Internationalization in Web Design: Global Considerations

International web design addresses language, cultural, and technical differences affecting user experience across global markets. Text expansion planning accommodates languages like German (35% longer) and Chinese (character-based layouts) requiring flexible design systems. Cultural color psychology varies significantly—white symbolizes purity in Western cultures but mourning in some Asian cultures. Right-to-left language support affects entire layout structures for Arabic and Hebrew markets. Date, number, and currency formatting requires localization beyond translation. Image selection must consider cultural sensitivities and local representation. Navigation patterns adapt to cultural scanning behaviors and hierarchy expectations. Technical considerations include Unicode support, font availability across languages, and SEO optimization for local search engines like Baidu or Yandex. Content management systems need translation workflow support and version control across language variants. Legal compliance varies by region, affecting privacy policies, accessibility requirements, and content regulations.