ULG’s Language Solutions Blog

Building an Effective Multilingual Training Program for Global Employees

In today’s online and connected world, more companies than ever rely on global teams. This business model offers several advantages, including the ability to recruit top talent worldwide, gain local e...

Scaling for the Spanish-speaking Market: Balancing Local with Global

With over 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide, localizing for the Spanish-speaking market unlocks a world of opportunity. But if you think all 25 Spanish-speaking markets are the same, think again....

How to Optimize Your Translation & Interpretation Costs

Is your company getting the maximum value for the money you spend on translation and interpretation costs? Developing a strong language access program is the key to supporting a multilingual, diverse ...

10 Trends that Will Influence Your Localization Strategy in 2024

Global businesses had to work hard to keep up with all the changes in 2023. Fueled by ChatGPT and its generative AI siblings, demand for content continued to skyrocket, and demand for translation, int...

Six Myths About AI Translation

From faster turnaround times to increased content, the benefits of AI translation are real and compelling. Google Translate processes at least 146 billion words a day. According to Nimdzi Insights, Ne...

How to Boost AI Translation Quality with Post-Editing

Machine Translation (MT) and generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) are changing the multilingual content production game, helping organizations connect with more customers from different linguistic ...

Why Linguist Engagement is Critical to Capture Global Audiences

In today's international marketplace, global branding is a powerful tool for businesses aiming to connect with multicultural, multilingual audiences. Brands that resonate with local audiences thrive, ...

Six Signs That Your Brand Experiences Are Not Culturally Relevant

As businesses expand into new markets, they’re engaging with more multicultural consumers than ever before. According to Collage Group, these consumers are more likely to support brands that are relev...

UNITED LANGUAGE GROUP IS A TRUSTED LANGUAGE PARTNER TO LIFE SCIENCES ORGANIZATIONS

Streamline Localization + Translation Projects Using ULG's Integration with Veeva Vault PromoMats United Language Group (ULG) is an official Veeva Technology partner. Through this partnership, ULG has...

The Difference Between Translation and Localization

What is localization? Localization is the use of translation with a cultural lens to create connection. Many use the terms localization and translation synonymously. However, while the two words are c...

Why Content Localization Is Important for Your B2B Business Strategy

Globalization and the continuing digitization of business require high-quality, culturally appropriate translation for your business’s international expansion, but language is only one piece of implem...

Expand to New Markets with Design Thinking

With global disruptions in supply chains and production and general economic uncertainty, growing out and not up is a very attractive option for businesses. Offering an existing product or service to ...

Workforce Diversification Gives Manufacturers a Competitive Advantage

The manufacturing industry is facing a serious labor shortage that will likely worsen. But, recruiting and retaining talent from diverse populations can fill available positions and give manufacturers...

How to Measure Localization ROI for Your Language Translation Services

Companies aren’t just building up anymore; they’re building out. There’s never been a better time to expand your business reach by tapping into the global market, and putting money toward language tra...

3 Common Medical Translation Mistakes and How to Prevent Them

From routine checkups to medical emergencies, patients count on hospitals to provide excellent treatment. In order to ensure the best quality care, medical professionals must be able to communicate wi...

The Spotify Localization Strategy

This article was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated. Since it launched in 2008, Spotify has become a leader in the music streaming scene. Over 50 million paid subscribers use the s...

5 Keys to Effective Multicultural Communication

This article was originally published in April 2017 and has been updated. Communication across cultures can be challenging. But in an age of globalization, effective multicultural communication is vit...

Localization Strategy Guide: Cultural Dimensions of Brazil

This article was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated. Brazil, once home to an economic boom, has been in a recession since 2013, and consumers have opted to hold onto their well-ear...

Airbnb’s Localization Strategy

This article was originally published in August 2017 and has been updated. Airbnb, the home-sharing service that amassed nearly $47 billion in gross booking value in 2021, is accessible in virtually e...

