Hey — it’s Nico.

This is Behind Tactics 🧠, the Failory newsletter where I share the strategies behind the best startups.

This issue takes 7 mins to read. If you only have one, here’s what you need to know:

• Canva’s hyper-localization adapts content to local cultures, boosting traffic and engagement.

• They created 24,000+ pages in over 100 languages, reaching millions of new users.

• Localization can significantly grow your audience by making your product accessible to new markets.

• AI makes localization affordable, allowing startups to expand globally without huge costs.

• It boosts SEO, helping content rank better and driving more organic traffic globally.

Let’s get into it.

The Strategy

Localization Pays Off

Localization is one of those things everyone knows is important, but it often ends up as an afterthought compared to other marketing strategies.

And I get it—localization isn’t exactly thrilling. Affiliate marketing, SEO, content marketing—those are the fun, exciting parts of the business.

But when you look at the numbers, one of the easiest and most effective ways for any startup to quickly double its audience is to localize the entire website into as many languages as possible.

This is exactly what Canva figured out back in 2017, and since then, they’ve been going all-in on localization.

Canva has taken localization to the next level, making it more efficient and impactful than most. They created over 24,000 web pages translated into more than 100 languages to effectively connect with a global audience.

For Canva, localization isn’t just about changing words—it’s about making the entire experience feel native. Whether users are in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, or Japan, the platform adapts not only in language but also in cultural nuances. Design tools, templates, and even messaging are tailored to match local preferences and regional quirks. This isn’t just translation; it’s full customization of the product to make it feel familiar and relevant to each user.

This is called hyper-localization, and it goes far beyond what most companies are doing. For example, users in Argentina might see different templates or content than users in Spain—even though both speak Spanish. Canva lets local design teams take charge, ensuring the platform reflects regional preferences and design sensibilities that only native speakers truly understand.

And it’s paying off. Today, more than 65% of Canva’s users are non-English speakers, and 80% of their traffic comes through these localized pages. With this strategy, Canva has boosted their organic traffic by more than 100M visits each month, becoming the go-to design tool for millions worldwide.

Let AI Handle It

When Canva started localizing, it needed a dedicated team of specialists to rewrite content, adapt templates, and make sure everything resonated with each target audience. Back then, localization was a big project that required significant resources. But things have changed. With the advancements in AI, the same level of localization is now accessible to almost any startup—and at a fraction of the cost.

Today, AI tools can handle most of the heavy lifting when it comes to translating content. You no longer need to hire a large team to rewrite every page from scratch. Instead, AI can quickly and efficiently translate your content, giving you a solid foundation to build upon. The cost of localization has effectively dropped to near zero, allowing even smaller companies to tap into new markets without breaking the bank.

This means that localization has probably become one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies out there. Localizing your content, even if your product hasn’t been fully translated, can have an enormous impact on your organic reach. Many startups could easily see their organic traffic triple or even quintuple just by making their content available in multiple languages.

With AI making localization easy and affordable, there’s no reason not to expand your reach. If you can connect with users in their native language, you can significantly boost engagement, improve SEO, and grow your audience globally—all without a massive budget.

Should I?

Why This Works

• Expands Your Target Audience: By localizing content, companies can reach entirely new markets. Users who may have previously been excluded due to language barriers are now included, allowing businesses to tap into new customer bases around the world.

• Cost-Effective and Easy with AI: The advancements in AI have made localization both cost-effective and simple. What once required a dedicated team of translators can now be managed at scale with AI, allowing companies to localize thousands of pages without a massive budget. 

• Enhances User Experience: Localization isn’t just about reaching new users; it’s about improving the experience for existing ones. When non-English-speaking users find content in their native language, it creates a seamless experience that feels more relevant and engaging, leading to higher satisfaction and retention.

• Boosts SEO and Organic Traffic: Localized content helps companies rank higher in search engines for different regions. By offering tailored content for each language and market, businesses can boost their visibility across international search results, driving substantial increases in organic traffic.

How to Apply It

• Use AI Translation Tools: AI translation has come a long way and can handle many language pairs effectively. Start with AI for broad localization, then fine-tune the translations on high-traffic pages like the homepage by hiring a translator if necessary.

• Create Language-Specific Folders: Organize localized content with language folders (like “/es/” for Spanish). This setup makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index each language variant, boosting your SEO and ensuring each region’s content is accessible.

• Optimize Your Site’s Structure: Use a localized sitemap and ensure proper interlinking to guide search engines through your various language versions. This will improve your site’s visibility in multiple languages, helping users find the right version of your content.

• Check Localization Quality: AI translations can miss subtle nuances, so be sure to implement a Localization Quality Assurance (LQA) process. LQA can catch issues like grammatical errors, unnatural phrases, or UI problems that could frustrate users and harm credibility.

Yes, But

• Risk of Misalignment with Target Audience: Localization isn’t just about language—it’s about connecting with culture. If the content feels awkward or out of place, users may feel disconnected. To counter this, use LQA and involve native speakers when possible.

• Maintenance Can Be a Challenge: Once localized, content needs to be maintained and updated in all languages. Every time you make a change to your original content, you have to ensure that each localized version is updated as well. This can lead to a lot of manual work if you are targeting many regions and languages, making scalability a challenge.

• Risk of Diluted Brand Message: When you localize content across multiple regions, there’s a risk that your brand message could become inconsistent. Cultural adaptations may lead to versions of your message that don’t align perfectly with your brand’s core values, potentially causing confusion among your global audience.

Keep Learning

Others Playing It

Revolut, an UK fintech, localized their app to 31 new markets in 2021. Within a year, they achieved an impressive 186% user growth.

doxy.me, a telemedicine company, localized their app to more than 100 languages, significantly expanding their user base.

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That’s all for this edition.

Cheers,

Nico