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What Should You Know About Korean Website Translation?

Posted by Chloe G. on September 26, 2022.

The online market in Korea is huge and growing quickly. Korean website translation services should be used aiming to reach the glazing industry. 

The Korean language has recently gained a lot of significance because it is widely spoken. Then how can you adapt your website to the Korean market effectively? To find the answer to this question, you first need to understand which factors affect the Korean website translation projects. Today’s post will show you the most important factors you need to know.

#1. Understand favorite search engines in South Korea

If you want your Korean website translation to get successful, you need to understand how SEO works in the Korean market. 

Mobile internet usage is especially prevalent in Korea. With a smartphone ownership rate of 94% and a mobile phone penetration rate of 96% (some people have multiple devices), it is reasonable to conclude that South Korea has one of the most developed mobile marketplaces globally. However, the search landscape in South Korea is one factor that could provide a problem for digital marketers who are targeting that nation. In most search markets across the world, Google has a monopoly, but not in South Korea.

According to a Statista survey in 2021, 56% of Korean active monthly users were supplied by Naver. With 47 million Internet users in Korea, the Naver search engine has about 25 million active monthly users. Only 35% of Korean Internet users used Google, and only 6% used Daum, Korea’s second-largest search engine, to look up information.

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In reality, Naver offers every function that Google does, including organic results, paid advertisements, product shopping, etc. Similar to Google, Naver does a decent job of providing tailored results, relevant queries, and automated suggestions based on its own AI recommendation model. Naver is familiar with Koreans. It was developed in Korea and from the beginning emphasized the local setting. Because Naver’s search algorithm is based on the Korean language, it frequently produces more relevant results than Google.

In Korean, Naver seems to offer more accurate localized results. Comparing the locations of Korean tourism attractions on Naver maps and Google maps, Naver appears to be more knowledgeable about the off-the-beaten-path local tourist attractions. With Naver, which combines a search engine, news portal, social media platform, and influencer center on one platform, the Korean digital market has become an integral part of itself.

You should pay attention to Naver and adapt your Korean website translation project to fit it. 

 

#2. Consider popular delivery methods in South Korea

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Another thing to consider is the popular delivery methods when it comes to Korean website translation projects. Here are some common delivery methods you should know. 

  • Motorbike quick service (오토바이퀵):

As the name implies, these are on-demand delivery services that ship goods using motorcycles. They are the most typical on-demand delivery option, and food orders are their main use case. However, They are frequently quick, and not the best for transporting delicate products.

  • Damas quick service (다마스퀵):

These are on-demand delivery services, just like the motorcycle quick service. When transporting products that are either fragile or too large to fit on a motorbike, they instead employ compact automobiles, vans, or trucks. In general, they are more expensive than motorcycle quick services.

  • Subway quick service (지하철퀵):

These are also on-demand delivery services, but they make use of traditional couriers who hand deliver tiny items like fragile and pricey items or crucial personal documents like passports. The name comes from the fact that these couriers convey the goods using public transit. These quick service options typically have the lowest prices but are slower than the others.

  • Regular moving service (이사서비스):

These are shipping services that frequently charge a premium and ship a variety of commodities using specialized moving trucks. When moving with a lot of stuff, we advise using these as they are more professional and often less expensive.

  • Regular Post Delivery (일반 등기 택배):

This is how mail and documents are often delivered in Korea.

  • Registered Post Delivery (익일특급등기 택배/빠른등기 택배):

While using the Korean Postal System, this approach gives documents and letters transported using it a greater priority than those sent via the standard post delivery method. Items mailed using this method often arrive by the following business day. Additionally, they demand that an adult be there to sign for the deliveries to avoid the products being sent back to the post office.

  • Regular Parcel Delivery (일반 소포 택배):

Box and parcel delivery by the Korean Postal System is referred to by this name. Contrasted with the standard postal delivery service, which only applies to letters and papers, this is a separate service. Usually, packages are sent out within one or two business days.

To reach more local customers, you should choose the most relevant delivery method for your Korean website based on your products or services. 

