One of the fastest ways that you can increase your audience and expand your customer base is by adding additional languages to your website and online marketing campaigns. Doing so allows you to reach out digitally to customers across the globe. To get started, you’ll need a decent international translation company that specialises in website localization and online marketing translation. Here’s how to go about it.
What is localization?
The localization definition refers to the process of adapting content to a specific market or country. What are localization services? They are a blend of translation and cultural adaptation services. Properly localized content will read as though it was originally written for that specific audience. It will thus stand the maximum chance of engaging those reading the content.
Localization also cuts out the potential for the kind of embarrassment that could tarnish a company’s reputation. A good localization expert will flag up any words or turns of phrase that might be double entendres in the target language.
Why localize your website and online marketing?
According to Statista, the global online shopping market is projected to hit $4 trillion in 2020, shooting up to $6.5 trillion by 2023. The huge volume of online shoppers is the reason that companies need to localize their websites and online marketing materials. There are huge gains in market share to be made over the coming years, as more and more people shop online. Companies that haven’t embraced the potential of translation services will be left behind.
Resources to expedite the translation and localization process at lowest cost
Localization involves translating your content into foreign languages, as well as adapting it to things such as different currencies, the metric system and cultural preferences. While doing so is usually less expensive than creating original content, there are many pitfalls and obstacles to entering a new territory that doesn’t speak your language. There are three main resources that companies can rely on in order to avoid the dangers and succeed in capturing a global customer base.
1. Language Services Providers
If you’re looking to use professional translation services to build your international empire, you’ll need a company that specialises in website translation. Language services providers come in all shapes and sizes, so undertake thorough research before you appoint the best translation company to meet your particular needs. Make sure your language translation company comes well reviewed – if your business contacts can’t come up with a personal recommendation, at least make sure there are plenty of glowing testimonials online.
What is a good translation company? It’s one that will deliver high-quality translations on time, each and every time. And all within budget, of course.
Language translation companies can offer a wide range of services and language pairings, so are ideal if you want to localize your website and translate your online marketing material for multiple markets at once.
2. Freelance Translators
If you’re looking to take on one market at a time, hiring a freelance translator may be a more cost-effective solution than working with an agency. If you need an English to Spanish translation, for example, hiring a freelance Spanish translator who can translate and localize your site will cut out the overheads that tend to be associated with larger language services providers.
Freelance localization services are thus ideal if you’re only looking for one language pairing. Bear in mind, though, that it’s essential to always use a native speaker of the target language. For example, it’s not ideal to ask an English to Spanish translator to translate from Spanish to English as well. If you need to translate to English, opt for a native English speaker.
3. Translation and Localization Software
What are translation and localization services? Quite simply, they are professional translation services that will also take care of your localization needs. However, they don’t need to be provided by professional translators. If you’re looking to translate your website to English, say, you also have the option to use translation and localization software.
What does a translation company do? It provides human translators who convert copy from one language to another. Machine translation options also exist. These use neural networks and machine learning to undertake the work of a website translator. If you’re in a hurry, computerized translation of this nature may be ideal – machines can translate far faster than humans. However, being able to expedite the translation process is no guarantee of quality. In fact, humans consistently beat machines in terms of translation quality when the two are put to the test.
Best Practices, Tips and Tricks for Going Global
If you’re serious about going global, it’s important to map out your priorities. Is speed important to you? The fastest way to localize your website and online marketing materials is to use machine translation and a localization platform. However, doing so comes at the expense of quality. If quality is your top priority, the best practice means that it’s time to opt for a translation company or suitably qualified and experienced freelancer. This will result in a better translation but will also cost you more.
One trick that an increasing number of companies is embracing is the use of post-editing machine translation services. In such cases, the client who wants the translation uses a machine to translate it. They then work with a professional translation company to rework the machine translation in order to improve the quality of the language.
In many ways, this approach is the best of both worlds. The machine translation delivers on the speed and cost fronts, while the human translator can take care of quality control and localization.
Going global doesn’t have to cost the Earth. With the right strategy in place, it can be surprisingly quick and easy to present your website appropriately in other languages. Opt for a balance of speed, cost and quality and you should have everything you need to pursue your global dreams.
Author Bio
About the Author: William Mamane is Head of Digital Marketing at Tomedes, a translation agency that specializes in marketing translation and website localization. Over the past 13 years, Tomedes has worked with 50,000 clients, delivering high-quality translation services across a range of business sectors.