As you are focused on expanding to international markets, your main objective is to be strategic about your efforts. Making your business operate in top 10 languages on internet will help to remove roadblocks and gain advantages of reaching out to highly potential markets swiftly.
For any business, proficiency in a foreign language is a major selling point that helps to secure a quality position. To position well in the foreign market, using the major languages not only helps in communication but also helps to understand and adapt to the culture to form a lasting relationship.
There are several languages spoken, and you cannot simply take a step into any language without calculating the outcomes. When you are localizing your website, prefer to get it done in the top 10 languages that promise attracting new clients and building brand awareness in the global market.
Need of Most Common Languages Translation for Business
No matter you run a small scale/ large scale business, start-ups, non-profit organization or any global entity, you may definitely need to be present in most common languages spoken in the world. Through translation, you can reach and appeal the global audience and here are other benefits of having present in majorly used languages:
➤ It drives higher revenues
➤ Attracts more customers globally
➤ Helps in making your brand popular
➤ Boosts your marketing campaign
➤ Helps in eliminating linguistic barriers
➤ Improve sales graph
Top 10 languages For International Business Growth
When your business wants to make a major impact in the global market, seeking translation services can help you successfully engage audiences. People often engage with businesses that make the information available in their own language. Localization can be helpful, and using a commonly spoken language leads to increased sales conversions and revenue growth
Whether that’s through localizing an online website to documents, user guides, product manuals, customer support, using the most spoken language helps to attract visitors from across the globe. Here are the top 10 languages your business must not ignore:
1- English
English is the lingua franca of business and academia world. Around 17% of the world’s population is English-speaking and this is the reasons why majority of the global content is in the English language. This explains why companies typically invest in making content in the English language. As the official language of the United Nations, the European Union, and more, English has its versatility across industries and markets.
Few statistics about English language:
➤ Total Speakers: 1.35 billion speakers
➤ Countries with English speaking population: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, etc.
➤ Official language status: 67 countries
➤ Internet users today: Over 1.1 billion
2- Chinese
As China is rising as an economic powerhouse, several studies show that the Chinese language is poised to become a global language. Businesses prefer Chinese translation as it is widely spoken and internationally spoken. Chinese language refers to a group of Sino-Tibetan languages and is expected to supplant English as the most widely used internet language in the near future.
Few statistics about Chinese language:
➤ Total Speakers: Around 1.3 billion speakers
➤ Countries with Chinese speaking population: Taiwan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Canada, the United States, etc.
➤ Official language status: Mandarin is the official language of China and also used in Taiwan and Singapore.
➤ Internet users today: Approximately 1.1 billion
3- Spanish
Spain has now become the second-most popular holiday destination, but Spanish is also a key language for business purposes. Getting Spanish translation is a key language in the U.S., Latin America, and Spain that allows businesses to provide access to growing markets. The Spanish language is of major importance and it is a key language in international organizations like the UN and EU.
Few statistics about Spanish language:
➤ Total Speakers: Around 600 million speakers
➤ Countries with Spanish speaking population: Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, etc.
➤ Official language status: 20 countries
➤ Internet users today: Approx. 363.7 million
4- Arabic
With time, there are growing economies in the Middle East and Africa. The Middle East represents a fast-growing market of eager consumers, and there are a lot of wealth opportunities for better growth. Proficiency in the Arabic language and getting Arabic translation can provide a competitive edge in international trade and business dealings.
Few statistics about Arabic language:
➤ Total Speakers: Around 422 million
➤ Countries with Arabic speaking population: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Algeria, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, etc.
➤ Official language status: 22 countries
➤ Internet users today: Approximately 237 million
5- German
The German market is third-largest contributors to research and development. So, the German language is particularly important for the health sciences, social sciences, arts, psychology, and the humanities. The German language holds important position in the largest economy in the European Union, and German translation can provide a great stage for any business to operate well.
Few statistics about German language:
➤ Total Speakers: Approximately 130 million
➤ Countries with German speaking population: Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Belgium, etc.
➤ Official language status: 6 countries
➤ Internet users today: Approximately 77.53 million
6- Portuguese
Brazil is one of the big market and is the largest economy in Latin America. Brazil is being the most widely recognized as there are opportunities to capitalize on and collaborate. There are several businesses that use Portuguese translation, which helps in strategic positioning, allowing for efficient trade and investment across continents.
Few statistics about Portuguese language:
➤ Total Speakers: Approximately 267 million
➤ Countries with Portuguese speaking population: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe,
➤ Official language status: 9 countries
➤ Internet users today: Approximately 9.27 million
7- French
French is a very popular language. It is an official language in United Nations, World Trade Organization. Also, European Union is now using French more often. If your business goes for French translation, your business can see ease in global operations, emphasizing the networking and business development. From maintaining diplomacy, international relations, and handling media, the French language can help you.
Few statistics about French language:
➤ Total Speakers: Approximately 321 million
➤ Countries with French speaking population: North America, France, Europe, Africa, Oceania, etc.
➤ Official language status: 29 countries
➤ Internet users today: Approx 63.4 million
8- Japanese
Japan is a significant contributor to UK growth and it provides a wealth of opportunities for different businesses. Japan is the world’s second-largest investor in development and one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. There is a majority of businesses that use Japanese translation to grow and stay highly innovative. It can help you with great revenue of size which will be fruitful for your economic growth.
