Planning to get your website translated? Great! You have made the right decision, as global businesses cannot make do without it. Studies reveal that 73% users are browsing the Web in languages other than English; furthermore, 46% purchase products and services only when they are available in their native language. Such startling figures indeed make for a compelling case for translations. However, if not done properly and strategically, translations can be counterproductive as well.
If you succeeded in winning the favor of your audience in one region, but are struggling to replicate your success in another, this blog is for you. Here are 3 quick tips to make sure your translation hits the bull’s eye:
Make Sure Your Translations Are SEO-Centric
Translation, in principle, refers to converting text from one language into another. However, digital marketing revolves around keywords, and assigns less importance to how perfectly a translation is done. Optimum use of keywords helps you conquer the top positions among search results, and that’s crucial. Everyone knows that if you fail show up on the first page of Google search, it doesn’t really matter whether you appear on the second or the last page. This is because studies prove that the Click Through Rate (CTR) for the first page is 71% whereas it is just 6% for page two and three combined together.
This implies that a translation must be packed with relevant keywords in the translated language, without having the intended meaning altered. Often, translators aim to get the meaning right, without giving enough consideration to keywords. This can prove to be detrimental.
Translations expose you to an entirely new set of keywords in the local language, which can be exploited to the hilt. In order to stand out, make sure your translations are SEO-based.
Ensure Your Translator Knows the Subject
Good translation primarily depends on two factors. First, the expertise of the translator in both the source and the translated language. Second, their knowledge of the subject. If any of the two is found wanting, the output may risk being a disaster. Each topic has its own lingo, its own style, that needs to be studied. Using specific industry terminology will allow you to appear more professional, and to establish your authority and reputation in you field.
Knowing the subject is necessary to connect well with people; otherwise, the message may get lost in translation.
Translation Without Localization – A Bad Idea
If you want to form a good rapport with people, simply speaking their language will not guarantee you success. Rather, you should be able to gel with them emotionally and culturally. This can happen only if you localize your website based on the preferences and tastes of the region you are targeting. This will require you to tinker with things like images, layout, coloros, etc. along with offering a high-quality translation, in order to achieve your objective.
When done for websites, translation remains incomplete if one does not opt for an adequate localization service.
Conclusion
The digital world requires a huge amount of translation, but that’s not entirely sufficient. Original content and keywords play a significant role in increasing your ranking in search results. This is because Google’s algorithm automatically picks up original and high quality content, and prevents copied and substandard texts from showing up. Lousy translations with poorly inserted keywords may hit you badly.
As the famous saying goes, “The best place to hide a dead body is page two of Google search”. You certainly cannot afford to be invisible by appearing in the second page. Also, localization is indispensable as it reduces bounce rate effectively.
Translation holds a great amount of potential for your business. Make sure you know the rules of the game to exploit them in the best possible way.