Making a Website Friendly for ESL Customers
As everything becomes increasingly connected worldwide, the expectation for websites to have a global audience is more commonplace. These days, you can’t just expect everybody who visits your site will speak English as their first language. Making your website design in Los Angeles friendly for people whose first language isn’t English (ESL) is essential to maximize engagement and provide an excellent user experience. It also increases your odds of expanding your audience because you are opening your doors and being inclusive to people whose first language isn’t English.
So, without further ado, here are our hottest tips for making your website more accessible and friendly to ESL customers.
1. Use Simple Language
When writing content for your website, use language anybody can get. A good rule of thumb? Writing your content as if you were writing books for children or teenagers! Avoid using complex sentence structures and technical jargon that may confuse non-native speakers because this will distract them from your intended message and might even be misunderstood. Also, use shorter paragraphs, bullet points, and headings to break up the text. This makes your content easier to read.
2. Provide Translations
Consider translating your website content if you have a sizeable non-English speaking audience. You can use translation software or hire a professional translator to create high-quality translations of your website pages. You can also use language switcher on your website that let users switch between languages quickly. Larger companies often add these language switchers to the top-right of their websites.
3. Use Visuals
Visuals can be a great way to communicate information without relying on language. Use images, infographics, and videos, explaining concepts and make your website more engaging for non-English speakers. Just make sure to use images that are culturally appropriate and inclusive.
4. Avoid Slang and Idioms
Slang and idioms can be perplexing for non-native English speakers. They will most likely not be very familiar with the actual meaning of the words. For example, some people might think you’re actually crying over spilling milk even when there is no milk or getting offended because you want them to break a leg. Thus, please avoid using slang and idioms on your website.
5. Test Your Website
To ensure that your site is accessible to even non-English speakers, test it with users who speak different languages. Consider doing it with multiple people who speak multiple languages. You can use online websites like Upwork to find testers or hire a professional testing service.
Trying your website out with non-English speakers can help you identify areas that need improvement and make adjustments to improve the user experience. For example, if all your testers find it difficult to read your captions when they watch your video because you speak too fast, you can speak slower for future videos.
6. Provide Language Support
If you have a support team for your website, try your best to ensure they can communicate with non-English speaking users. The United States, for example, is home to many speakers of different languages, and you lose out on many opportunities if you don’t tap into it.
Provide language support via email, chat, or phone. This should help non-English speaking users navigate your site and get the help they need. Make sure to add it to your website that you provide support for non-English languages.
7. Be Culturally Sensitive
When creating content for your website, be culturally sensitive. Avoid making assumptions about your audience! Remember that human beings come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life!
Consider the cultural differences that may impact how your website is perceived and make adjustments as necessary. For example, using different colors, images, or design elements may be more appropriate for other cultures.
Conclusion
In conclusion, making your website more accessible and friendly to ESL custoomers is a great idea for maximizing engagement and providing an excellent user experience. By using simple language, providing translations and visuals, avoiding slang and idioms, testing your website, providing language support, and being culturally sensitive, you can create a website that is friendly for people whose first language isn’t English and be inclusive towards them!
Do you need help making your website friendlier for all sorts of people? Or do you need help creating a website in general? Then please feel free to contact Drive Traffic Media, a web design company in Los Angeles that can help you do that. Call us at (949) 800-6990 or (310) 341-3939 now to get started.