So far, we’ve discussed how to write for the best marketing translations, and how to make sure your multilingual marketing materials are culturally appropriate for your limited-English speaking target audience. Today we are going to discuss website translation and SEO so that your message not only speaks to your customer in the right language, but it can also be found on the web. We’ll also talk about how to make sure your current news releases and continual updates to your website can be translated in the easiest way possible.
Read more in our Essential Guide to Translating Marketing Materials.
Define Your Objectives
95% of online consumers prefer to purchase from a site written in their native language. Now you know why it’s important to translate your website, but did you know there is a choice to make when deciding how? Does your website need to be localized? (culturally customized for a specific region of the world) Or can it be globalized? (understood by all people who speak a particular language)
Consider this, if the goal of your website is to sell consumer products online, you’ll want to localize by presenting pricing in a local currency and using terminology specific to consumers. If you’re communicating general information about your company and services and inviting potential customers to contact you, you probably want to globalize. Globalizing your website is less costly due to scale efficiencies so it’s important to know what you need.
Prepare Your Copy & Layout
First, you should follow the guidelines outlined in our previous blogs about writing and culturally appropriate multilingual marketing. Then confirm all the data and contact information on your landing pages and website copy. Make sure your contact phone numbers work for the markets you are expanding into (avoid 800 numbers as they work only in the US and Canada), and that the e-mail addresses are acceptable for international usage. Next, if you are collecting information via your website (either through forms or ecommerce), make sure you know and follow the appropriate country laws about data collection.
Finally, decide on your preferred navigation access for your target audience on your website. Country flags or lists are the best way to display options for translated websites. Think about personalizing your site by enabling cookies which can remember the chosen language for each customer when they visit your site again.
Read more in our Essential Guide to Translating Marketing Materials.
Don’t Ignore your SEO – Translate it!
Localizing and globalizing your websites through translation helps you speak to the humans in your target market. Translating your SEO data helps you speak to the search engines in your target market. You may have an expertly translated website, but if your customers can’t find you through their local search engines, your efforts will be lost. Keywords, expressions, tags, titles, anchor texts, script messages, image titles and subtitles…in other words, every single attribute on a webpage should be translated so search engines can find and rank you in the target language.
Website Translation Services
Your website is a lifeline to an international audience both domestic and global, and our services reflect the importance of not only keeping content updated, but also relevant and culturally appropriate across multiple languages. First and foremost, we employ a team of professional translators fluent in both source and target languages. We match you with a skilled translator with industry-specific experience who can accurately translate your website content while preserving its original meaning and tone. They pay careful attention to cultural nuances, ensuring that your message resonates with your target audience.
Localization services go beyond word-for-word translation, adapting content with respect to the cultural and practical requirements of the target audience. Globalization goes even further, adapting a single language to multiple target regions – for example, the Spanish language can differ slightly in meaning or intention, depending on the audience’s exact location. We also pay close attention to elements such as date formats, currency symbols, measurements, images, and even colors to make them relevant and relatable to the local audience. The process results in a personalized user experience that inspires engagement and brand loyalty.
Throughout, focus on a translation management plan that fits with your corporate strategy. An experienced, high-quality language services agency can kickstart your LangOps effort, creating a holistic, unified plan that ensures translated content – new product launches, promotions, or company news, for example – remains accurate and up to date in all supported languages and across all departments. Look for a comprehensive suite of services tailored to your needs; by leveraging an agency’s expertise, you can expand your reach, connect with diverse markets, and communicate effectively with a global audience, while maintaining consistency, accuracy, and cultural relevance.
Join us next time when we discuss Getting the Right Type of Multilingual Marketing Translation.
Rapport International specializes in multilingual communications, providing language translation and interpretation services that are accurate and culturally appropriate. We use the right voice and the correct terminology to avoid liability, customize services to your needs, and deliver on time and within your budget. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can trust that it’s done right. Contact us today if you would like more information or to get a free quote.
