Blog Localize, Cultural Deep-Adaptation

Takes a translated blog post and performs cultural adaptation so the result feels like it was written for the target market, not translated into it. This is the layer above blog-translate: it replaces examples, adjusts tone, swaps references, and localizes the entire reading experience.

Adapted from claude-blog-multilingual by Chris Mueller (Pro Hub Challenge, March 2026). Original: https://github.com/Chriss54/multilingual-int

Key References

• ../blog-translate/references/cultural-adaptation.md, the shared cultural profiles file with substitution tables for DACH, Francophone, Hispanic, Japanese, and a custom template. Do not duplicate this file.

When to Use

• Right after blog-translate produces a base translation.
• When existing translated content reads like "translated from English".
• When targeting a specific market, not just a language.
• When content needs local statistics, examples, and brand references.

Workflow

Phase 1: Locale Understanding

1. Parse the locale code. Accept full codes (de-DE, fr-CA, es-MX, pt-BR, zh-TW) or plain language codes (de, fr).
2. Load the cultural profile from ../blog-translate/references/cultural-adaptation.md.
   • If the locale has a profile, use it.
   • If not, follow the "Custom-locale template" section in that reference to build a minimal profile inline.
3. Read the translated post and identify adaptation targets.

Phase 2: Cultural Audit

Scan for elements that signal foreign origin:

Output an audit report listing every target with severity (critical, recommended, optional).

Phase 3: Adaptation

3a. Example Substitution

Swap foreign examples for local equivalents:

• Use WebSearch to find local case studies, brands, or scenarios.
• Replace inline, preserving the same argument and structure.
• If no local equivalent exists, keep the original but add local context ("In the German market, the equivalent dynamic is X").

3b. Statistics Localization

• Search for equivalent local statistics ([topic] statistik [country] 2025 2026).
• If local data exists, swap the source and the figure together. Keep one named source per claim.
• If not, keep the original stat but mark its geographic scope ("In the US, ...").
• Never strip source attribution.

3c. CTA Adaptation

Rewrite calls-to-action per the cultural profile:

• Adjust aggressiveness level (DACH and JA prefer informational, US prefers imperative).
• Use culturally appropriate action verbs.
• Adapt urgency framing.

3d. Tone Calibration

• Match formality per profile (DACH defaults to Sie for B2B, du for B2C lifestyle; FR defaults to vous; JA shifts register sharply by audience).
• Ensure consistent formal or informal address throughout the entire document.
• Match local content-style conventions.

3e. Legal and Regulatory Context

• Replace references to foreign laws with local equivalents (CCPA becomes DSGVO in DE, RGPD in FR, LGPD in BR).
• Add local compliance notes where they help the reader.
• Remove irrelevant foreign regulatory references.

3f. Brand Example Swaps (Quick Map)

Profiles in ../blog-translate/references/cultural-adaptation.md provide substitution tables. Common examples:

Phase 4: Quality Verification

• All critical adaptation targets addressed.
• Tone is consistent throughout.
• No remaining foreign-origin markers.
• Statistics have valid sources (original or localized).
• CTAs match cultural expectations.
• Formal or informal address is consistent end to end.
• Content still supports the same argument as the original.
• SEO elements remain optimized (keywords, meta, headings).
• Word count is within the expected ratio for the language pair.

Phase 5: Save and Report

1. Save the localized version. Default: overwrite the translated file. Optional: save as {slug}-localized.{ext} if the user wants to keep the pre-localization version.

2. Present the summary:

   ## Localization complete: [Title]
   
   ### Target locale: [locale-code] ([locale-name])
   
   ### Adaptations made
   | Type | Count | Examples |
   |------|-------|----------|
   | Brand examples | [N] | Walmart -> MediaMarkt |
   | Statistics | [N] | US survey -> DACH survey |
   | CTAs | [N] | "Buy now" -> "Jetzt entdecken" |
   | Tone adjustments | [N] | Casual -> Sie |
   | Legal references | [N] | CCPA -> DSGVO |
   | Cultural references | [N] | Thanksgiving -> Weihnachtsgeschaeft |
   
   ### Cultural fit score
   - Naturalness: [1-10]
   - Market relevance: [1-10]
   - Tone match: [1-10]
   - Overall: [N]/30
   
   ### Remaining recommendations
   - [Optional adaptations not applied]
   

Error Handling

Cross-References

• Pre-step (translation): /blog translate <file> --to <code>
• QA across language versions: /blog locale-audit <directory>
• One-command pipeline: /blog multilingual <topic> --languages <codes>