Question

Topic: Website Critique

French Website

Posted by Anonymous on 9/10/2009 at 2:58 PM ET 50 Points
We need to put up a French website as we're expanding into Quebec, having serviced the rest of Canada (in English) for 25 years. Is it better to have a unique URL for the French site, or to use a button on our English site? Anyone w/ Quebec experience who can comment? www.malabarsuperspice.com


(I have advice from French sales reps that a separate URL isn't necessary, but can't quite believe it. Thoughts?)
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 9/10/2009 at 4:25 PM Accepted
    Localisation is an important part of any web development and promotion project.

    We have a similar issue here in Wales with the bi lingual differences between English and Welsh speaking parts of the nation. It is important to recognise the diversity of the two cultures.

    In any web development and promotion project you have to consider the customer. They will be using your website far more that you will. Your website should address their issues not your promotional messages.

    A separate website address with the main key phrase in the URL should enhance your prospects with the French speaking community. You can put links into the English language site to direct French speaking clients to the French site.

    I have to warn you that the French language site must not be a direct translation of the English speaking website but it must be re-written for the French cultural community.

    User experience is an important aspect of the website development. You must make your website user friendly for all target customer profiles. This may require a separate website for each community so you can address the idiosyncrasies of each culture through your website.

    My book Internet Marketing: How to get a Website that Works for your Business was published last year and is available from Amazon. It guides the business owner and marketer through the processes of web development that produces the site that works for your business.

    https://www.businessforbusiness.co.uk/book.htm

    I will check back soon to see what you have decided.

    Best wishes with your project.

    Regards

    Nigel T Packer
  • Posted on 9/10/2009 at 4:41 PM Accepted
    Sara,

    I have just taken a closer look at your website and it looks good. there are a number of user experience issues but they can be easily resolved.

    The SEO can be improved but I would have to know more about your potential customers and what are the objectives for your website .

    If you want to know more contact me.

    Kind regards

    Nigel T Packer
    @NigelTPacker on Twitter
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/11/2009 at 9:21 AM Accepted
    You could create a subdomain: fr.malabarsuperspice.com for your Québécois marketing and have a button/popup to allow visitor to choose language (by flag icon, for example).
  • Posted on 9/11/2009 at 11:41 AM Author
    Thanks all for your responses - I'm new to this forum so hope I'm using it properly :) Appreciate the web critique NigelTPacker - would love to know more re: user experience issues - I feel I'm too close to it now to see what should sometimes be obvious. We do get good ranking on our key search criteria, but I'd love your feedback.

    Mike, I'm a Sherpa fan as well, but missed that article, and will take a look asap. thank you.

    Jay Hamilton-Roth - that's exactly what I'm being told will fly in Quebec. Interestingly, although when I worked in the UK, doing a French website meant rewriting the content entirely to suit French users, it seems (I'm told!) that in Quebec people expect the French site to be an exact translation of the English one. This may reflect the fact the French Canadians generally can speak English and are used to putting up w/ entirely English sites, don't know, but I was surprised by this and wanted some advice. (Thus the question!) Interestingly, they seem to want an entirely unique catalogue. (I am now regretting not spending that summer exchange in Quebec City when I was 13... !)





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