Marketing across international borders is a challenging and costly task if a company fails to cover all aspects and develop a precise plan. Although it may not appear to be an urgent priority, one of the most important tasks to consider is translating your website into the local language of the market you wish to target.
Approximately 75% of individuals prefer to purchase goods and services from websites published in their local language. Failing to translate your website into the language of your target audience is just something that no business can afford to do, especially in a new, worldwide market. This article discusses five major concerns to consider for a successful website translation.
Language Intricacies
Languages are extremely complex. Translating from one language to another requires significantly more than merely entering the text into a free internet service like Google Translate. Translations frequently entail emotions as well as a comprehension of the target culture and audience. Machine translation techniques, despite major improvements in recent years, continue to fall short of human comprehension skills.
Whatever your original content looks like, you must adjust your language rather than simply translating it word for word, which is where a professional website translator with marketing experience comes in handy.
Search Engine Optimization
When you develop web content in your native language, you are likely to focus on keywords to boost your SEO. When addressing an international audience, you should follow the same procedure. Most people conduct searches in their native language. When translating your website, you must consider SEO. Keyword research is equally crucial if you want your site to rank well and boost visibility in a foreign location; otherwise, you could spend all of your time and work translating your website and still receive no visitors.
Appearance
Your website’s appearance and usability are critical factors in any language. In website translation, this refers mostly to the presentation of the content on the page. Check the translated copy to ensure that everything makes sense in terms of where it belongs on the page. While your website must look nice, it is also critical that the navigation is easy to use.
Branding
When attempting to reach an international audience, branding can provide a variety of challenges. Because of cultural differences, the branding you use at home may be inappropriate for a foreign audience. Even something as simple as a color might have a distinct meaning in another country. When translating your website’s content, ensure your branding is appropriate for the audience you want to reach. Although you should be able to maintain your brand’s essence, you may need to make some changes to the voice.
Multimedia
Finally, be sure to translate your multimedia content. Many websites now use images, videos, slideshows, and infographics to make pages more visually appealing and easier for mobile visitors to engage with content. They all need to be translated. Always ensure that your multimedia content is not only translated but also suitable for your target market. If you’re publishing a video, should you use subtitles or voiceover translations? Different markets have varying expectations.
Takeaway
For an effective website translation, you should use experienced linguists who specialize in translating marketing content and are native speakers of the language spoken by your target audience. Nobody will better grasp your audience than someone who is not only an accomplished translator but also meets all the needs of a prospective consumer.
Source: Key Considerations for A Successful Website Translation
