Multilingual marketing means reaching customers in the language they search and decide in, not just translating your English site. In Burnaby that matters more than in most Canadian cities. In the 2021 Census, Mandarin was the mother tongue of about 13.9% of residents and Cantonese of about 12.5%, ahead of every other non-official language.
The Burnaby language picture, and what it means for you
Census mother-tongue data shows Burnaby's main non-official languages. After Mandarin and Cantonese come Tagalog at about 3.6%, Korean at 3.3%, and Spanish, Punjabi and Persian at a little over 2% each.
Mother tongue is not the same as preferred search language. Many people who learned Cantonese first search in English for a plumber but would rather talk through a quote in Cantonese. Others, especially newer arrivals and older homeowners, search in their first language too. The practical questions are:
- Which language do your customers search in? That decides whether you need translated pages and ads.
- Which language do they want to speak on the phone? That decides staffing and how you invite contact.
- Who signs off? In some families the decision-maker is an adult child who searches in English, while a parent who speaks Mandarin is the person at home.
Who this service suits
It suits Burnaby businesses that already see demand from one language community, or that have someone on the team who can answer in that language:
- trades and home services such as renovation, plumbing, electrical and cleaning;
- clinics, tutoring and professional services where trust and clear explanation matter;
- retail and food businesses near Metrotown, Brentwood or the Heights.
It's not a good fit if nobody can respond in the language you advertise in. A Korean ad that ends in an English voicemail does more harm than no ad.
What's included
- Language choice from evidence: your call log, enquiry history and Census data, not guesswork.
- Dedicated pages: a page per language for your main services, written for local readers and checked by a fluent native speaker before it goes live. It's never a word-for-word copy of the English page.
- Separate ad groups: campaigns by language with their own keywords, so you can see what each one returns. See Google Ads for how budgets and ceilings work.
- Google Business Profile details: language-appropriate descriptions where suitable, and replies to reviews in the reviewer's language.
- Contact guidance: who answers which language, preferred hours, and text or email options for customers who prefer writing.
- Measurement by language, so each one earns its budget.
Timeline
| Period | What happens |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Evidence review; first language chosen; responder agreed |
| Weeks 3–6 | Pages written, reviewed and published; ad group launched |
| Months 2–3 | Search terms and enquiries reviewed by language |
| Month 4 onward | Add a second language only if the first pays for itself |
How results are measured
Each language gets its own figures: page visits, calls and messages, cost per lead from ads, and how many enquiries became jobs. If a language doesn't produce paying work within a fair test, we pause it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Machine translation published as is. Trade terms, prices and politeness often come out wrong.
- Mixing languages on one page, which confuses readers and search engines.
- Advertising in a language nobody answers in.
- Assuming one "Chinese" campaign covers everyone. Mandarin and Cantonese speakers may read different scripts and use different search terms.
- Forgetting reviews. Positive reviews in the customer's own language carry real weight with neighbours.
A note on respect
Language is tied to identity, and customers notice when a business treats it as a gimmick. Use plain, polite language, avoid stereotypes in images and wording, and only promise service in a language when you can deliver it consistently.
Next steps
The multilingual guide explains how to choose a language and test it cheaply. For the website side, see websites that turn visits into calls. Plans are on the pricing page.
We're a marketing and consulting service, not a contractor or a translation agency. To talk about the languages your customers use, call, text or email.
Frequently asked questions
Which languages should I start with?
Start with the language your existing customers already use when they call. Census figures guide the decision, but your own call log is the stronger evidence.
Do I need staff who speak the language?
It helps a lot. A page that invites calls in Cantonese should lead to someone who can answer in Cantonese, or at least to a clear text or email option. We plan around who on your team can respond.
Simplified or Traditional Chinese?
It depends on your audience. Mandarin speakers from mainland China generally read Simplified characters, while many Cantonese speakers from Hong Kong read Traditional. Some businesses need both.
Can you just run the website through a translation tool?
Not for anything customers see. Machine output can be a first draft, but every published word is checked by a fluent native speaker so the tone, terms and phone etiquette are right.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census Profile 2021, Burnaby (2026-10-22)
- Statistics Canada: Table 98-10-0180-01, mother tongue (2026-10-22)