diff --git a/_locales/en/messages.json b/_locales/en/messages.json
index 2b049008..92fe83a1 100644
--- a/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
 {
+    "submitDebugLog": {
+      "message": "Submit debug log"
+    },
+    "searchForPeopleOrGroups": {
+      "message": "Search for people or groups",
+      "description": "Placeholder text in the search input"
+    },
+    "welcomeToSignal": {
+      "message": "Welcome to Signal"
+    },
+    "selectAContact": {
+      "message": "Select a contact or group to start chatting."
+    },
     "ok": {
       "message": "OK"
     },
diff --git a/background.html b/background.html
index 5abec09d..a0f50cff 100644
--- a/background.html
+++ b/background.html
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@
       <div class='global-menu menu'>
         <button class='hamburger'></button>
         <ul class='menu-list'>
-            <li><a class='show-debug-log'>Submit debug log</a></li>
+            <li><a class='show-debug-log'>{{ submitDebugLog }}</a></li>
         </ul>
       </div>
       <span class='socket-status'></span>
       <div class='tool-bar clearfix'>
         <!-- <button class='show-new-conversation'></button> -->
-        <input type='search' class='search' placeholder='Search for people or groups'>
+        <input type='search' class='search' placeholder='{{ searchForPeopleOrGroups }}'>
       </div>
     </div>
     <div class='gutter'>
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
     </div>
     <div class='conversation-stack'>
       <div class='conversation placeholder'>
-        <h3>Welcome to Signal</h3>
-        <p> Select a contact or group to start chatting.</p>
+        <h3>{{ welcomeToSignal }}</h3>
+        <p>{{ selectAContact }}</p>
       </div>
     </div>
   </script>
diff --git a/js/views/inbox_view.js b/js/views/inbox_view.js
index 9684706c..182d5e45 100644
--- a/js/views/inbox_view.js
+++ b/js/views/inbox_view.js
@@ -111,6 +111,12 @@
                 this.inboxListView.stopListening();
             }.bind(this));
         },
+        render_attributes: {
+            welcomeToSignal: i18n('welcomeToSignal'),
+            selectAContact: i18n('selectAContact'),
+            searchForPeopleOrGroups: i18n('searchForPeopleOrGroups'),
+            submitDebugLog: i18n('submitDebugLog')
+        },
         events: {
             'click': 'closeMenu',
             'click .hamburger': 'toggleMenu',