Strategies: Localization

Guides localization strategy for AI/SaaS products expanding into global markets. Covers i18n implementation, translation, pricing, and marketing adaptation—not just text translation.

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If .claude/product-marketing-context.md or .cursor/product-marketing-context.md exists, read it for product, target markets, and brand.

Identify:

1. Target markets: Priority languages/regions
2. Product type: SaaS, AI tool, content
3. Technical stack: Next.js, React, etc.

Localization vs. Translation

Localization includes:

• Product: Features, UI/UX, cultural adaptation
• Pricing: True localization (adjust by market) vs. cosmetic (currency only)
• Marketing: Channels, content, user personas
• Compliance: GDPR, local regulations

Technical (i18n)

URL Structure

• Subdirectories: /zh, /de, /es, /ru
• Default: Root path for English; prefix for others
• Hreflang: Add to all multilingual pages

Common Issues (Next.js + next-intl)

SEO

• Hreflang on all language versions
• Language switcher: Use <a> not <button>; links in initial HTML
• Canonical: Handle multi-domain if using local TLDs

Keyword Research by Market

Consider: Cultural expressions, search habits, competition, long-tail in small markets.

Terminology

• AIGC vs. GenAI: Use “AIGC” for China; “Generative AI” for English markets
• KOL vs. Influencer: “Influencer” in English; “KOL” in Chinese
• Avoid machine translation for product/marketing: Terminology, culture, SEO quality

Pricing Strategies

Output Format

• Market priority
• i18n approach
• Keyword strategy per market
• Pricing recommendation
• Technical checklist

Related Skills

• seo-on-page-metadata: Hreflang implementation
• components-navigation-menu: Language switcher SEO
• channels-affiliate: Local affiliates for target markets