Despite Tariffs and Tensions, Companies Continue to Expand Their Global and Linguistic Reach

ASHLAND, Ore., February 10, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Ten years ago, the leading global brands — companies like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes, supported an average of 23 languages on their global websites. Flash forward to today, and that number is now 33 languages and rising.  

“The Internet connects devices, but language connects people,” said John Yunker, author of the Web Globalization Report Card, now in its 16th year. And some of the leading global brands now support more than 40 languages, with more in the works.

For example:

• ​Airbnb doubled its linguistic reach last year, propelling it into our top 10 list
• Mastercard grew from 34 languages in 2018 to 43 languages today. 
• In the same time frame, Volvo Cars added seven languages and Toyota added six.
• Philips grew from 39 languages in 2018 to 43 today.
• Adidas grew from 26 languages to 32 languages in the past two years.

About the Web Globalization Report Card

Wikipedia was named the best global website, according to the 16th edition of the Web Globalization Report Card, followed by Google and Microsoft.

Founded in 2000, Byte Level Research was the first company devoted to the art and science of web globalization. Byte Level Research benchmarks websites and mobile apps based on their global effectiveness — including languages, depth of local content, global consistency, and usability. 

The 2019 Web Globalization Report Card is the 16th edition of this report. At more than 500 pages, the report includes a wealth of analysis and recommendations.

Companies do not pay to be included in the Report Card, and all research is conducted by John Yunker; no work is outsourced. Companies that have purchased the Report Card over the years include Adobe, Cisco, FedEx, Sony, and Panasonic. Some companies have purchased the report for more than a decade, relying on it for both insights into emerging trends and a means of benchmarking their progress.

John Yunker, co-founder of Byte Level Research, is the author of the books Beyond Borders: Web Globalization Strategies and Think Outside the Country: A Guide to Going Global and Succeeding in the Translation Economy (also available in Japanese).

To learn more, please visit www.bytelevel.com.

Source: Byte Level Research