Website translation is an essential service for brands and professionals who want to take their business to other parts of the globe. At first, internationalizing a company may seem very simple, since you only need to adapt to the language of your target audience. However, this work must be carried out with professionalism and consistency. Therefore, in this post we want to explain some of the difficulties, possibilities, and options when translating your website.
Why opt for website translation?
If you have a business or a project, translating your website will bring you the following benefits:
- It will allow you to reach new audiences and places. Internationalizing an e-commerce site, for example, can be a good way to expand into other markets. First, do some research on the sales potential in other countries. What really matters is to be able to find a suitable niche for your company.
- You will be better adapted to the preferences of your audience. As you well know, people from anywhere in the world can visit your website. Having it in several languages is a good way for them to get to know you and what you do. It is a very effective method to grow an audience.
- It will improve your brand image. Having a page in several languages always reflects highly on a company in the eyes of visitors. Of course, this is only if it is correctly translated; otherwise, your brand will appear unreliable.
What are the challenges while translating a website?
The truth is that it is not a simple process. Nowadays, especially in the online world, users have become accustomed to automated programs that can do tasks for them. While these programs can be useful for certain things, it is always best to have the support of professionals when a high level of accuracy is needed.
These are some of the difficulties that can arise when translating a website into another language:
- Positioning issues. An exact text translation is not enough. Firstly, there will need to be an SEO study to understand the online searches that your potential consumers make in another language. From there, the keyword strategy will have to be correctly adapted, something that a machine cannot easily do.
- Not everything is about translation—you also have to localize. Once you have chosen the target audience for your text, it is important to do a good job of localizing. This means having the proper understanding of an area or region’s culture to correctly adapt a text to the local values. Tongue-and-cheek or literary phrases are just examples of how important it is to have a professional touch, since they can give rise to certain misunderstandings or inaccuracies.
- Improved coherence throughout the text. Style is also essential when communicating a message. For example, a warm and informal tone used in certain instances may not be appropriate with an agency or a law firm. Using the appropriate tone for each company will be essential when creating content that inspires maximum trust and seriousness. And that is something that only an expert team can offer you.
What options are there to translate a website?
There are three main options:
- Amateur translation. If you know both languages well enough, you can do an acceptable job. However, you will find the more technical part of the translation difficult, as well as the adaptation of the page’s positioning in other geographical areas.
- Automatic translation software. Without a doubt, this is the worst option, since errors and inaccuracies are common. These programs are not capable of understanding the tone or meaning of the text, since these elements are derived from the context in which something was written. They are useful if you are in a rush, but not for much more.
- A professional translation agency. This is the alternative that offers the greatest guarantee. We will explain in more detail in the next section.
Website translation
This type of work has its own specificities and characteristics, since there are many elements that require attention. For this reason, it will be necessary to hire a well-prepared and dedicated team.
Our professionals will give your website narrative coherence, maintain the appropriate tone for your message, and focus on optimizing all communicative elements so that you can reach your target audience.
Website translation is one of the most requested services at our agency. This is largely attributed to our personalized service that adapts perfectly to the needs of our clients. If you want to have a professional website that undergoes the proper translation process, do not hesitate and contact us. At blarlo, we are happy to help!