 

#3. Know Korean payment methods for Korean website translation

Payment methods are a vital part of a Korean website translation project. It is essential that you should understand and choose common payment methods for your business to attract more Korean clients. 

South Korea is one of the world’s largest e-commerce markets due to widespread technical and mobile use. Koreans adore buying on their phones. Mobile purchases account for 60% of all transactions, requiring providers to enhance their mobile platforms. One-stop shops are drawing an increasing number of customers. To meet customer expectations, businesses that operate several online stores often attempt to combine them into one huge online store.

The three credit card brands with the greatest acceptance in international e-commerce are Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. In addition to Visa and MasterCard, BC Card, Lotte Card, and T-Money are a few more card brands that are active in Korea.

With the help of an electronic wallet, customers can buy products or services online utilizing one of the most widely used payment options in the nation, such as KakaoPay or Toss. A user’s e-money account can be topped off with funds from a variety of sources, including a credit card and an online bank transfer. E-money can be accessed and saved online or on a mobile device.

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#4. Mind popular social media in South Korea

Social networks are becoming well-liked in today’s world as a means of communication, friend-making, and information sharing. Social Network Service, or SNS, is an online social networking tool that aids users in forming connections with others.

All age groups like using SNS in a high-tech nation like Korea, from young students to middle-aged professionals and even some elderly folks. Most expats are likely aware of well-known SNS platforms like Facebook or Twitter, but do you know which SNS platforms Koreans primarily use?

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Almost every Korean uses the Korean chat program KakaoTalk. Up to 70% of individuals use the social network KakaoTalk, according to a Hankook Research study of over 10,000 people aged 13 to 69. Up to 35 million people utilize this free social networking site in Korea. The first SNS app that any foreigner should know is unquestionably this one.

Naver Corporations established the page Naver Band. Similar to the Korean version of Facebook, it can only be used inside of a business, club, etc. However, persons over 30 are more likely to utilize this app than younger Koreans, who hardly ever use this Korean social network.

Facebook has been so widely used in Korea over the past 7–8 years that it would be difficult for users to communicate online without it. Particularly among users between the ages of 15 and 29, Facebook is still a trendy social networking site in Korea (those over 30 years old use other SNS more). However, Koreans only use Facebook to share fascinating material or videos and sporadically leave comments on a few posts. They don’t use it to establish friends or reveal personal information or photographs.

In Korea, the number of Instagram users has recently grown significantly. As you are all aware, Instagram’s UI primarily features images rather than words, making it considerably more appealing and pleasing to users. Additionally, a lot of Korean actors, actresses, and stars utilize Instagram.

An SNS called Kakao Story was started by KakaoTalk. It might be thought of as Instagram for the Korean market. KakaoStory has garnered a lot of support from Korean users since its introduction. Because KakaoStory allows for private, secret sharing that can only be read by specific people, people between the ages of 30 and 40 prefer to use this service. In addition, KakaoStory has a much higher user base and usage percentage in Korea compared to other Korean social networking sites because it is simply connected to KakaoTalk.

To build an effective Korean website translation project, you need to pick some common social media platforms for your brand.

 

#5. Work with a budget-effective Korean website translation service

A Korean translation and localization firm can support your organization efficiently in that market’s regional marketplace.  

As a Korean website translation company that GoodFirms recommends, GTE Localize pledges to provide the best quality at a cost-saving price for any Korean website translation project. We have a huge network of native Korean linguists who have managed many Korean website translation projects and have at least five years of relevant business experience, demonstrating our proficiency. 

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To lower the cost for our clients, we also have the most recent translation technologies, such as CAT Tools, Localization Management Platforms, QA Tools, Self-built ERP, etc. 

We have had the opportunity to work with various clients including well-known companies like Facebook, Tiktok, Google, Abbott, and many more Fortune 500 companies.

Send us a message and we’ll send you a 300-word sample and a quote for your next Korean website translation project along with an estimated Korean website translation cost.

To get essential localization tips for the Korean language and other Asian languages, please download our white paper “Insightful Tips for Localization into Asian Languages (56 Pages)”.

If you are interested in localization strategy for SMEs, you can download our white paper now.