation, language, cultural differences.

Creating videos meant to attract clients will inevitably target their main habits and purchasing decisions, so a personalized strategy is essential for your videos.

A personalized international strategy will mean considering cultures, again.

Businesses can leverage a video marketing strategy on the international market by creating content essential to their audiences.

Video content creation requires dedicated research, resources, and equipment, but with the right video content, you can still be king.