If you’re expanding your U.S.-based business to the bustling economic hub that is the UK, you’re certainly not alone! Major U.S. corporations like Twitter, Merrill Lynch, LinkedIn and JP Morgan Chase have all established offices in London. Whether your business is tiny or huge, there are many perks to taking it to the UK, including the fact that the UK represents over 30% of Europe’s online sales and is a major supporter of American products.
If your heart is set on the UK, then you need to think about how you’ll achieve success there. Your first focus needs to be on localization – on the cultural and linguistic differences between what you’re used to here in the U.S. versus what to expect in the UK. We know – the British speak English. However, that’s where the similarities end. There’s enough of a difference between American English and UK English that many companies build separate websites for both target audiences. The last thing you want to do is look out of place in your new home. So let’s take a look at some of the important things you should know about UK localization.
Different Words, Different Meanings
These are just a few of the examples that show the differences between American English and UK English. Knowing about them will most likely help you to avoid potential embarrassing or offensive situations! In addition, you should be aware that the UK uses a 24-hour clock and refers to weight, volume and dimensions in metric units. These are important facts to know, especially if you will be shipping products or will have an e-commerce website in the UK.
If you need help localizing your business for the UK, why not contact Metro AV? We provide UK localization services for translation, e-learning, voice over, subtitling, graphics, video, narration, websites, games and multimedia. That way, you can focus on setting up your business while we take care of the localization. Contact us today for a quote on your project!