Interacting with International Audiences Online
Many brokers use social media to fuel, support, or augment their new-business efforts. When these efforts target international audiences, it’s critical to tailor content to the expectations and preferences of specific cultures.
To learn about best practices, as well as pitfalls to avoid, SIOR Report spoke with James Fink, SIOR, business solutions and corporate development officer, APAC, at Savills Japan Co., Ltd. in Tokyo; and Kara Alaimo, Ph.D., associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.
Fink, who earned an MBA in finance and Japanese from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, has lived abroad since 1990. Alaimo is the author of “Pitch, Tweet, or Engage on the Street: How to Practice Global Public Relations and Strategic Communication.” Here is what they say about the digital side of communicating across cultures:
CHANNELS AND CONTENT
Just as with any form of intercultural communication—in-person or otherwise—preparatory research paves the way toward successful outcomes. Fortunately, helpful resources abound. Whenever Alaimo, for example, wants to learn about the most popular social channels within a certain country, she turns to reports from We Are Social, a global creative agency that specializes in social media. “If I’m considering what channels I’m going to use in Sweden, or what channels I’m going to use in Nigeria, these reports are my first stop,” she says.
Once you determine which channels are right for your target audience, you’ll need to figure out what kinds of messages and content will resonate with the audience from a cultural standpoint. Again, resources are plentiful. Alaimo recommends, for one, the country comparison tool available on the website of the consulting firm Hofstede Insights. Here site visitors can type in the name of a country and see how its inhabitants score across six cultural dimensions developed by Geert Hofstede, one of the preeminent scholars of intercultural communications.
Something as simple as a color in one country may not be as appealing in another. Different emojis can mean very different things from culture to culture.
Posts and blogs should also take generational differences into account, as well as differences between personal and business use. Both Alaimo and Fink are fans of LinkedIn on the business front. “I believe LinkedIn is the best globally in terms of being purely a business platform,” says Fink. But he also points out that in some cultures where it’s less acceptable to market oneself, LinkedIn is less popular.
LANGUAGE AND VISUAL CONSIDERATIONS
If your posts are in English, be mindful of language barriers. “Keeping sentences shorter will make it easier for non-native readers of English,” notes Fink. Carly Hill, a content specialist at Sprout Social, a provider of social media software, agrees. “The easiest adjustments are to shorten your sentences and check your reading levels,” she writes in an article about global social media marketing. “Long and compound sentences are difficult for everyone.”
Beyond adhering to the principle of the short and simple, Fink typically includes some Japanese terms (written in Japanese) in addition to English to provide context and increase engagement among his Japanese-speaking followers.
Another tip comes from Alaimo: “You really want to avoid language and cultural references that might not be universal,” she says, pointing to baseball metaphors as a big no-no.
Hill suggests an assessment of visuals as well as text. She points out that something as simple as a color in one country may not be as appealing in another,” and that “different emojis can mean very different things from culture to culture. A friendly hand wave emoji in the US can mean breaking up a friendship or relationship in China. And a thumbs up that seems innocuous in Western chats can be extremely offensive in the Middle East.” To make sure that you’re getting the right message across without running afoul of cultural values, try to find a local expert to review your posts before publishing them. This local expert could be a colleague, friend, follower, or business associate (hint: Think about your SIOR connections).
TARGETING RELATIONSHIP-ORIENTED CULTURES
Relationship-oriented cultures, in which relationships are considered prerequisites for conducting business, create extra obstacles for social media teams. Many cultures in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East fall into the relationship-oriented category. The U.S., in contrast, is more of a rules-oriented culture, where people are typically willing to transact business in the absence of an existing relationship.
When targeting social audiences in relationship-oriented cultures, it’s helpful to have an “in” of some sort. The “in” could very well come from an influencer. Alaimo emphasizes that influencers are not just people who sell beauty products, and she suggests that social media teams look at people who have a large following in a particular country or market. Perhaps there is a way to collaborate with that person to reach the right audience. Hill advocates a similar strategy of partnering with local creators and influencers. These people, she says, “can help you connect with your audience through a friendly face they recognize, like and trust.”
Social media teams who don’t have the wherewithal to finance or explore such partnerships should nevertheless strive to post about topics relevant to target audiences. Fink notes that an interesting article “liked” or forwarded by your contacts may be seen by a potential client with whom you are not yet connected. Alaimo points out that many potential clients, whether they’re members of relationship-oriented or rules-oriented cultures, will look at your social media profiles before they connect, communicate, or meet with you. It’s important, therefore, to establish and maintain your presence on popular channels.
CONCLUSION
There is extensive legwork that goes into the planning and implementation of social media programs across cultures. Not every brokerage has the budget or in-house staff to conduct research and develop localized content that attracts followers and viewers from different cultures. But even small steps, if carefully considered, can help brokers to expand their business in other countries. In summary, the best approach is to think globally, post locally.
This article was sponsored by the SIOR Foundation - Promoting and sponsoring initiatives that educate, enhance, and expand the commercial real estate community. The SIOR Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-forprofit organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent of the law.
CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS
James Fink, SIOR