In this age of globalization, it’s very easy for website owners to overlook the fact that not everyone in the world speaks and reads English even though it may be the preferred international language. In fact, according to the Center for Applied Linguistics, only about 20% of the world's population speaks English as native, second or foreign language.

This is one crucial reason why you need to localize the content of your game sites for the audience you’re targeting… unless, of course, you are targeting predominantly English-speaking countries like the United States, the UK, or Canada. Not only does it allow you to venture into new markets, but localizing your content also shows your commitment to reach out to your target audience in ways that a general English medium would never be able to achieve. You’ll be able to cater to their gaming needs in a way that they can comfortably understand.

A perfect example is Yo-yoo Games. It is a game site that targets the Israeli population specifically, where users can play free games, or as they say in Hebrew משחקים בחינם, without having to download anything.

Note that although around 85% of the populace speaks English to some extent due to the fact that English proficiency is a core requirement in the public education system, a whopping 90% of Israeli Jews are proficient in Hebrew with an impressive 70% being highly proficient. We should also point out that in a marketing study conducted by CSA Research, they found that even if the population is highly proficient in English, a significant 65% of them would still prefer content in their native language.

By using Hebrew entirely on the site, Yo-yoo Games is able to effectively target its audience with pinpoint precision, allowing it to really tailor its content to fit what its users are seeking. This is especially helpful when it comes to game instructions since you can’t play a game without knowing how to play it in the first place, right?

In terms of an SEO perspective, the site is also able to target suitable keywords that are less competitive and yet is highly ranked on search. For instance, Yo-yoo Games is ranked first when you search for games in Hebrew (משחקים), overtaking international game sites like Poki.com. Trying to target for these kinds of keywords in English and you’ll find yourself fighting an uphill battle against site owners with a lot more funds, that’s for sure!

So, to sum it all up, localization is very important for game sites, and for every other site in fact, if you want to make sure that your content can reach and be properly understood by the audiences you want. It can help keep your users more engaged as they feel more comfortable interacting with your site in their native languages. There’s also the added SEO benefit for being able to aim for typically highly-competitive keywords in the respective languages you want and actually be able to see significant rewards for your money and efforts within a much shorter period of time. It’s just win-win all around!