Home
>
Strategic Planning
>
Are You Ready To Go International?

Are You Ready To Go International?

Although North Americans were the dominant population on the Internet, that has now changed, and the rest of the world has caught up rapidly. And while English is still the most widely used Internet language, it's not the language of choice for many, many Internet users.

So are YOU ready to communicate in this international medium? Whether you're building your own Web site, taking part in discussion groups, visiting a chat room, or just sending and receiving e-mail, you'll meet more and more "foreigners" on the Internet - and vice versa, of course.

Let's look at some tips for communicating effectively in this new global village.

1. Write in plain English

Write clearly, with small words and short sentences. If you're writing long messages or creating long Web pages, include a simple summary at the top.

Be very careful to write exactly what you mean. If you're writing for a general audience, avoid sarcasm, colloquialisms and other things that rely on a certain tone of voice or cultural background.

2. Watch out for phrases with two meanings

Although English is the de facto international language of the Internet, differences abound between, say, English and American English. It's easy enough to allow for differences in the way that we spell "colour", "apologise" and "organisation", but other - more subtle - differences can easily lead to misunderstandings.

For example, does "bi-weekly" mean twice a week or once every two weeks? It's different for Australians and Americans. Similarly, when Australians "table an issue", they are raising it for discussion, but for Americans, "tabling an issue" means putting it aside.

3. Include area codes in phone numbers

Any time you quote a telephone, fax or mobile (cell) phone number on the Internet, ask yourself whether your readers reside outside your local area. If you're potentially addressing distant readers, include your international code and area code in these numbers.

4. Allow for variations in postcodes

American zip codes and Australian postcodes use numbers only; U.K. postcodes contain letters and numbers; Singaporean postcodes use numbers only, but appear in a different place in the address; all have different lengths from each other.

If your Web site includes an order form or a demographic survey, allow for postcodes that fall outside your own local format.

5. Include your full postal address

If you're addressing an international audience, include your country in your postal address. Don't expect people to just figure it out. This seems obvious, but a surprising number of businesses on the Internet forget it.

6. Include international postage costs

If you're selling anything through e-mail or your Web site, cater for international orders, whether you expect them or not. Find out the cost of international postage and shipping, and publish the costs for your customers.

This is a complex area because of the variety of options, depending on the source and destination countries, methods and speed of delivery, customs and duties, and more.

Simplify this as much as possible for your customers. It's better to start with something very simple (for example, one postage price for all international orders, regardless of destination) and adapt it with experience. Or eliminate postage costs entirely, as Rachel Green does on her site by offering free postage anywhere in the world:

http://www.rachelgreen.com

7. Explain your currency

If you use a currency that's common to other countries - such as dollars - make it clear which version you mean. Some Web sites quote their prices in American dollars as a kind of "universal currency", but most use local currency.

Include a link to a currency converter on your Web site to make it easy for your international visitors. Here's one to use:

http://www.rachelgreen.com

8. Be aware of time zones

If you're writing a time (for example, the time when you're available in a chat room) for people in specific time zones, include their local times as well. When writing for an international audience, include the time in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

Include a link to a time zone converter on your Web site - for example:

http://www.rachelgreen.com

9. Use icons carefully

Choose icons on your Web site carefully. For example, not everybody understands what a "STOP" sign means; and a "thumbs up" sign can offend people from some cultures.

In fact, it's so easy to misunderstand icons - even within a culture - that you should always supplement them with clear descriptions.

10. Tolerate mistakes

The more you use the Internet, the more you'll communicate with people who don't speak or write English as well as you do. Be tolerant of poor spelling, bad grammar and typing mistakes when you receive e-mail or take part in Internet discussion groups.

Of course, this is just common courtesy, but again it's surprising to see how many people attack others when they think they can hide behind the safety of their keyboard.

About The Author

Gihan Perera is the author of "Make More Money From Your Web Site". Visit http://www.rachelgreen.com and get your free e-book "The Seven Fatal Mistakes That Almost Every Business Owner Makes on Their Web Site" - PLUS free resale rights.

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

http://www.rachelgreen.com

apartment cleaning near Wilmette ..

In The News:

Instead of fearing what comes next with artificial intelligence, think outside the box. Here are high-earning AI jobs that don't require a computer science degree.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says polite words like "please" and "thank you" cost millions annually, while direct prompts may improve ChatGPT accuracy by several points.

Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat exposed intimate conversations and photos, revealing users spent up to $18,000 on AI companions before the breach.

New Instagram parental controls allow families to manage teen screen time and content limits through the Family Center with stricter safety settings.

Third-party security breach at Discord exposes sensitive user information including government IDs, highlighting cybersecurity risks from external service providers.

Survey of 1,000 students shows teens using AI for personal relationships while two-thirds of parents remain unaware of their children's AI usage.

Cybersecurity experts warn about a ShadowLeak vulnerability that weaponized ChatGPT's Deep Research agent to steal personal data from Gmail accounts through hidden commands.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving system faces federal investigation following 58 reports of crashes, with six vehicles running red lights before colliding with other cars.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest developments on artificial intelligence, with news on OpenAI moving to soon allow erotica for adult users.

Eric Schmidt alerts that hackers can reverse-engineer AI models to bypass safety measures, citing examples like the jailbroken ChatGPT variant called DAN.

Cybercriminals exploit Microsoft Teams through impersonation, malicious links and fake profiles to gather intel and deliver ransomware to personal and work devices.

Google, Dior, Allianz and dozens of other companies lost sensitive customer data in Salesforce-related breaches affecting millions of records across multiple sectors.

Apple launches iOS 26 with new Preview app that combines document editing, PDF annotation and scanning features into one streamlined iPhone experience.

New AI road monitoring system uses sensor-embedded fabric to predict infrastructure problems, potentially reducing maintenance costs and traffic disruptions for cities.

Holiday charity scams target retirees through lookalike organization names, untraceable payment requests, and data broker information to steal donations.

The Federal Trade Commission says criminals are posing as IRS agents, law enforcement officers or other officials, often over the phone or online, to steal thousands of dollars at a time.

AI phishing scams now use voice cloning and deepfake technology to trick victims, but Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals warning signs to watch for.

Inversion Space unveils Arc, a reusable reentry vehicle that can deliver up to 500 pounds of cargo from orbit to anywhere on Earth in under an hour.

Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.

Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.

Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.

Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.

Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.

Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.

The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.

Are You Ready To Go International?

Strategic Planning