Sometimes, Facebook and translation go hand in hand. For example, when you have a page that you want to make bilingual. This is very common when it comes to media companies or businesses with an international audience, who don’t want to leave part of their following out of the equation. But, how do you ensure perfectly translated texts? What options are available and which will be the best choice for you? We’ll let you know everything you need to know.
Machine translation of Facebook posts
Of course, Facebook offers a translation service based on machine translation. It works very intuitively, and with a click of a button you can read any post – regardless of the language in which it has been written. However, there are a few aspects that must be carefully considered.
What does Facebook’s translator offer you?
First and foremost, convenience. Any person, from any part of the world, can automatically understand what you have written or posted, and even read the comments. Without a doubt, this represents an interesting opportunity that can be used to attract a much wider audience
Secondly, this option works for much more than just French or Spanish, for example. Someone from Russia, China or even Japan will be able to understand what you have written. As a result, it offers not just a bilingual strategy but a global reach. Whether you run a news, comedy, content or business site, this is certainly something that will be of benefit to you.
What’s more, it requires no effort on your part. Quite simply, anyone reading your posts will be able to request a translation in a very intuitive way. As a result, this option costs nothing.
But what will you lose?
Much more than you might think:
- This option will not offer accurate translations. All automatic readers or translators make the same mistake: they translate without considering the context of the translation.
- Idioms or expressions will be lost. As a machine translation, anything related to slang or idioms will not be reflected in the final text. This will cause mistakes or problems in the language.
- You’ll lose your intended tone. This is another important aspect. If you want to create a friendly, funny or serious text, or any other kind of tone, the approach you take will always be based on the language you use. With machine translation, you won’t be able to reliably recreate this. Ultimately, something will always be lost
- It won’t help your positioning. The whole world is not a target to which you can orient yourself. If, for example, you want to reach the Italian market, offering translations in Italian will be sufficient. And one well-written translation is worth much more than offering a half-finished text in any language, don’t you think?
So, how do you choose?
Is machine translation an option to be considered? This will depend on your goals. In other words: if you only use Facebook from time to time, and it does not represent a professional element of your work, then you don’t need to worry about it. On the other hand, if it plays an active role in a strategy targeted at two or more countries speaking different languages, then machine translation will not be enough. In these cases, the best option is to hire a professional team that can take care of – at the very least – your most important texts.
Professional translations for Facebook posts
Hiring an agency to take care of your timeline posts on Facebook may be an obvious solution to the aforementioned issues. This way:
- You can manage the tone and type of translation. In order words, you’ll maintain the essence of the communication you want to convey to your audience – whether it’s the tone, style, humor or original meaning.
- These are native-level translations. As such, foreign audiences won’t perceive a certain distance when reading your posts. They’ll read them and feel as if they speak directly to them – a huge benefit for you, as this will make it easier to create a community or get closer to your audience.
- You’ll only translate what you deem relevant. As we’ve already noted, you can develop a communication plan directed at a certain language and approach it with a series of specific translations. There’s no need to have your entire Facebook translated. This will help you define your goals and focus on the target you really want to reach.
- You’ll be taken more seriously. The public will always be suspicious of a poor translation. If you want to invest in your image and present yourself as a reliable brand or business, you’ll be much better off turning to a professional.
In short, Facebook and translation go hand in hand when your goals are international and you hope to reach an audience in another country. Even so, it’s essential that you hire the services of experts who can offer you impeccable texts, creating a trustworthy image for your audience.
