Why do you have to translate your website when it is performing fine in English? This question must be on your mind as to why this website translation has become essential for your business. Let us explain with some stat-based data.
Did you know that we have more than 7000 languages in the world? Although the English language has dominated the world, it accounts for only 25% of internet users. Shocking isn’t it? That is why website translation holds so much importance for your business. You would not want to miss out on 75% of your consumer base.
You must have understood the importance that website translation holds. And now you must be wondering how to translate websites. In this blog post, we have covered everything about website translation. Importance of website translation and considerations that need to be taken before translating a website. And the most important: how to translate a website?
So, let’s get started.
The importance of website translation
Whenever you meet a new person for the first time, the first impression that gets formed in your mind is the person’s face, voice, and how that person is presenting themselves. Similarly, for your business, your website is the face and voice of your business. As mentioned above, English accounts for only 25% of internet users. If your website is only in English, you are missing out on 75% of your customer base. That is a vast figure to ignore.
Nowadays, many businesses understand the importance of website translation. And have made their content accessible in foreign languages by changing their SEO into multilingual SEO. What is multilingual SEO, and why is it used? It simply enhances the search engine ranking of your website.
It attracts potential visitors to your website. Website translation also increases revenue. Whenever you develop your website in foreign languages, it attracts potential customers, providing your business with international exposure. Thereby, increasing the revenue of your business.
List of considerations to be taken before translating a website
Before translating a website, it is essential to consider these basic points so that your website attracts potential visitors. Here, we have made a list that needs to be taken into account before translating your website.
1. Choosing our target market
Before you even start translating your website, it is essential to understand your target market. What are the needs and cultural preferences, and how are they going to perceive your website? It is the most crucial step when you start the translation process.
2. Localizing your website
Once your target audience gets identified the next step is how well you localize your website. As you must have heard, localization goes beyond translation. And this is true in every aspect. You have to be mindful of cultural preferences, considering the dos and don’ts of the target language.
3. Translation quality
When translating a website, using a professional translation agency is a good idea. Professional translation agencies hire professional translators to translate websites. They adhere to strict guidelines, ensuring accurate translations that are error-free and align with the cultural preferences of the target audience.
4. SEO Consideration
It is one of the most essential points to take into consideration. You have to always keep in mind that SEO varies by target language and region. Having multilingual SEO is a good idea to stand out among the competition. Because of multilingual SEO, you can enhance your translated content accordingly.
5. Images and multimedia
When translating a website, it is also essential to translate the images and multimedia involved. With this step, you can ensure that you are not disrespecting any target language and you are keeping in mind the cultural preferences of the target audience. You have to consider whether images need to be changed to better resonate with the target audience.
How to translate a website?
How to translate a website? This question must be on your mind after understanding the importance of website translations. Translating a website is done through various methods, depending on the specific needs, target audience, and resources. Here is a list of methods you can consider for translating a website:
1. Human/Manual Translation
Human translation is the same as it sounds. Translations done by a professional translation agency or professional translator Translating your website with the help of professional translators have advantages over machine translation. Because professional translators understand the cultural nuances better than machine translation. And unlike machine translation, professional translators proofread their translated content to ensure accuracy and readability.
Professional translation agencies adhere to strict guidelines, hiring professional translators who are experts in their field and have years of experience in their work. Once you invest your time and resources in a professional translation agency the result you get is perfect. When you want your website to be culturally appropriate, human translation for your website translation is the answer for you.
2. Machine translation
Machine translation is another method for translating your website. It is considered easy and fast and can translate entire websites, and all web pages in milliseconds. With machine translation, the thing you get is speed. Machine translation runs on translation tools like Google Translate, AI tools, and Microsoft Edge Translator. Also, machine translation uses neural machine translation (NMT) to stay ahead of the game. With these translation tools, you have to upload the content and click on the translate button. And your translated content is ready.
That is how fast machine translation is. With machine translation, you can get quick and easy translation, but the huge drawback with machine translations is accuracy. Translation tools like Google Translate or AI tools, do not understand cultural context, slang, or subtle cultural preferences. And that might pose a problem when dealing with a target language with many cultural differences.
Choosing the best way to translate your website depends on your needs and the resources that align with your website’s goals. You have to always keep in mind that website translation is an ongoing process that requires maintaining quality throughout.
Are you looking for website translation services? Look no further!
We at Naarg offer professional website localization services that go beyond mere translation.
Contact us today to learn more about our services.