United Language Group's Linguist Engagement Process

At United Language Group, our experience and commitment to quality have helped us understand our pivotal role in creating true end-to-end partnerships. Most language service providers (LSPs) understan...

The Power of Partnerships to Improve Lives Worldwide

Earlier this month, United Language Group (ULG) partnered with LocWorld, Next Level Globalization (NLG), and Boston Scientific to discuss the power of partnership. Speakers Eileen Kerry and Tommy Davi...

6 Ways to Ensure patients with LEP have a seamless COVID-19 vaccine experience

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed a spotlight on the systemic inequalities and lack of access to health care for patients and members with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Across the care continuum you...

Everything ISO Covers That You Weren’t Aware Of

Since 1947, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has been creating quality control standards to ensure the safety of products and services worldwide. With more than 22,000 quality ...

What Provisions Does MDR Outline for Data Privacy?

With regulations such as GDPR and the Right to Be Forgotten frequently in the news, data privacy has become a hot-button issue over the past few years. Medical device companies operating within the Eu...

Protecting the Internet of Things and Data Security in Healthcare

Smart watches. Smart homes. Smart cars. Smart...pacemakers? The prime example of the Internet of Things (IoT): smart devices. They have permeated the global market in recent years and are steadily gro...

The EU’s In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation Explained

Over the past few years, the EU has enacted a series of new regulations related to healthcare and medical devices. For example, the new In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR 2017/746) addresses several...

What is a Notified Body and What Function Does it Serve?

Almost two years after its initial publication, many medical device companies are still in the process of adapting to the new EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Although this regulation was released ...

The Benefits of Localized Multimedia Content

For content to appeal to a global audience, translating the text is only the first step. Multimedia content is key to appealing to today’s viewers, and localized multimedia content is key to making th...

France Enforces GDPR Violations; Fines Google Nearly $57 Million

Today’s announcement that France has fined Google nearly $57 million for GDPR violations. This makes it clear just how serious the European Union is about enforcing the Global Data Protection Regulati...

What is HITRUST, and Why Should You Care?

By Christopher Crowhurst, CTO Last week I became a statistic. One of the half billion – yes, that’s five followed by eight zeros – people who had their information compromised by the Marriot hotel dat...

21 CFR Part 11: Complying with the FDA’s Electronic Records Regulation

With the medical industry constantly expanding and sharing knowledge and products worldwide, having a physical file room to house all paperwork and records is no longer a viable option. Medical device...

New Roles of Economic Operators Under the MDR

When the European Union passed the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) back in April 2017, economic operators involved in the importation and distribution of medical devices became subject to new regulato...

How Do Financial Companies Use Language Solutions?

Numbers are numbers, right? A zero is a zero in English the same way it is in Arabic or Mandarin. But what about everything surrounding the numbers in a financial document? What about financial contex...

Need to Cut Translation Costs? Read This Before Starting Your Project

You’ve probably heard of the project management triangle, a constant balancing act of speed, quality, and cost. Conventional wisdom suggests you can only pick two of these variables at a time. For tra...

Speed Up Project Turnaround Times with These Three Tips

When shopping around for a Language Solutions Partner (LSP) to work on their translation project, clients tend to use turnaround time as one of the deciding factors. The faster a product gets to marke...

The GDPR, Six Months Later: A Status Report

It’s been six months now since the General Data Protection Regulation, otherwise known as the GDPR, rocked the online business world. How well are consumers and businesses faring under the new legisla...

Five Tips For Localizing Images

You’ve probably heard the adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” This is especially true when an organization expands its operations or product offerings into new countries and must communicate...

What Website Localization Can Do for Search Engine Optimization

You probably already know about the importance of localizing your website. You’ve heard that people prefer to shop in their native language, but there are also additional benefits of localization that...

Four Ways to Avoid In-country Review Headaches

The lifecycle of a translation project has many moving parts – translation, proofreading, editing and localization – that need to be accounted for. And even after all these phases are completed and th...

