Which event platform does the best localization in Asia?

What is the best event platform in Asia? To answer this question, besides looking into the general features such as price, experience, event management support, why not consider the localized support given by the platform? Localized support helps suit the specific needs of the audience you are targeting. In this article, we are going to compare the features of localized support between different event platforms, mainly Eventbrite, Webex, Cvent, EventX, and see which one wins the battle of the best localized support in Asia.

Learn more about: the best virtual trade show platforms, and the best event registration software

What is a localized platform?

A localized platform means a site adapted to the local environment through adopting local language and cultural elements, so that foreign audiences can easily navigate and use the platform. Localization is more than just word-to-word translation; it should offer a tailor-made user experience to your new target audience. Now, we are going to look at which platform is best suited for event planners in Asia.

Localization on different event platforms (comparison)

Cvent

Cvent specializes in business events such as conferences. Its headquarters is located in Tysons, United States. It has been experiencing global business expansion since 1999, and now has offices in Singapore and India. One of the main features of Cvent is its Cvent Supplier Network®, where event organizers can search for and book event venues. It includes venues around the world including Asia, such as China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea etc. The site for the supplier network also supports languages used in Asua, such as Chinese (simplified / traditional), Korean, Japanese, Thai, and Russian. Nonetheless, Cvent specializes in the North America and Europe markets, and its main language for customer support is still English. 

Features

• Localized platform in Singapore
• 290,000+ hotels and venues listed on Cvent Supplier Network®, including venues in Asia
• Cvent Supplier Network® enables 18 languages, such as Chinese (simplified / traditional), Korean, Japanese, Thai, and Russian

Webex by Cisco

Founded in 1995, the company has much experience in holding hybrid events, selling video conferencing and unified communications. Though the company only has one office located in San Jose, California, it provides services and works worldwide. The company’s core values include flexibility, inclusivity and security, envisioning to offer equal and secure experiences to people regardless of geographic location, language, communication style and disability. Webex supports a lot of languages, supporting up to 10 languages on its main website and 26 languages for its help center. However, Webex’s website may be a bit difficult to navigate for newcomers.

Features

• Multilingual support: support up to 10 languages on its main website, such as simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean; support up to 26 languages for its help center, including Russian, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Japanese, Korean

Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a platform for you to discover or create your own events. It specializes in cultural community and commercial events and unique ticketing solutions. Headquartered in San Francisco and launched operations in 2006, Eventbrite has been actively expanding its network to the Asia market in the past few years. An optimized platform in Hong Kong, eventbrite.hk and Singapore, eventbrite.sg are launched in 2019 with curated local content. For ticket selling, it allows payment processing in local currency, and a  ‘Publish To Facebook’ feature where tickets can be directly sold through Facebook. However, Eventbrite does not have offices in Asia, and hence may not be able to offer optimal support.

Features

• Localized platform in Hong Kong and Singapore with local content, such as featuring local events
• Support around 15 languages, but mostly European languages
• Ticket selling in local currency

EventX

EventX is an event platform based in Asia. Founded in 2014 in Hong Kong, EventX has scaled up and expanded across Asia, with offices in China, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Philippines and Thailand. Since offices are plotted in different countries in Asia, support can be given to localize their event materials, presentation and booth layout into local language. One of the most distinct features of EventX is China network accessibility, which allows you to reach audiences in China without the use of VPN. Moreover, EventX boasts fast loading speed in China, allowing Chinese audiences to attend your virtual events in an average of 3.25 seconds. EventX also provides China social logins, China payment gateway, and holds China streaming licenses. The only shortcoming of EventX is that the company is relatively new to the event industry compared to its competitors.

Features

• Allows virtual events to be joined by audiences in China without VPN
• Provides China support: China payment gateway, China social logins and China streaming license
• Organizers can localize their event materials, presentation and booth layout into the local language, e.g. Chinese.
• Supported languages: English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean
• Supports payment in local currencies

Conclusion

There are a variety of event platforms to choose from and many have comprehensive functions. Why not consider the needs of your local audience and choose a platform that provides the best localized support? Since most high-rated event platforms are based in the US, EventX, based in Asia, may have a competitive edge in the Asia market.

Frequently-asked questions about localized platforms

A localized platform means a site adapted to the local environment through adopting local language and cultural elements.

2. What makes good localization for an event platform?

Localization goes beyond language translation - the whole user experience should be optimized to ensure quality, consistency, and efficiency across different platforms. Here are some criteria that you may want to consider:

• Language: is there local language support for your audience, and is the translation easy to understand?
• Local content: is there local content in the platform? 
• Customer support: is there local customer support that will be able to communicate in your language and understand regional needs?
• Network speed: is the network speed quick in the local area?