Translating websites? Sounds easy. But that’s not really the case. There are good reasons to leave this task to professionals because machine translation often does not meet the contextual and linguistic requirements. We have summarized below what you should look out for when selecting a service provider and how you yourself can contribute to a successful outcome.
Do you remember? Not so long ago, the website was referred to as a company’s business card. And so it is. Yet it is also so much more. Company websites are the first port of call for any kind of interaction – where the conditions are set for everything that follows: information, initial contact, customer loyalty, sales, criticism and feedback, the search for new employees. The website is part of the branding as well as the employer branding. In most cases, it determines the fundamental tone of a successful relationship.
Careful translations open doors
Why it makes sense to offer this powerful tool in more than just your own language. Here are some facts.
Based on the findings of global surveys, almost two thirds of users prefer to visit websites in their native language.
The use of a multilingual website has been shown to increase both conversion rates and online sales.
Translation is also highly relevant when it comes to search engine optimization: It leads to a larger number of indexable pages and increases visibility in organic search, which benefits your brand and the market.
Multilingual content is shared roughly twice as often on social media.
And last but not least: Only around five percent of all websites are multilingual – which means they enjoy a clear competitive edge.
Not every website needs to be translated. Organizations whose target groups are located exclusively in Germany or even only locally don’t need to be able to communicate in English, for instance. For everyone else, however, it’s important to remember that multilingualism opens many doors.
Five good reasons to entrust the translation of websites to professionals…
Translating a couple of buttons, a heading or two, and a few lines of text into English is something that even translation tools or a colleague with foreign language skills can do without making mistakes. However, there is much to be said for handing over more complex tasks to those who can really know what they’re doing. You need to focus on these aspects when selecting your translation service to ensure that your content is brand-compliant and optimized for search engines:
1. Professionals have insider expertise
Your industry doesn’t just rely on specialist expertise – the language you use also has specific features. Professional translation service providers employ staff who specialize in different industries and are therefore familiar with their terminology. However, this involves more than just a few expressions. Knowledge of the industry also includes being thoroughly familiar with the conditions and practices of this industry in the respective target country. This includes, not least, an understanding of how the client’s competitors design their online presence.
2. Professionals are culturally savvy
Naturally, the aspect of culture goes far beyond specialist terminology. Linguistic images, comparisons, wordplay and, last but not least, humor: translated literally, all of these aspects can miss the mark, lead to misunderstandings or, at worst, be offensive. The same applies to the photos used, which may need to be adapted or replaced. Website translations therefore involve more than just transcribing text: they are also about getting closer to another culture. Good translators not only have excellent language skills but also a deep understanding of every nuance of the target country’s culture. True localization must incorporate cultural nuances in order to succeed.
3. Professionals understand the legal situation
Apart from their other functions, websites are also a collection of legally significant documents. From the masthead and small disclaimers about forms that must be filled out all the way to detailed general terms and conditions – the legal parameters vary substantially in some cases. Allowing mistakes to slip in here can have potentially disastrous consequences for the website operator. This is where hiring professional translation agencies can have a decisive impact. They employe people who also know exactly what the legal situation is in the target country or have contacts with the right legal experts.
4. Professionals understand the technology
Of course, it is possible to translate websites by circulating Word documents to the relevant participants. However, it is much better for the translators to work directly with the relevant tools. Put simply: they need to be familiar with content management systems and related technology. This is another important type of expertise that you will find among professionals.
5. Professionals think strategically
Websites (hopefully) do not exist in a vacuum – they must be viewed in the context of a company’s overall strategy. The quality of the translation process also depends on the extent to which service providers are able to think and act in terms of these concepts. Admittedly, this is also incumbent on the client: the better the briefing and the more intensive the insights into the company’s objectives, the more productive the translation collaboration will be.
…and two things that you can prepare
Have you found your service provider for the translation project? Excellent! However, there are two things you should prepare in advance to ensure that the creation of your new website in the new language is a real success.
1. Provide high-quality source texts!
Poor text will not suddenly be improved by the translation process. It may eliminate spelling or syntax errors, but two key requirements must be in place beforehand: storytelling and structure in the content.
Good storytelling is not just for major works of literature. Even if you’re working in a compact and concise format, you can still weave a story around your company, its products or services. The more you replace superlatives and trite advertising slogans with wit, humor and imagination, the more your texts will become stories.
The structure of the website, which is always reflected in the texts, is equally important. Ideally, visitors will embark on a miniature customer journey and be guided as intuitively as possible to their destination – but also to your company’s destination. For this to succeed, the use of clear and rigorous language is as important as the technical structure of the website.
The domain name can also be seen as a complementary aspect of good source text: If you set up the domain in the knowledge that it will be bilingual or multilingual, we recommend using an English domain name.
2. Choose the target languages with care!
While traditional sticker albums are designed to be as full as possible, the same cannot be said of the choice of language for your website. Including translations into the most “exotic” languages that are of no interest to your target group will not be perceived as cosmopolitan but, in the worst case, as arrogant.
English will probably be the number one target language when it comes to internationalization. The inclusion of additional languages will depend on a detailed analysis of your own target group – or on your strategy to expand it. An in-depth analysis of previous traffic on the website or the various KPIs in social media can also help you gain a better understanding of the market.
English is the lingua franca in many industries (and some countries). Where this is not the case, you will have to select another language. In countries like Switzerland or Belgium, perhaps even more than one.