Few statistics about Japanese language:
➤ Total Speakers: Approx. 128 million
➤ Countries with Japanese speaking population: Canada, Peru, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan, etc.
➤ Official language status: Japan
➤ Internet users today: Approximately 117.3 million
9- Hindi
India has a huge consumer base, and cultural diversity and can provides a significant business opportunity for exponential growth. As a result, businesses prefer to go for Hindi translation connect with the customers in their native language, which fosters trust and rapport. It serves as the official language of the central and several state governments, and is also used as an alternate medium in exams.
Few statistics about Hindi language:
➤ Total Speakers: Approximately 602.2 million
➤ Countries with Hindi speaking population: India, the United States, Mauritius, Nepal, Fiji, the United Kingdom, etc.
➤ Official language status: India and Fiji
➤ Internet users today: Around 60 million
10- Korean
The Korean market is known for its big companies like Samsung, Kia, Hyundai, Fila, and LG. There is a growing craze for the Korean translation not only for business purposes but also for the growing demand of K-Dramas. Korean language is the 7th most popular language to study in the world. Besides North Korea and South Korea, using the Korean language can help you connect with the communities in Japan and Russia too.
Few statistics about Korean language:
➤ Total Speakers: Approximately 77 million
➤ Countries with Korean speaking population: North Korea, South Korea, China, United States, Japan, Canada, etc.
➤ Official language status: North Korea and South Korea
➤ Internet users today: Approx 50.4 million
Understand Top Important Languages With Statistics
According to reports, there has always been a debate over the most commonly used languages over the Internet and websites. Listed below are the most common internet languages used by the web users and the content languages used on the websites respectively:
1- Top 10 Popular Languages by Internet Users
| Rank | Language | Internet users | % |
| 1 | English | Approx. 1.186 billion | 25.9% |
| 2 | Chinese | Approx. 1.11 billion | 19.4% |
| 3 | Spanish | Approx. 46.2 million | 7.9% |
| 4 | Arabic | Approx. 348 million | 5.2% |
| 5 | Malayalam | Approx. 3 million | 4.3% |
| 6 | Portuguese | Approx. 9.27 million | 7.3% |
| 7 | Russian | Approx. 133 million | 6.1% |
| 8 | German | Approx. 78.9 million | 4.3% |
| 9 | Japanese | Approx. 117.3 million | 5% |
| 10 | French | Approx. 63.4 million | 4% |
2- Top 10 Popular Content Languages for Websites
| Rank | Language | Internet users |
| 1 | English | 50% |
| 2 | Spanish | 6% |
| 3 | German | 5.5% |
| 4 | Japanese | 5% |
| 5 | French | 4.5% |
| 6 | Portuguese | 3% |
| 7 | Russian | 3.5% |
| 8 | Italian | 2.5% |
| 9 | Dutch | 2% |
| 10 | Polish | 1.8% |
3-Top Ten Languages in World (By Number of Total Speakers)
| Rank | Language | Family | Total | ||
| 1 | English | Indo-European, Germanic | 1.4 billion | ||
| 2 | Mandarin Chinese | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 1.1 billion | ||
| 3 | Hindi | Indo-European, Indo-Aryan | 662 million | ||
| 3 | Spanish | Indo-European, Romance | 559 million | ||
| 4 | Arabic | Afro-Asiatic, Semitic | 372 million | ||
| 5 | Bengali | Indo-European, Indo-Aryan | 272 million | ||
| 6 | Portuguese | Indo-European, Romance | 263 million | ||
| 7 | Russian | Indo-European, Slavic | 258 million | ||
| 8 | French | Indo-European, Romance | 220 million | ||
| 9 | Japanese | Japonic family | 128 million | ||
| 10 | Punjabi | Indo-Aryan | 125 million | ||
Tips for Perfect Language Localization
No matter which language you focus on, by localizing your content, you can enhance user experience, build trust, and build your brand’s credibility in new markets. However, there is a need to have a well-planned localization strategy that can align with your goals and meet the market needs and cultural values, too. Here are essential tips for language localization:
➤ Using appropriate colors, images, and symbols that resonate with the market.
➤ Localize images, graphics, and multimedia content.
➤ Choosing local dialect, slang, metaphors, humor, symbols, and colors.
➤ Localizing date and time formats, calendars, time zones, etc.
➤ Adapt currencies and measurement units
➤ Considering the right formatting
➤ Understand local laws regarding content
Localization helps to maintain clear and consistent communication. For this, there is a need to get the right localization expert who understands the language, carries industry-specific specs and have experience in providing localization. If you want to localize a website, professional experts follow the complete guide for website localization to make sure the best results are achieved.
Conclusion
As you are focusing on market expansion, deciding which languages to translate into can be tricky. However, choosing from the 10 most popular languages will help you to go with the trends, identify and pick the language to grow in the target markets. From any language localization, Tridindia is here to assist you with perfect localization results. Our team has linguistic experts with industry-specific knowledge and understands what key aspects to work on to deliver top-notch localization.
If you are interested in getting in touch with us, contact us at +91-8527599223 or grab an instant quote.