How you can tell that an Australian wrote English text... without being told? ✍️
It'll show up in the language.
Specifically, in uniquely Australian words and phrases that quietly sneak into English copy aimed at an international audience.
I usually talk about how crucial it is to localise your messaging for Australian customers to drive stronger engagement and sales.
But here’s the flip side 👇
Localisation works both ways.
If you’re an Australian business marketing to an overseas audience, your copy still needs to be crystal clear to them. Unless Australian English is a deliberate part of the brand (and explained), it can easily confuse or even alienate your potential customers.
The tricky part?
Most English primary speakers don’t even realise how many region-specific terms they use every day. These pop up in the most unexpected of places… including polished, professional marketing copy.
A real example I spotted recently 👀
On an Australia-based website targeting an international audience, I came across:
- “running around like a chook with its head cut off”
- “they really paid us out”
If you’re not Australian (or a New Zealander), would you know what those mean?
Here’s the translation:
🐓 "chook" = "chicken", so the phrase means "being frantic or disorganised"
💰 "to pay someone out" can mean paying someone a large sum of money… but in Australian English, it often means "to mock or criticise someone"
For readers outside Australia, the intended meaning is far from obvious and the message is then lost.💡
The takeaway?
If you want your content to land with a global audience, it pays to have someone with the right linguistic and cultural expertise review your copy. Clear, accessible language leads to higher engagement and, ultimately, better results.
A great example of getting this right ✅
The Study Australia website. It’s written for an international audience, fully understandable globally, while still retaining Australian spelling and education-specific terminology.
That’s localisation done well.
🌎 If your brand speaks globally, make sure your words do too!
And who can help you achieve this? I can! How's about sending me an email at info@nicknasev.com and let's see how you can get greater international sales with my expertise.
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