Talk to anyone about the most important aspect of web localization and you’re bound to hear almost a dozen different answers. Discussions will likely center around constructing good global gateways, having customized social media, optimized keywords and knowledge of local search engines. The conversation might shift to the nitty-gritty: Link building, meta-data and alt text or other off-page SEO tactics.
The brightest of the bunch might debate on the importance of cultural knowledge, leading to a discussion on how to properly use calls-to-action, making color choices or selecting the proper user interface for a market. However, there is one aspect of web-loc that is often neglected and, when not done to the best of one’s abilities, can result in the nullification of hard-work in any of the aforementioned areas: Translation.
Good translation unlocks the global door
The purpose of web-localization is to build a site that feels domestic to the user no matter what the market. Without excellent translation, your company will never localize to a competitive level.
A firm recommending Google Translate as an end-all-be-all for your needs is not a company preparing you to succeed in the global market. While Google Translate has its merits, there are some things that simply cannot be left to a computer. It’s entirely impossible for Google Translate to create the level of comfort and familiarity with your website that a user has with one that was programmed in his own language. Google does nothing to respect cultural differences or regional dialects for various languages. There are thousands of words in hundreds of languages that have no literal translation from one to another. For example, the German term Schadenfreude, meaning to take enjoyment in another person’s pain. Another example comes from the Scots who have a nearly onomatopoeic word for that panicky hesitation just before you have to introduce someone whose name you can’t quite remember. They call it a Tartle.
Translation is the web-loc equivalent of a handshake. As a business person, when you first meet a potential client or partner, a handshake can be a make or break moment. A firm, well-delivered handshake conveys professionalism, competence, openness and reliability. Meanwhile, shaking hands with “Mr. Pasta Arms” subliminally causes you to worry about his confidence and ability to deliver. Translation is your first and most important opportunity to build trust with your target audience. Without superior translation, your website may as well be Mr. Pasta Arms. Would you ever consider giving your credit-card information or e-mail address to a website written in broken English? I didn’t think so.
There is a solution for everyone
Even for companies on a shoestring budget, there are some simple methods to ensure your website displays expertly localized content and places you on the road to success. One of the simplest things a company can do is have their website machine translated and then edited by a linguist. While this is usually not a method that will help things like SEO, it is better than nothing.
For those aiming to develop a user-friendly interface and increase things like Page Rank in foreign markets, the task gets slightly more complicated. The best thing a company can do here is chose to work with a partner with an expansive foreign network. Anything with high visibility, such as landing pages and calls-to-action, cannot be left to a machine translator and requires an expert’s touch. While less trafficked pages may still receive the machine treatment, it is imperative that whatever makes up the “face” of your site is done to the highest degree of ability.
By working with a global partner, you can increase your SEO tenfold. Keyword optimization is one of the most overlooked aspects of translation services and can be the difference between success and failure for a company looking to branch out into foreign markets. Much like those words that have no literal interpretation, having a machine translate your keywords could end up putting your message way off base. It would also mean some serious Fremdschämen (German word for vicarious embarrassment) for me, because I can’t say I didn’t warn you.
