Wikipedia, Google & Microsoft: Byte Level Research Announces the Best Global Websites of 2020

ASHLAND, Ore., March 10, 2020 (Newswire.com) -  Wikipedia was named the best global website, according to the 16th edition of the new report The Web Globalization Report Card, followed by Google and Microsoft.

“Wikipedia supports more than 290 languages, demonstrating that people around the world demand a truly multilingual Internet,” said report author John Yunker. “The Internet connects devices but languages connect people."

The top 10 global websites support a significant number of languages, including companies such as Airbnb, Microsoft and Nestlé. The average number of languages supported by the world's leading global brands is 33 languages.

For 2020, Byte Level Research studied the websites of the 150 leading global brands across 15 industries. Websites were graded according to languages supported, global navigation, global and mobile website design, and localization. The top 10 best global websites include Google, Nestlé, Philips, Cisco, Adobe, Airbnb, NIVEA and Uber.

Notable highlights include:

• Airbnb joined the top 10 list for the first time, after having doubled the linguistic reach of its website.
• Nestlé leads all consumer goods companies with a world-ready global design and ongoing investment in localization.
• Technology companies such as Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Siemens, and Adobe continued to demonstrate leadership in languages and global consistency, as well as increasing degrees of investment in localization. 
• NIVEA leads the cosmetics and skincare industry with support for 46 languages and culturally relevant visuals in many markets.

About the Web Globalization Report Card 

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).

Source: Byte Level Research