Perhaps your website needs to be translated into another language. Maybe your product information isn’t in the language of your customers.
Translation is an essential step in reaching your global audiences, regardless of whether it’s your software or product information, your website, or your marketing content.
This article won’t tell you how to select the best translation service for your company. This article will not give you an overview of translation services.
This article will go beyond translation to explain everything you can expect from a translation agency.
Know-How in Translation and Localization
Do you manage localization in your company? I know. I admit that I was a little confused at first. If you don’t have a primary role in localization and only know that content needs to be translated, how much do your know about translation and localization services and translation tools? What are the best file formats and methods for localization?
A more important question is: How much do you actually need to know? It is important to understand what localization means.
You don’t need to be a mechanic to buy a car. However, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the basics to ensure that your car doesn’t break down as soon as you get off the lot.
This applies to all business purchases, even translation services. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be a specialist in localization.
All you need is a localization expert. A good translation company will share its experience with you without asking a thousand questions.
It is not a good idea to be confused or to waste time trying to understand every nuance of the translation process.
Working with a localization expert will help you to understand the basics and make it easy for you to make the right decisions for your company.
You can rest assured that your content will be handled professionally and that all your questions will have been answered promptly.
Constant guidance throughout the translation process
Is your website filled with images? It should, I’m sure.
Are you willing to take on the responsibility of making sure your customers don’t find the content offensive because it is not localized correctly? I don’t believe so.
These are simple questions that have easy answers.
However, there are other important questions that may not be as easy to answer:
Are you responsible for technical documentation translations?
Are you familiar with the requirements for image files to be correctly localized?
If there is a Google Translate tool, are the CAT tools really needed?
Localization: Are all software strings the same?
Are you always in need of transcreation for your marketing content?
Send scans to be translated right away!
How do you prepare for software localization
Are images in solar panel manuals required to be localized These images are not localized.
Are there any tools or apps that you need to enable your company to offer a high-quality translation?
LMS (Learning Management System), does it have to be translated if the majority of users speak English?
How can images be used in Japanese?
How do you approach the in-country translation review process?
There are hundreds of questions you can ask depending on your industry and your knowledge. There are tons of resources online that you can use to help you find the answers.
You can trust that the translation agency will be capable of answering your questions without you having to search for a dictionary.
A translation agency will give you guidance based on years’ of localization experience to provide you with the best answer.
It’s not always a good idea to translate a website into all 10 languages simultaneously. You can also have your entire website translated.
Sometimes, translating blog posts or the important information on the main site (including the navigation menu), might suffice for customers to navigate it easily.
You are purchasing the support of the entire translation team when you partner with a localization agency. This is not only telling you what you should do but also helping you to understand why.
Be prepared to hear the hard truth from time to time when working with a translation agency. A guide who is worth their salt will let you know when a particular path is dangerous or just plain stupid.
Trusting the right translation agency will allow you to relax and allow them to guide you through the best options, even if the answers you get aren’t what you were expecting.
Your translation provider will listen to you if they are truly interested in your business. Their experience combined with your cooperation will give you a great roadmap for international growth.
Integrate your system with translation software
We are often asked the following question: Are you able to integrate with our system? The simple answer they seek is:
Companies want to quickly launch new products in global markets, or create new websites in different languages. They seek out ways to streamline the process.
These expectations are met by translation companies that offer solutions such as translation automation. Integrating the Translation Management System with the client’s system is one of the most important factors.
If a translation agency says yes to integration with your system (either Magento, WooCommerce or WordPress, HubSpots, Bitbuckets, Confluence or Zendesk), then you are sure you have made the right decision.
It is vital to integrate your backend with the system of your translator provider.
This allows you to save time, speed up product introductions to international markets, and provide your customers with a great experience without waiting too long. You gain time, yes. But that’s not all.
Your backend can streamline multilingual content creation so your product is easily accessible for international customers.
You can deliver your content or product, fully customized to your local needs, much quicker and more efficiently by reducing the number of data exchanges and manual steps.
No matter what content you are trying to translate, accessibility is key to a better user experience. Clear product information, whether it is a website, software or website, that is translated into the native language of the user, is easy to use.
There are fewer translation-related tasks, which means more time for you
Did you ever say, “I have too much time for this project”? You’re right. It’s more “Jeez, there are only 24 hours in one day!”
You can expect more time to work on your primary goals and tasks when you partner with a top translation agency. You’ll also get more sleep each night.
It is possible to do this if you prepare your content for translation properly and leave the translation work to the localization company. Localization is a complex task that requires more work and less satisfaction if you’ve ever managed it in a company.
I don’t think you have. Smooth systems and processes are essential for content development as well as translation.
As mentioned above, integrating your system with TMS (Translation Management System) will save you a lot of time.
You will find that you have more time to do what you love, which can lead to less stress and increase creativity.
Every human being can feel the pinch of time. You should seize every opportunity to have more time. This is what you’ll get if you partner with a translation agency who truly understands their services.
Translation costs vs translation savings
Working with a translation agency can help you make more money at the bank. Simple. Because if you grow your business in the right way, your income will increase. There is another explanation.
A good translation can save you a lot of money. This is where the CAT tools (Computer Assisted Translation Tools) come in. You will find an important feature in them called Translation Memory (TM).
If you send your content to be translated and ask for a quote you will not only receive a price based upon the amount of words you have. You will also find out how much you will save, and why.
Why should you pay multiple times for the translation of the same words or expressions in your content?
CAT tools allow your localization company quickly and easily to swiftly go through the content to determine how many sentences or expressions are already translated.
The translation cost will vary depending on the number of repetitive expressions in the content (they are typically charged at 25%) and if any elements have been previously translated in previous projects.
Translation Memory can store content that you have already translated using CAT tools. The Translation Memory will then produce a quote for new content. Based on previously translated content, there are certain rules that will help you calculate the amount of savings on translation.
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