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9 things to remember in your localization process

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Localization

In a previous post, we outlined what’s in WCAG 2.0 to 2.1. But if your organization supports more than one region, you’ll want to know what to prepare for localization.

Support all your regions

Reaching a broad audience is essential. With so much competition out there, it’s crucial to cast your net as wide as possible. But do you know everything that you need to consider in your localization process?

Never forget what needs to be localized with the list below.

A checklist so that you never forget what needs to be localized
Never forget what needs to be localized with this list

Your localization checklist

The list includes the standard items included for localization and the items often forgotten.

Keep this handy checklist with you

  1. Copy – I’m sure you know to translate all the text on your website 👍
  2. Language attributes (lang or hreflang attributes) – The lang attributes identify the language of the current page, whereas, hreflang tells the user the language of the page in the link
  3. Image text alternatives (alt attributes) – Not only does an alt describe the image to the user, but it’s the best way for your image to show up in search results
  4. Title tag – It can be used in other elements, but the most important one is the one found in the <head> tag; it’s the title of your page
  5. Aria-label attributes – The aria-label attribute is a great way to add context to your audience
  6. Off-screen positioned CSS text – Text read by screen readers but not visually available to your broad audience
  7. Table summary and captions – Gives your users information about the table
  8. Metatags – Page titles and meta descriptions
  9. Long descriptions – longdesc is used when an image is too complex and requires more explanation than an alt tag

Screen readers and languages

Woman listening to sounds on her headphones
Screen readers can speak many different languages
💡 Did you know that screen readers can speak in different languages and voices? Grab a screen reader and listen to all the possibilities!

When you identify a page’s language,<html lang="en">, you tell the screen reader which language to use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, localizing accessibility attributes is crucial for creating a friendly and inclusive digital experience. Let’s prioritize localization to create a warm and welcoming digital landscape for your worldwide audience.

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