One of the wonderful benefits of having a website is that your business can easily be visible to a global audience. With just a single click, anyone from anywhere in the world can visit your website and see all the products and services that you have to offer. But what if the people that see the site do not understand the language that it is in? This is where the practice of translating a website comes in.
Translating a website is a very important step of building a strong online presence for any business. Just imagine, if your website has been translated into multiple languages, you can connect to millions of prospective customers from different countries. The profit potential that comes with this kind of exposure is huge. Even if only a small percentage of all those visitors make a purchase, it will still be a great boost for your business.
Tips on Translating a Website Using Different Methods
Now that we have established the importance of translating a website, it’s time to find out the different methods of how you can actually do it and finally start connecting with the 73% of the world whose native language is not English.
Translating a website is a very important step of building a strong online presence for any business.
Online Translation Tools
The easiest way would be to use an online tool like Google Translate or Bing Translate, most of which are available for free. All you have to do is to enter the URL of your website into the appropriate box and choose a target language from more than a hundred language choices. When you click on the Translate button, a new version of your website in the target language will open in a new tab.
The problem with these tools is that they are not very accurate and the resulting text might not always reflect the intended meaning of the original content. Also, the translation does not always read naturally since machine translation does not always take into account the nuances of a language while translating a website. Thus, if you opt to use these tools, it is highly advisable to do manual proofreading on the result, and to make necessary revisions to make up for the machine’s limitations.
Professional Content Translators
Professional translators are highly trained and very experienced in translating different kinds of content. From casual blogs to extremely technical websites, these experts can do the job very well. The most reputable companies will not only do the translation for you but will also go the extra length to ensure that you end up with a website that is very well put together, no matter what the topic or the language.
Circle Translations, for instance, a highly trusted expert translation company with more than 900 clients around the world, makes it a point to not only translate a website but actually localize the content. That is, they write the translation in a way that is natural to the region and appropriate to the local culture. This makes the translated website more appealing to the target audience and more effective as an online tool for your business.
Tips on Choosing a Translator
When searching for a professional to translate your website, the most important things that you should consider are experience and expertise.
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Experience
Translating a website is a skill that is continuously honed with experience. Thus, by choosing a translator that has been in the business for several years, you will be benefiting from everything that they have learned from all the projects that they have completed. A new translator might charge less but unless you want to take the risk in order to save a few dollars, it’s recommended that you stick to the more established professionals.
The easiest way would be to use an online tool like Google Translate or Bing Translate, most of which are available for free.
Expertise
By all means, you should look for a translator that has specific experience in the language that you have in mind. All the experience in the world won’t mean a thing if they have never translated in your preferred target language. It will also be a plus if they have knowledge in the subject of your website, especially if it is of a technical nature.
Localization Approach
It can never be repeated too many times that simply translating a website is not enough. Effective and innovative localization techniques are the key to a successful job of website translation. More than just exchanging words for another language, you need to bridge the gap between languages and cultures so that you can connect successfully with your target audience. The translation team that you select should be able to handle this perfectly.
Final Thoughts on Website Translation
If you want to establish your business in the global market, having an effective website is a very good first step. Then, you have to follow this through by having it translated into as many languages as possible to widen your reach. The best way to achieve this is to find a reliable localization agency that is highly capable of translating a website, localizing your content, and helping your business achieve international success.