4 Benefits of Multilingual Digital Content and Videos

Many organizations struggle to manage the demand for quality digital content and videos in just one language. So, is it worth it to provide content in other languages also? If you have a global audien...

Quality Control vs. Quality Assurance: What's the Difference?

You’ve probably heard the term QA/QC, which stands for “Quality Assurance” and “Quality Control.” Together, they comprise what is known as a “total quality management system” (QMS), a comprehensive se...

Three Common Localization Roadblocks and How to Conquer Them

A recent Coca-Cola marketing campaign in New Zealand didn’t go as planned for the giant soft-drink manufacturer. The company attempted to combine a popular greeting that English-speaking New Zealander...

Which KPIs to Monitor for Translation & Localization Projects

You’ve identified a need to expand your company offerings to a new country or revamp your existing materials to better communicate with different audiences around the world. You’ve collaborated with y...

What Marketers Need to Know About Translation and Localization

Marketers know the importance of understanding current trends and being able to separate effective tactics from trendy buzzwords. What about translation and localization? You might be wondering just h...

What is a TMS Connector and Do You Need One?

Does your language service partner (LSP) offer a TMS connector along with their translation management system? If you’re not sure, or you have no idea what a TMS connector is, you’ve come to the right...

How Much Does Good Translation Cost?

How much will good translation cost? It's one of the most common questions we hear from clients. It's also one of the most challenging questions to answer, simply because there are so many variables t...

How Not to Use Your Translation Memory: 4 TM Killers

A translation memory (TM) is one of the most effective methods for reducing time and cost when completing a translation project. It is an electronic database that keeps track of certain segments of a ...

How to Help ELL Students Start the School Year Off Right

It’s that time of year again. Across the United States, children are heading back to school. Naturally, many children have mixed feelings about this. However, English Language Learners (ELL) and their...

How Facebook is Utilizing Translation to Improve User Experience

Facebook has over 3 billion users located around the world. With such a diverse global audience, translation is now an essential part of Facebook’s business model. Here are 5 ways Facebook is using tr...

Why is ISO 13485 Important in the Language Industry?

Since 1947, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created thousands of quality control parameters for a variety of industries to ensure that global companies produce the safest ...

What is a 'Certified' Translation? Do I Need One?

Suppose you go to a garage sale, and you find a first edition copy of a well-known book, signed by the author. You want to buy the book as a gift for your best friend, but you don’t know if the signat...

Three Tips For Successfully Localizing Video Content

Organizations use videos for a variety of purposes, including employee training, product instructions, and marketing. In recent years, video has proven to be a particularly effective means of engageme...

GDPR In Full Effect: The New EU Data Regulation Is Here

After a two-year transitional period, the day has finally come – today the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect, forcing companies across the globe to abide by a new set of data ...

What Role Does Language Access Play in The Manufacturing Industry?

Manufacturing is an industry that is constantly changing in terms of the technology used, the industrial and consumer products created, and the countries where the factories are managed. A recent stud...

How to Solve the Biggest Problems with Translations

Translation is essential for today’s global businesses. It allows multilingual teams to work together, makes it possible to communicate rules and operating procedures to employees around the world, an...

How Long Will It Take to Translate My Project?

When prospective clients approach us with a new project, one of the first questions they ask is about the turnaround time. How long is it before the translation project is finished? The short answer: ...

Translation vs. Localization: What's The Difference?

In the language services world, the two concepts that are discussed most frequently are “translation” and “localization.” Although the two have a lot in common and are often used interchangeably, ther...

Advice for Aspiring Linguists: How to Make it in Today’s Industry

May 11, 2018 On a recent trip to Australia, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron committed a rather embarrassing slip of the tongue. “Thank you and your delicious wife for your warm welcome…” Macron ...

