An Ultimate Guide for Indonesian Website Translation

Every region’s language is impacted by its culture and customs, which makes it difficult to comprehend the language’s true core while translating the source language into it. This problem also occurs when you apply website translation into the Indonesian market.

So, our post will introduce some necessary information and 5 helpful tips for you to carry out flawless Indonesia website translation projects.

Why Is Website Translation Important For The Indonesian Market?

Before diving into the key tips for a successful Indonesian website translation project, let’s check out 5 reasons why translating your website into Indonesian is an indispensable step in your expansion plan.

#1. Indonesia is The Land of Multilingualism

Indonesia has the highest percentage of individuals who can speak at least three languages, making it an unusually trilingual and bilingual country.

In Indonesia, there are around 700 languages that are divided into nine groups (national language, local indigenous languages, regional lingua francas, foreign/additional languages, legacy languages, religious languages, English as a lingua franca, and sign languages).

The official language of Indonesia is Indonesian, which is a standardized variant of Malay. It is believed that around 94 per cent of the population speaks it, however, only 20% of Indonesians speak it as their first language. Meanwhile, Javanese, one of the country’s indigenous languages, is the most widely spoken primary language, spoken by more than 30% of the population. The next major indigenous languages in Indonesia are Sundanese, Madurese, Minangkabau, Buginese, and Palembang.

#2. Indonesian Population Has Low English Proficiency 

According to a poll conducted by an international education organization, Indonesia is lagging behind Malaysia, Vietnam, and other nations in the area in terms of English competence.

In 2016 Education First’s English Proficiency Index (EPI), which assesses countries based on their language abilities, Indonesia received 52.91 points, putting it in the “moderate” proficiency category. All of the nations questioned do not speak English. And in 2021, Indonesia’s ranking is still only at 80 in the EPI, which involves the need for website translation if the foreign enterprises wish to engage with Indonesian audiences.

#3. Indonesia is A Big Online Market

According to recent data from Statista, Indonesia is one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, with over 171 million Internet users. This country’s online penetration rate was over 70% in July 2021. Mobile texting and social networking are two popular Internet hobbies. YouTube is Indonesia’s most popular social media site, with roughly 94% of the country’s internet population utilizing it. Mobile internet usage is increasing at double-digit rates, with over 64% of the population using it.

In 2020, roughly 191 million Indonesians will have access to the Internet. By 2025, this number is predicted to reach over 240 million.

#4. The Culture of Indonesia is Highly Diverse

Indonesia, having more than 17,000 islands, has a population of roughly 255 million people, standing as the world’s fourth most populated country. As a result, their cultures, ethnic, religious, etc. can vary from daily Hindu rituals to the prevalence of Islamic sharia law and many other distinctive lifestyles.

Furthermore, prior to the imposition of a national framework, the individual regions had their own political and economic history, which may still be seen in present regional dynamics.

5 Key Things To Consider To Achieve Best Quality Indonesian Website Translation

Now let’s check out 5 useful tips to achieve an excellent website translation for your website in the Indonesian market.

#1. Do Market Research for the Indonesian Market

Because Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s most densely populated country, the COVID-19 epidemic caused substantial long-term economic harm, requiring businesses to pivot their strategy and rearrange their plans to match changing customer needs and market developments.

During the pandemic, Indonesian consumer behaviour showed symptoms of shifting inward, toward online and contemporary buying, with an emphasis on health, home delivery services, and e-commerce platforms. The COVID-19 epidemic also lowered the size of consumers’ consumption baskets, with food and beverage category shares falling by 4%.

As a result, rigorous market research before working on any Indonesian website translation is required to handle some unanticipated difficulties.

#2. Indonesia is An Active Digital Ecosystem 

With a fast-increasing digital economy that includes online shopping, ride-sharing services, and financial technology services, Indonesians are among the world’s most active social media users. Unique consumer behaviour has spawned a slew of new digital business prospects, resulting in the creation of new employment, improved accessibility, and improved connectivity with the global digital ecosystem. The country already has the highest concentration of unicorns in Southeast Asia. The well-known Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Traveloka, and Gojek are among Indonesia’s leading e-commerce sites.

The mobile-first market is essential in Indonesia’s e-commerce business, with projections of an eight-fold increase in expenditure by the end of 2022, to USD 65 billion. At the conclusion of the forecast, 83% of Internet users had adopted it, and the average individual yearly spending was USD 620. Indonesia’s e-commerce boom has influenced the country’s macroeconomic environment so far, then mobile optimization is a need for your website.

#3. Use Social Media

Indonesia came in fourth place among some specific nations, with the most active social media users of under 200 million.

In the third quarter of 2020, YouTube occupied the highest social media penetration rate, over 94%, in Indonesia. Also with a market share of 70% in Indonesia as of July 2021, Facebook was seen as the most popular social media site in this country. Other social media sites like WhatsApp and Instagram are gaining much attention from Indonesians.

The social media ecosystem is comparable to a massive advantage. So remember to embrace social influencers and trends to enhance your website translation.

#4. Google is the Leading Search Engine

From statistics of Statcounter Global Stats in December 2021, with a market share of 97.33%, Google was the most popular search engine in Indonesia.

As a consequence, you should concentrate your SEO efforts on Google in order to increase website traffic and attract Indonesian clients.

#5. Pick Up the Most Suitable Payment Method

Credit cards (MasterCard, VISA), PayPal, ATM, and cash payments are the most popular online payment options in Indonesia. ATM payments are cash transfers from a shopper’s bank account to a merchant’s bank account made using an Indonesian bank’s ATM branch. Therefore, investors should consider carefully before entering the Indonesian market.

To Wrap Up

As one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and a popular tourist destination, Indonesia is a rising market with huge potential for international businesses. Therefore, in order to effectively create and maintain your online presence in this archipelagic country,  your website must be thoroughly “globalized” for Indonesian website translation. Among today’s website translation companies based in Indonesia, GTE Localize services can meet all the necessary demands.

To easily reach your target audience, increase brand credibility, and boost website traffic through high-quality website translation services, contact us now to get the best offer and the chance to cooperate with our professional team.