Should my content be in Norwegian to sell in Norway?

The language dilemma

Here’s a question I’ve been asking myself for a while: Should I start writing my content in Norwegian? You see, after two years in Norway (and over fifteen in marketing), I’ve learned a thing or two about how things work here. Norwegians love their language—and fair enough, it’s beautiful, complicated (for me at least), and has those lovely “ø” and “å” sounds that make my French tongue work overtime.

But when it comes to my own marketing content, I’ve mostly stuck to English so far. And now, I’m starting to wonder if that’s the right move.

When I first moved to Norway, everything around me was new—language included. So naturally, I defaulted to writing in English for my blog, social media, you name it. Easy to reach a wider audience, right? Plus, it’s the language I know best for marketing. But here’s the thing: Norway is a small but proud country. People are used to speaking English, sure, but do they prefer it? Would my content perform better if I embraced my inner Norwegian and started throwing “hei hei” and “takk for sist” into my posts?

The SEO in me also can’t ignore the question of Google. Wouldn’t it make sense to rank for local search terms in Norwegian? Surely if my goal is to help businesses grow their leads in Norway, then Norwegian content should be a no-brainer. Or is it?

Honestly, I’m not sure. But I think it’s worth digging into the pros and cons, weighing up the possibilities, and trying to figure out what’s best for anyone selling or marketing in Norway.

Norwegian vs. English Content

Why Norwegian Might Be Better

You know what they say: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. In Norway, that means speaking Norwegian. There’s something powerful about connecting with people in their own language. It makes your content feel more local, more “authentic.” And in marketing, this is gold. Norwegians love their local culture, so by writing in their language, you’re showing that you respect that. It could make your brand feel more relatable and trusted.

Then there’s the SEO angle. If you want to rank on Google in Norway, it makes sense to use keywords that are actually being searched by Norwegians—in Norwegian. If someone’s looking for “digital markedsføring” (digital marketing), it’s pretty clear your content is going to show up more if it’s actually in Norwegian. Think of it as speaking Google’s language too.

And let’s not forget, if your competitors are all doing their content in English, being the one who writes in Norwegian can make you stand out. Suddenly, you’re the one who “gets” the local audience, and that could be a big advantage.

Why English might still work

But hey, English isn’t a bad choice either. Norway is one of the most English-fluent countries in the world—most people understand it perfectly. English content can reach not just Norwegians but also the growing number of internationals living and working in Norway (its nearly a third, where I’m living). And let’s face it, some younger Norwegians are practically bilingual. They watch Netflix in English, scroll Instagram in English, and might even think in English half the time.

From a practical point of view, English content can be a time-saver too. If English is the language you’re most comfortable in (and probably the one you use for business anyway), writing comes more naturally and takes less time. You can be more spontaneous, more creative, without spending an hour figuring out how to spell “selvfølgelig” (which, by the way, means “of course” and took me a good 5 minutes to learn how to pronounce).

Plus, when you write in English, you’re not limited to Norway—you have a wider reach. If your business aims to attract clients from outside Norway, sticking to English might be a smart move.

The bilingual middle ground

Now, what if you don’t have to choose? A little bit of both languages could be the sweet spot. Some businesses create bilingual content: a blog in English but social media posts in Norwegian, or even side-by-side translations of key content. Sure, it’s more work, but it might also bring the best of both worlds—local trust and global reach.

Of course, finding the right balance depends on your business and your audience. But experimenting could be the key here. Try one blog post in Norwegian, see how it goes. Do some A/B testing on social media—does a post in Norwegian get more engagement than the same one in English?

Right strategy for your business

Now, let’s get to the juicy part—I’ve done a LinkedIn poll asking Norwegian professionals if content in their native language impacts their buying decisions. And the results? Well, they were insightful, to say the least. Here’s what the poll revealed.

I asked a simple question: “When it comes to content that influences your buying process, do you find that Norwegian content has a higher impact on you?” Here’s what the votes (64 so far) looked like:

The results show that a little over half of respondents (55%) prefer content in Norwegian, finding it has a bigger impact on their decisions. However, a significant chunk (25%) felt English was just as effective. And interestingly, 20% were indifferent, saying the language doesn’t matter as long as the content is strong and relevant.

So, while there is a preference for Norwegian, there’s still a sizeable audience open to English content—or simply more interested in quality than the language itself. It suggests that the decision to go fully Norwegian or stick with English may not be black and white and depends a lot on who your target audience is.

Tailoring the strategy to your audience & goals

Whatever the results, it comes down to your specific audience and business goals. Are you targeting the typical Norwegian business owner who wants to work with someone who speaks their language, literally and figuratively? Or are you aiming at a broader market—multinational corporations, startups with international teams, or even local companies that are used to doing business in English?

Experimenting & analyzing

Once we have some data from this poll, you could try some experiments on your own content. Let’s say 60% of the respondents prefer content in Norwegian. Maybe then you could try a couple of blog posts, landing pages, or case studies in Norwegian and see how they perform against the English ones. Or the opposite—if people don’t seem to mind English, then there’s your answer: keep it simple and go global.

So, with this article’s teachings (and especially my poll results) in mind, I’m ready to take the plunge. I’m planning to write some blog content in Norwegian to see what happens. And yes, I’m fully prepared for the mistakes (I’m only B1, after all),  I’m going to make along the way—apologies in advance for all the weird grammar and missing “æ,” “ø,” and “å.”

To all my Norwegian readers: if you find any mistakes (and I’m sure there’ll be a few), please, don’t hesitate to let me know. Consider it your good deed of the day to help a French guy navigate your beautiful language. Takk for hjelpen!