The translation and localisation of your website is the first stepping stone in your international expansion. Between marketing content, organic SEO, technical configurations and product catalogues, there are many elements to be translated and it’s not always easy to think of everything.
Furthermore, if you want to acquire new customers abroad and develop your income stream in new markets, it is not enough to simply translate your texts. All of the elements of your site and communication materials should also be adapted to your local audience. Cultural differences and preferences must not be ignored, including consumer habits, payment and delivery methods and legal specifics.
1. Preparing your website translation project
The first stage seems obvious: get together all the content that you want to translate. However, take care not to forget anything: I am sure that you have seen a website in the past where some texts have been left in the original language. In addition to page content, also think about small details such as meta descriptions, URLs, image descriptions, the legal disclaimer, menus, form error messages, your 404 page, etc. Furthermore, the project should be considered as a whole, as your website is linked to other content such as transactional emails, newsletters, blog posts, tutorials or other types of resources.
2. Localising your website
Translating is not the same as localising! This brings us to stage 2. Once the content to be translated is prepared, we now must confront the problem of localisation. Whether we mean “cultural” localisation (vocabulary, delivery and return policies, estimates) or technical localisation (hosting, domain name, keywords used for organic SEO, etc.), it is in your interest to adapt each of the elements to your target market to ensure a better performing site.
3. Choose a translation solution
You have identified all the necessary data for the translation and localisation of your website. Several options are now available to you: internal translation, working with freelance translators, using a traditional translation agency or an all-in-one platform. In all of these cases, you must determine which options best suits your needs and requirements, your budget and priorities. The cost, timeline and quality of your translations will be determined by this choice. As a result, it is a very significant decision!
To find out more about best practices for the translation and localisation of your website so that you can best prepare the development of your online presence in new markets, download our complete guide.