Why Global Companies Need Language Solutions to Succeed

May 08, 2018 Today’s global companies face an interesting paradox: Technology enables them to reach new audiences around the globe, but also forces them to overhaul their communication strategies to s...

Have You Translated in Compliance with the GDPR?

From Experian to Facebook, large-scale data breaches have become a regular part of the news cycle. But the need to protect customer data isn't limited to enterprise organizations. Companies of all siz...

What Is HITRUST? A Look At The Common Security Framework

May 11, 2018 To understand HITRUST, it’s best to temporarily forget everything you know about HIPAA regulations, compliance and audits. Why? Chances are you view HIPAA as a challenge or an obstacle, w...

Navigating Compliance With Strong Language Access

May 11, 2018 If your company is located in Europe or does any amount of business there, you’re probably well aware of all the upcoming regulatory changes. From investments to data protection to medica...

8 Things You Didn't Know About the Chinese New Year

It's the middle of February already, and the new year is no longer new. But not according to the Chinese lunar calendar. In fact, Chinese New Year celebrations start this week! With that in mind, here...

MT Security: Quality Control Standards for Secure Data

With legislation like the GDPR coming into effect in the E.U. and multiple news stories of data breaches taking place in the U.S., the need for companies to protect personal data is more important tha...

Language Access and Insurance In The Event of Natural Disasters

The climate crisis continues to intensify natural disasters causing unprecedented destruction across the globe. From hurricanes and floods to droughts and wildfires, natural disasters in the U.S. alon...

Taking Your Apps Global: Localization for Mobile Devices

In 2017, mobile apps were downloaded by users more than 197 billion times. Over the last few years, apps and mobile marketing have represented a large percentage of the marketing mix, with companies u...

How to Mitigate Workplace Harassment in Multicultural Environments

With stories of workplace harassment dominating the news, one thing is clear: businesses of all sizes must take action to prevent being caught up in costly scandals of their own. If you think this onl...

Service Organization Controls: SOCs and Data Security

Chances are your company stores far more data in the cloud than just a few years ago. This likely includes sensitive information that you need to protect, including financial data, business strategies...

Tips for Marketing to Millennials Around the Globe

Defined as people born between the late 1980s and early 2000s, millennials are one of the largest and most influential consumer bases, with an estimated $200 billion to spend each year in the U.S. alo...

The Georgetown-IBM Experiment: MT's First Major Debut

In 2017, Language Service Providers (LSPs) are offering clients a plethora of Machine Translation (MT) options. In fact, today anyone with access to a computer can translate fairly simple sentences fr...

Everything You Need to Know About EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC

In 2009, EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC became mandatory for manufacturing companies selling or distributing products in the European Union. While it’s by no means new, Directive 2006/42/EC is a po...

Kathrin Bussmann Q+A: An Interview With The Worldly Marketer Podcast Host

Kathrin Bussmann is busy. The Worldly Marketer Podcast host and founder of global marketing agency Verbaccino juggles both projects by herself, and has been doing so for the past three years. She prod...

ELL Compliance in Schools: Resolving 3 Common Issues

Both federal and local laws require school districts to provide translation help for English Language Learners (ELLs) and their families. Schools often struggle with ELL compliance. But they must stil...

CSA Research’s Don DePalma on Industry Trends & Keeping LSPs Relevant

Common Sense Advisory (CSA Research) has made a name for itself as one of the big players in language industry news and research. The Massachusetts-based company produces research and blogs relating t...

Sticking To The Script: Audio Localization 101

“Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.” That’s according to author Herman Hesse, and it’s true. Speech introduces different phonetic pronunciations, does away with th...

A Day In The Life Of An LSP Project Manager

“What do you do at work?” It’s not uncommon for those in the language industry to answer this question. Assumptions about Language Service Provider (LSP) employees run the gamut, but the most common i...

Software and Website Localization Testing 101

There’s a lot that goes into a successfully localized software application or website. After you’ve translated your source materials, there are steps that need to be taken to ensure your content will ...

