Internationalizing a website involves much more than simply translating texts: it requires a robust translation service that combines SEO techniques, linguistic quality and cultural adaption. Many businesses fall foul to common mistakes that directly affect their visibility, usability and international reputation.
1. Not preparing a good website architecture or URL structure
One of the most common mistakes is not defining an architecture that makes it possible to distinguish between different language or regional versions. Not using specific subdirectories or subdomains (e.g., example.com/fr/ for French) can lead to issues with duplicated content and poor international SEO indexing.
2. Not implementing hreflang tags properly
Without these HTML tags that point to each language version (e.g., hreflang=“de” or “ca”, Google could display incorrect language versions and lose positioning in target markets.
3. Only relying on automatic translation with no professional review
Depending on automatic tools leads to mistakes with idiomatic expressions, set phrases and cultural nuances. A professional translation agency and human translators ensure clarity, terminological consistency and the right tone.
4. Ignoring cultural nuances and international variables
Aspects such as date formats, currencies, images, humor and colors require cultural adaption. Not doing so can lead to confusion or rejection in the target audience. Localization goes beyond the text itself and must be part of a solid strategy.
5. Not expecting the lengthening or shortening of the text
Translation into German, English or Japanese can change the visual design: longer texts, different fonts and RTL languages (such as Arabic). If this is not taken into consideration in the design, the layout is impacted and this affects the user experience.
6. Using inconsistent or inaccurate terminology
Terminological accuracy is key, particularly in technical or legal projects. Coherence can be lost if different terminology is used in each language or if automatic translation is used with no quality control. Having native translators, such as a Catalan-Spanish translator, German translator or Japanese translator, brings consistency.
7. Not optimizing content for SEO in each language
Many people do not adapt the keywords to the target language. For example, an English version must include specific keywords from the target market. Also, not translating meta titles and descriptions properly affects positioning. A multilingual SEO approach is crucial, right from the outset.
Avoiding these sins is essential for a solid, professional and effective international presence. From the technical structure to the cultural nuances, every detail matters.
At Blarlo, we have a team of experts for every need: Catalan translation, a German translator, a Japanese translator or a sworn translator. Our professional translation service will accompany you on each step of the internationalization journey. Ready to do it right from the outset? Get in touch and bring your website to the world, with no mistakes.
