We live in a world with vast cultural differences, making it more important than ever to value cultural diversity. Companies that wish to seek out new markets for products must market them effectively — and be able to target to diverse audiences.

Here are five things you should know about cultural diversity in marketing.

Cultural Diversity Matters, Even if You Aren’t Going Global

Do you need to worry about cultural diversity even if you only do business in the United States? Yes, especially if you want to reach all of your potential customers in a meaningful way. In the Chicago area alone, 20.86% of the population is foreign born.

Chicago is also home to the largest ethnic Polish population of any city outside of Poland. The largest non-English language spoken in the Chicago area is Spanish, which is spoken by 13.23% of the population. So, you can see why understanding how different marketing messages and techniques would resonate differently with these Chicago cultural pockets.

Language is Essential

Your marketing will be much more effective if you speak your customers’ language. According to a 2014 study, “more local language content throughout the customer experience leads to a greater likelihood of purchase.” This also rings true for people who speak English as a second language. People often feel more comfortable researching and buying products in the language that they understand the best.

Cultural Differences Matter

Human experiences and emotions are universal, but there is also quite a bit of variation across cultures. Merely translating material from one language to another is not enough to inspire the same emotions and actions in a new target audience. Transcreation is much more effective in bringing in the cultural and language components.

Seemingly unimportant elements of your marketing campaigns can become deal breakers in another culture. For example, the number “4” is considered unlucky in Chinese culture because it is very similar to the word “death”.

Different Media Consumption Patterns

In the United States, Spanish-speaking radio and TV is the best way to target Hispanics. Meanwhile, newspapers are more popular amongst Asian-Americans. Across the US, UK, and Europe, mobile internet usage is increasingly common, but most users also have access to desktop computers and tablets. In countries such as India, Indonesia and Mexico, many users access the internet exclusively on mobile devices.

Understanding cultural diversity of your audience is crucial to your marketing efforts. To reach a diverse audience, speaking their language is only the first step. It is crucial to take cultural nuances into account and avoid unintentionally offending anyone. Therefore, you should create campaigns that accurately reflect and resonate with your target audience.

Ready to get culturally diverse with your marketing efforts? Metaphrasis is here to help with our business translation services. Let’s Get in Touch!