Translating a Shopify store will allow you to better reach your customers. You can convert the various elements into several different languages: a great option if you want to expand into other markets. To achieve the best results, you’ll need a thorough understanding of what this platform allows you to do. If you want to find out more, keep reading to discover everything you need to know.
What elements do you need to translate on Shopify?
A Shopify store is composed of three layers of texts: those of the platform, which affect its features; those of your chosen theme; and those written by you, which will be composed of products, pages and emails sent to your customers.
The store itself
These texts relate to the platform’s features. These come pre-translated, although you’ll need to activate your chosen language. To make these changes, head to the control panel, then select Settings and click on Languages > Translated languages > Add language. Bear in mind that Shopify is based on subscription plans which will only allow a limited number of translations.
The theme or template
These texts relate to your site’s usability. They can be found in the menus, buttons, shopping basket or payment pages. The most popular themes come with their own translations, which you’ll need to activate. Even so, we recommend carefully reviewing these, as they may contain errors.
Product catalog
If you were to focus on any texts in particular, these would be the most important. Through these, you let customers know about the features of the products up for sale, their descriptions and any other elements that may lead to a sale. They are the core of your website and, as such, they require a great deal of care.
How do you translate on Shopify?
When it comes to translating your Shopify store, you’ll have a few different options from which to choose. Each of these offers its own advantages and disadvantages, which you’ll need to bear in mind. By taking these into consideration, you’ll achieve results fully adapted to suit your needs.
Free translation
Plug-ins are available to translate your store to the language of your choice. All you need to do is enter the texts and have them translated into another language. For this option, a great deal of the work will need to be done manually, with each individual text, as you will need to make corrections.
Machine translation
This option is also offered via plug-ins, though in this case, you’ll need to pay for the service. The results will be better and faster than those above, and they’ll also offer you a range of different settings. However, you’ll still need to correct any mistakes you find – which will take time – and you may struggle to resolve these appropriately.
Machine translation with human proofreading (post-editing)
Once you obtain the version offered by your chosen plug-in, you can send this to an expert to make the necessary changes. This can take a few days, although it will ensure quality results. If your budget is limited, this is an attractive option.
Professional translation
This option offers you top quality and the best results. The texts will be translated by specialists in your chosen language. This reduces errors and allows you to add certain nuances to boost your page even further. These professionals will offer you the greatest results. And if you turn to a native speaker, the end product will be unbeatable. If you aspire for the best, this is the option for you.
Avoid free machine translation
As you’ve seen, free translations will offer the worst results. These are carried out by a bot, who does not understand the context of the words nor how they relate to one another. What’s more, the result obtained will be entirely literal, resulting in all kinds of nonsense and errors that should not appear on a professional store.
How much does it cost to translate a Shopify store?
Translating a Shopify page will cost you around 1,200 euros. This is what an agency will charge you to avoid any typos or spelling mistakes. This way, you’ll be guaranteed good results, as a machine translation can be full of errors and offer a very poor image to potential customers.
Another option is to carry out a machine translation and then send it to a professional for proofreading This could cost around 600 euros, plus the cost of your chosen plug-in. You’ll make savings, but the texts will be less effective – which will manifest itself in the long term with poorer sales. You should also keep in mind that these prices are approximate. Each agency will charge a different price according to their rate per word.
Request a quote to translate your Shopify
If you want to translate a store on Shopify, don’t hesitate to ask us for a no-commitment quote. At Blarlo.com, we’ll help you obtain maximum-quality texts, adapted to your chosen tone and completely free of errors. This way, you’ll be able to reach your customers much more easily. Contact us!
