blog-localize

What this skill does

# 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:

| Element | What to look for |
|---------|------------------|
| Brand examples | US or UK brands with no relevance locally |
| Statistics sources | US-only studies and surveys |
| CTAs | American-style aggressive calls-to-action |
| Idioms | Literally translated English expressions |
| Legal references | Foreign laws (CCPA, FTC) where local law applies (DSGVO, RGPD) |
| Cultural references | Foreign holidays, events, customs |
| Currency and pricing | USD without conversion or context |
| Tone | Too casual or too formal for the target market |
| Address form | Inconsistent Sie/du, tu/vous, formal/informal |

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:

| Source (US) | DACH | FR | ES (Spain) | LATAM | JA |
|-------------|------|----|----|-------|----|
| Walmart | MediaMarkt | Carrefour | El Corte Ingles | Walmart MX | Aeon |
| Target | Saturn | Auchan | Hipercor | Liverpool | Ito-Yokado |
| FTC | Bundeskartellamt | DGCCRF | CNMC | Profeco (MX) | JFTC |
| CCPA | DSGVO | RGPD | RGPD | LGPD (BR) | APPI |

### 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

| Scenario | Action |
|----------|--------|
| No cultural profile for the locale | Build a minimal profile from the custom-locale template, proceed |
| File is not in the expected language | Warn the user, offer to translate first |
| No local statistics available | Keep the original stat with a geographic-scope note |
| Locale code ambiguous (e.g., `pt`) | Ask: "Did you mean `pt-BR` (Brazil) or `pt-PT` (Portugal)?" |

## 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>`