Specific data pointing to the lack of alternative languages, including Spanish, the second-most common language in the U.S., indicates not only potential revenue losses, but in some industries such as pharmaceutical firms and healthcare companies, a possible safety and health risk.
The criteria used to determine whether a website was determined to be localized or not was based on the availability of the website's content in at least one language other than English. According to the study, in many cases, Fortune 500 websites were only translated into one other language, if they were translated at all.
"In today's global marketplace, it's really astonishing how few Fortune 500 companies have made their content available in other languages," said Ofer Shoshan, CEO and co-founder of One Hour Translation. "The cost of translating web content is affordable for even small businesses today, which is why the fact that 48 percent percent of the Fortune 500 companies haven't translated or localized their websites is so shocking."
The study revealed several industry specific insights including:
• 66% of Fortune 500 retail company websites are not translated
• 65% of Fortune 500 healthcare company websites are not translated
• 1/3 of Fortune 500 insurance company websites are not translated
• 83% of Fortune 500 energy/utility company websites are not translated
Industries that scored 100 percent across the board included airlines, auto manufacturers, consumer banks, and investment banking houses.
"A company that doesn't translate their corporate or consumer-facing website into other languages or localize their content is losing sales and investment opportunities," says Shoshan. "According to Common Sense Advisory, an analyst firm specializing in translation services, 85 percent of internet users won't make important purchasing decisions unless the sales product is expressed in their native language."
