International e-commerce is booming. It’s never been easier to use your own online shop to tap into new markets. But you still need to set up a solid internationalization strategy and not cut corners in the wrong places. One common fallacy: English is the lingua franca that all your customers understand. That is only partly true. While many people speak English, customers have greater trust in websites that are in their own language and tend to prefer them when making purchasing choices. A website in their native language shows them that the company cares enough to speak to them directly, understand their needs and make them feel secure.
Want to expand into international markets? Learn how a good translation of your online store helps customers see you as trustworthy.
When does it make sense to have your online store translated?
First things first: when is it time to think about having your online shop translated? As soon as you want to make your products available to customers in other countries. There are two reasons why translations are your key to success:
You want customers to find you
In 2020, 87% of consumers in Germany used the internet to search for products and services. And most of them typed in search terms in German. If your website is only available in English, a lot of this organic traffic passed you by because these searches simply didn’t find you.
You want visitors to turn into paying customers
Do you believe you can save yourself the cost of translations because your potential customers speak your language well enough? Consider this: 9 out of 10 customers in Europe prefer to buy from websites where they can understand everything easily – i.e. that are in their own native language – according to a Gallup survey. A whopping 42% of all online shoppers never make purchases in another language.
If your website is only available in one language, you are missing out on all that business. Especially if your competitors are taking a more localized approach. So it is definitely worth your while to use multilingual content to boost understanding and trust. But what exactly is customer trust?
What does customer trust really mean?
Trust isn’t something you can buy. It’s something you have to earn in a long-term process. And this process is worth investing in if you understand what customers mean for your business:
“Your website isn’t the center of your universe. Your Facebook page isn’t the center of your universe. Your mobile app isn’t the center of your universe. The customer is the center of your universe.” – Bruce Ernst, LeadID.
Nothing is more vital to your success than building authentic relationships with your customers and not disappointing them. A customer who trusts you is confident that he can also trust in your expertise and in your products. After all, in light of all the scams plaguing the internet these says, a certain amount of skepticism is healthy. A website in a foreign language can feed these doubts and make the risk appear too great for consumers.
Customers won’t decide to buy from you unless and until they decide to trust your shop and/or brand. But don’t worry: When your website has been translated well – so that it addresses customers in their native language and shows them that you understand their needs – you will gain their trust.
How translations help you gain customers’ trust
Professional, human translations of your website benefit your business in a number of ways:
Break down communication barriers
When an online store is available in customers’ own language, they understand exactly what they are getting. Misunderstandings resulting from the language barrier are eliminated. You meet customers where they are, which gives them every opportunity to understand your products and your brand. That builds trust.
Show that you are taking the market seriously
When your online store is available in different languages, you are sending the message that you take those markets and customers seriously. But be careful: the translations must be professional and polished, or they may have the opposite effect.
Machine translations in particular often sound random and soulless. A badly translated, error-ridden website screams “foreign provider” and gives your customers the feeling that they are not important enough to merit a professionally adapted version. The result? Those customers will take their business to your competitors.
So don’t settle for a cheap solution that may end up costing you dearly in terms of lost business. Hire professional translators to translate and localize your online store – or, if you must use machine translation, hire an expert for the post-editing.
What to look for when you are having your online store translated
Convinced that good translations of your online store are worth it? Then it’s time to get started. Here’s how to lay the groundwork:
Provide top-quality originals
If the content in your original online store is not well written, your translator will have to put in extra work to deliver effective writing in the target language. Be sure that your original text is easy to read and error-free so it’s a good source to work from. Professional reviewers or proofreaders can help you with this.
Add professional localization
How important is it to combine a good translation with localization? Take the case of Procter & Gamble, who decided to market one of their popular curling irons in Germany in 2006. But it didn’t sell, which may have been due to a lack of localization. The product was the “mist stick” – and in German, “mist” means manure. A localization expert would certainly have sounded the alarm.
So always choose qualified, professional translators who are well versed in e-commerce and are natives of the target language and culture. A linguistically correct translation that sticks too close to the original is not likely to sound authentic and engaging. Instead, go for localization that adapts your content to the cultural and linguistic nuances in your target market.
A good translation agency can hook you up with the right translators for your target market. Many translators who offer localization as a service also specialize in SEO, so they can build the right keywords into your content. That way you get authentic, effective content that potential customers actually find.
Want to boost trust among customers? Have your online shop translated professionally. We’ll be happy to advise you and help you get started.