World Humanitarian Day: A Q+A With Translators Without Borders

In the developing world, access to adequate healthcare, food, water and other necessities is still a problem that has yet to be solved. The World Food Programme reports that one in six children in dev...

Why It Pays To Localize Your Website

There are more than 3.5 billion internet users in the world, and roughly 1.2 billion websites live on the internet. In 1994, there were less than 5,000 websites up and running. When that number reache...

Mobile App Localization: How to Get Started

A study shows that companies with localized apps saw 128% more downloads within just the first week of adding more languages. Global consumers want to use apps that are available in their native langu...

Localization Strategy Guide – The Cultural Dimensions of Germany

July 21, 2017 To many businesses, Germany is the perfect place for business dealings. It ranks third in both total exports and imports, and has a strong economy that is the largest in Europe and the 5...

Baidu: Navigating the Chinese Market

If you are trying to expand globally, you should pay close attention to the Chinese market. China has the most Internet users with 731 million. While the opportunities for digital marketing are bigger...

LEP Students & Families: 10 Types of Paperwork to Translate

It may be the middle of summer, but schools and school districts are already gearing up for fall. In all the preparations, are students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and their families being ...

Why Human Translators Still Matter (For Now)

Some may have grown tired of the debate over whether humans will eventually be outdone by machines. But the fact that it’s constantly talked about doesn’t dampen the reality it signifies: the calm bef...

3 Iconic Brands that Impress with Website Localization

A website will make or break a company’s global brand. For a potential client, there’s nothing quite as frustrating as going to a website looking to find information or buy a product, only to get bogg...

The 10 Most Popular Languages for Business Translation

What are the best languages for business translation? And how do you know which languages your business should use? To help narrow it down, we’ve put together a list of the 10 most popular languages f...

Website Localization Bill Spurs Controversy in Illinois

Website localization has become a heated topic in Illinois government as of late. Recently, some lawmakers in the state had pushed for an amendment to HB 695, also known as the Legislative Information...

How 5 Global Chains Localize Fast Food

Most people will walk into a popular chain restaurant and already know what’s on the menu. Restaurants stick to what works, usually focusing their menus on insanely popular, yet predictable meals for ...

Minority Health Month: How Translation Can Improve Minority Health Outcomes

April is National Minority Health Month, and this year's theme is "Bridging Health Equity Across Communities." But right now, in too many communities, health outcomes are anything but equitable. Here,...

Tradeshow 101: Make Your Attendance Worth It

By Steve Angell and Marco Marino Trade shows, expos and industry conferences are a big investment of your time and resources. Getting a good return on that investment requires some preparation beforeh...

The Globalization of the NBA

Like the NFL, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has a keen interest in expanding the popularity of its sport beyond North America. With rabid fanbases developing around the globe, the NBA has ...

Localizing Images for Marketing

In the world of global marketing, localization is king. Through a well-planned and researched localization process, brands can travel all around the world. While many think of localization as a large-...

Three Steps to Acing Foreign Business Etiquette

A foreign business trip is a daunting undertaking for anyone. The fear of not understanding workflow, customs, business etiquette, and communication styles can present seemingly insurmountable challen...

Q+A With ACTFL Executive Director Martha Abbott On Lead With Languages

Language literacy in the United States may be more important now than ever. With the internet fueling globalization and ecommerce around the world, the 21st century has forced us to acclimate to a wor...

Amazon.com Adding Spanish Language Option

Amazon announced last week it will begin rolling out a Spanish language version of Amazon.com. The addition came just days after the retail giant said it would launch its Amazon Prime services in Mexi...

The Colorful Celebrations of Holi

Today, India will be caught up in the celebration of Holi, a Hindu holiday that takes place on the final full moon in the lunar month of Phalguna, which occurs in February or March. For its participan...

Native Advertising: What To Expect In 2017

You’re probably familiar, maybe unknowingly, with some form of native advertising. Native ads are the ones found tucked into social media feeds or websites that are meant to blend in with existing con...

