How to Effectively Translate and Localize Website Contents for Global Reach?
Global corporations offer various products and services to their customers and consumers in general in more than one country and often make their websites available in different languages in order to reach such customers and consumers in the target markets. Previous marketing surveys have demonstrated that most consumers (i.e., around 75%) prefer content displayed in their language, which instills trust and confidence in the product or service offered. In addition, customers find it easier to proceed with online purchases through the website if the process steps are displayed in a language they understand so that they can follow on-screen instructions to complete the transaction.
What are the points to consider in the translation and localization processes of website content?
- Categorization of the website content: A website of a multinational company generally contains a site map, which displays various sections and subsections, e.g., About Us, Vision, Mission, Products & Services, Sustainability, Legal, etc. As best practices, each section should be analyzed to determine the type of content and whether localization strategies are required and if so, what kind of localization and transcreation services are required.
- SEO optimization: Search engine optimization (SEO) strategies are taken into consideration throughout the translation process and especially in identifying the necessary localization strategies to provide the clients and consumers of the company in the local market with customized content, helping them to decide in favor of visiting your website to check out your products and services.
- Brand Identity: A professional LSP knows that it is crucial to adapt the content in addition to the product and service offerings, mission statement, and mottos of a global corporation to the target audience in the local market in line with the corporate brand and values. This will ensure that local consumers have an informed decision about whether they should purchase from you.
- Localization team and quality control: A professional team of localization experts will ensure that the website content is top quality and that the cultural references used are relevant to the target culture and language. A localization specialist will be able to convey messages more skillfully, paying attention to cultural specifics, and adapting the content to the target audience to create interest and appeal.
- Assessment of the possibility and the scope of using machine translation tools: With new developments in AI and machine learning capabilities, including the introduction of large language models or LLMs, machine translation and post-editing (MTPE) processes are sometimes chosen over standard human translation for certain types of content by clients for budget and time constraints. Since MT offers a cheaper solution, some sections of the website may be suitable for this type of service provided that the client prefers this solution. A professional LSP will assess this and provide the client with the best solution package and price offer while still ensuring the highest quality of translation.
Our team of localization experts can help you translate and localize your website content to meet the specific needs of your target markets. Visit our page for your multimedia needs to learn more about our comprehensive localization services and how we can assist your business in connecting with customers worldwide.
