[Mike Halliday]

I was thinking of doing an adwords campaign in Hindi to appeal to people of Indian decent.

I can't see why not it won't cost anything unless someone clicks it..... and who would click an ad in a foreign languages, it could even be down the side (not one of the Main top 3 ads) and I think if any one sees it whose main language is Hindi they would  click it

Can anyone see any problems?

[garry22]

Why stop there (try Polish etc)?

Just make sure that your geographical areas are set up properly!

[derek west]

I was thinking of doing an adwords campaign in Hindi to appeal to people of Indian decent.

I can't see why not it won't cost anything unless someone clicks it..... and who would click an ad in a foreign languages, it could even be down the side (not one of the Main top 3 ads) and I think if any one sees it whose main language is Hindi they would  click it

Can anyone see any problems?

the BNP? 

[AshWhite]

They'd click it, but click off when the main site is in English would be my guess.

Would be more beneficial (and cheaper ppc) if you had a landing page in the same language too.

[wynne jones]

That would probably work, but why? What is the advantage?

[JandS]

I live in a area with a large Asian population.
They all read and speak English as their first
and sometimes only language.
Some off them can only speak their native
language, they can't read or write it.
The ones who can't speak English at all, mainly
women, tend to live in houses I don't want to
work in anyway.

John

[Helen]

I was thinking of doing an adwords campaign in Hindi to appeal to people of Indian decent.

I can't see why not it won't cost anything unless someone clicks it..... and who would click an ad in a foreign languages, it could even be down the side (not one of the Main top 3 ads) and I think if any one sees it whose main language is Hindi they would  click it

Can anyone see any problems?

I can't see a problem with doing this, but what about enquiries? If they need to use an advert in non english, could they possibly enquire in non english (because they can't speak or write English) and are you fluent in that language to be able to answer them?
Just a thought

[Mike Halliday]

My thinking is.... I've never seen a poor Indian ( in my area) most are doctors, and it's always the wife that calls who often does not have the command of English her husband has.

I would think the wife would have reservations about calling a tradesmen so anything that puts her at ease I think would help. If she is looking on google for a  carpet cleaner then she is expecting to read the websites ienglish but the initial reason she clicks onto my website is the Hindi , so I have won half the battle by getting her to visit my website.

And what have I to lose, no click no charge

Ps. The Hindi landing page would be an interesting idea

[AshWhite]

For what it's worth, when I used to work in the motor trade further into West Wales, customers would come in test drive cars, go through all the process, then often discuss the pros and cons between them in Welsh.
At this point, I hadn't told them that I could speak Welsh - sometimes I would listen to what they were saying and alter my approach accordingly. Other times, I would start conversing in Welsh and their attitude would change completely. They'd start asking me things like "What do you think we should do?, What colour do you think is best?" as if I was a completely impartial friend.

So the moral is that establishing something in common (the more rare, the better I think) is a fast track to building a good relationship.

Advertising in their native language is a good starting point - but and Ad in Hindi then the rest in English would be akin to holding your hand out to shake it, then pulling it back and blowing a raspberry with your thumb to your nose at the last second.

I hope that makes sense. As it happens, I have also considered doing the same thing in the past, but didn't bother after thinking it through.

[wynne jones]

Definitely sounds like something to test if you think they will be the type you are targeting. I would also split test sending it to a relevant page and another page with the same info but in Hindi. Not only might you see a better click through to call but there might be a difference in cost per click.

[derek west]

doesn't google all ready offer this fascility anyway? if i was foreign i would just translate the whole page.



wouldn't it be funny if yours then translated back into english making you the only one they couldn't read (joke)

[JandS]

It does Derek.I was looking at some rotary polishers
on a Finnish site, with the translate button displayed
at the top.

[Carpet Dawg]

Mike,

Without coming across as a sterotype, dont you find that the asian customer to be difficult, want something for nothing and hard to work for?

This is my experance with the asian client, weather they are doctors or shop keepers, I have had nothing but trouble with them. Apart from three customers I have to this day.

Why would you want to spend money targeting them?

[Mike Halliday]

I find them OK, the do haggle with the price and tend not to to tidy up before we arrive ( lots of crap all over the floors) but apart from that they are not too bad.

The good thing about them is they tend to get the full house done, looking back I've done very few single room jobs for Indians.

[Simon Gerrard]

Why don't they learn to speak English? To me it is an insult that people come to live here but don't bother to pay us the respect of learning our language. Not being racist, I just don't see why we have to provide interpreters so non English speaking people can communicate with English people

[Dominic Carnell]

Why don't they learn to speak English? To me it is an insult that people come to live here but don't bother to pay us the respect of learning our language. Not being racist, I just don't see why we have to provide interpreters so non English speaking people can communicate with English people

I totally agree, if you were operating an international website then having different translations of your text would be a good thing. But as you're based in the UK, you should stick to English only.

Also, what if they really don't speak any English and they chose you because they thought you spoke their language? Could be embarrassing when you get to their house, or they phone up, and you can't converse with them in their native language.

[Simon Gerrard]

And of your going to do it for Hindi then you should include Chinese, polish, Welsh, no forgetting scouse  , otherwise you could be accused of being racist and favouring one ethnic group whilst ignoring the needs of others.
And, as Dominic says, what happens if they think you speak Hindi and ring you for a quote expecting you to speak the language?

Simon

[Hilton]

Why don't they learn to speak English? To me it is an insult that people come to live here but don't bother to pay us the respect of learning our language. Not being racist, I just don't see why we have to provide interpreters so non English speaking people can communicate with English people

Its not racist to say people should speak English lots of countries in Africa and Asia do.

But agree it should be a condition of settling here to be able to speak the lingo.

[Mike Halliday]

if we told every Indian doctor to pizz off home and don't come back untill you wife speaks good english the NHS would collapse,

plus when we tell them to pizz off home what do we say when they say...... "you mean back to basingstoke?"

[AshWhite]

That's rich, with all the brits emigrating to Spain, France etc, who's only effort at picking up the local lingo is to talk louder, slower, and with more hand movements.