3 Tips for Website Localization

Your website is designed perfectly! It’s got appealing colors, intuitive content layout, and quality content. But more than likely, your website is built for a single culture—your own. Will that same ...

The Globalization of the NFL

In 2005, the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers played in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca. Despite what was viewed as subpar play, the game, marketed as “NFL Fútbol Americano,” was a massive succ...

Localizing Acronyms

Acronyms and abbreviations are one of the trickiest localization items to handle. While shortening words and phrases can make life easier when writing in your local language, translating acronyms can ...

The 7 Things You Need in Your Localization Toolkit

What do all successful localization projects have in common? Proper planning. One way to start your project off correctly is by defining your expectations with the help of a “localization kit” or chec...

3 Common Misconceptions About Translation

At ULG, we’re often asked “Why do I need to translate my content when everyone speaks English?” So we thought we’d tackle three common misconceptions about the need for translation head-on. Misconcept...

Four Capabilities Every Translation Management System Should Have

To be successful in the global marketplace, companies need to create marketing material in more than one language. And in order to create an effective globalization campaign, you need a Translation Ma...

Combining Technology And Marketing in the Age of Disruption

Let’s face it, as a society we are addicted to technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) revolution has taken over and there’s no looking back. Considering that 90% of the world’s data was created in t...

Effectively Engaging Minority Parents

There is a positive relationship between parent engagement and student success. In other words, when families are involved in their children’s learning both at home and at school, their children do be...

What is a Secure Translator Environment?

Progress made in the digital age has been remarkable. In the 21st century, it seems the possibilities are endless when it comes to data sharing and the transfer of content; the Internet has broken dow...

Better Relationships, Better Translations

If you’re like many of our clients, you spend a lot of time and money developing high-quality English content. A lot of thought goes into the strategy, research, writing, design and production. Then y...

Web Localization Done Right

In this day and age, there aren’t many excuses for companies that don’t tap into foreign markets. The Internet has made global marketing more of a necessity than an option for business. With over 3 bi...

November: A Global Cultural Tradition of Giving Thanks

The month of November marks the beginning of the end of the calendar year. It is also in this month that we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. Thanksgiving is the first major national holida...

Implementing an Anti-Bribery System: A Brief Introduction to ISO 37001

A strong company cannot function without guidelines in place to prevent corruption. In particular, businesses around the globe need to be wary of bribery within an organization. According to The Organ...

Interview with a localization account manager - Len White

Join us in getting to know Len White of VIA's mid-market business localization team. Tell us about your background and what led you to becoming a localization account manager. Prior to VIA, I spent se...

Starbucks Deserves A Gold Card For Localization

Operating in 72 countries and territories with more than 20,000 locations, Starbucks has unprecedented global brand recognition. The white cup with the green logo and brown sleeve is on the forefront ...

Ingeniux Content Management Systems Recognized as a Trendsetter

As the international language of business, science, and academia, English is the most studied language in the world. There are 1.5 billion English language learners and 527 million native English spea...

Three Reasons Why Google Translate Might Not Be the Right Solution for You

After recent updates, Google Translate now includes more than 100 languages, including Hawaiian and Kurdish. According to Google, this means the online translation tool, which is about to celebrate it...

The McDonalds Localization Strategy

One of the main chapters of the McDonalds success story is about convenient and consistent food – fast. When you order a Big Mac with fries, wherever you are in the world the taste should be the same....

Five Steps to Avoid Cultural Mistakes

No one wants to find themselves in an embarrassing or offensive situation in a foreign country because of innocent cultural mistakes. Often, this happens to tourists who are traveling abroad. But it c...

A Tale of Two Localization Fails - Apple Vs. Starbucks

Localization is the process of adapting a product to the linguistic, cultural and technical requirements of a target market. It allows international users to interact with a product or marketing messa...