Localisation is adapting content to a specific market, whereas translation is merely converting words into another language. The difference shows up immediately in the results. Localisation changes currencies, units, date and address formats, legal information, contact details, payment and delivery methods, examples and references to local companies, and adjusts keywords to how people in that market actually talk about the topic – a literal translation of a Slovak term is often not the term someone there searches for. It also changes the tone of communication, which is more formal in some countries. Translation without localisation is obvious at first glance and reduces trust just as typos do. Invest rather in one properly localised market than in five translated languages. Entrust localisation to a native speaker with knowledge of the field, not just a translator.
See also: Domain Strategy for Markets, Hreflang, Cultural differences in communication.
