Are you looking to translate web page content for your business? You might be wondering whether it’s worth the time and money, and the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.
It may seem like most people speak English nowadays, but the number is lower than you might think. Experts estimate that 20% to 25% of people worldwide speak English, but native English speakers make up only 5% of the world’s population.
What’s tricky about multilingual websites, however, is that English is necessary SEO purposes, while customers’ native languages are crucial for creating a connection and boosting sales. So, if your website is not yet in English, it’s vital to do so because it’s the most commonly used language on the internet. If your website is only in English, imagine how many more customers you could reach if it were offered in additional languages.
Here, we break down the most important reasons you should translate web page material, and we explain the first steps you should take.
Five reasons to translate web pages
1. You’ll reach more (and different) customers
When you translate web page material, the most obvious benefit is expanding your customer base. Whether your goal is to launch a product in a new region, reach local customers or attract international employees, you are opening up a whole new market by communicating with your target populations in their native languages.
Professional website translation lets customers engage with content comfortably and makes sure that they understand your message clearly. It removes the need for them to use a web translate app, which means the content will be clearer and give them less hassle. These benefits make it easier for you to persuade them that your business is worth their time.
2. It’ll increase your visibility
You probably already know that search engine optimisation (SEO) is important for bringing traffic to your website – especially SEO positioning in English. But did you know that if you translate web pages into additional languages, you multiply the benefits of SEO? Search engines try to generate localised results, so having your website in multiple languages improves its international SEO rankings. Ultimately, this means that more people will find your website.
3. It’ll boost revenue and conversions
When people come across a website in their native or primary language, they spend more time on it and are more likely to make a purchase. So, in addition to generating more leads, web translation boosts conversions as well.
Research also indicates that both businesses and individual customers are willing to pay more for localised goods and services, so you can easily recoup the costs you invest when you translate web page content.
4. It’ll build your brand and image
When you translate web content, you give a good first impression. By communicating with your customers in their primary language, you build trust and reflect a high level of professionalism. And if you have multilingual employees, it lets them know that their needs are important.
You are also conveying to your audience that you prioritise internationalisation and multiculturalism. This point is especially crucial in current times – internationalisation has become standard in many industries, and customers are looking to build loyalty with companies that prioritise building a global footprint.
5. You’ll give yourself a competitive advantage
If most of your competitors don’t yet have multilingual websites, you will set yourself apart by being one of the first to do so. Not only will it help you show off your unique benefits and commitment to customers, but it will increase the chance that new customers will find you before they find the competition. Engaging with your customers in their primary language is a great way to stand out.
If you know that it’s common among your competitors to translate web pages, then it’s an absolute must to do so. Not offering the same advantages as your competitors means that customers will quickly overlook your site and go with another company that make it easier for them to engage.
The first 2 steps to translate web site text
1. Choose which languages to prioritise
The very first step is deciding which languages make the most sense for your business. Should you focus on only one additional language, or two, three or four? To make this decision, you have to consider your goals and market.
Let’s say you want to offer multilingual options for local populations. Your plan will be very different from that of a company trying to launch in a totally new region. For example, if you’re based in France and looking to gain more visibility in the Americas, it would be logical to translate web pages into English, Spanish and Portuguese. However, if you are looking to gain audiences in Asia, should you choose English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Malay, Hindi or another language?
If you aren’t sure which languages will give you the most benefits, it’s a good idea to do some market research or investigation. That way, you can understand which languages are most in demand for your business.
2. Find professionals who know how to translate web pages
Once you know which languages you need, the next step is finding the right web page translator. You might be tempted to save time and money by using Google translate, but it’s worth the investment to work with professional translators.
Relying on Google or other machine translations can damage your reputation rather than improve it. Although machine translation has significantly improved over the last several years, it’s still not good enough to translate web pages or other content for professional purposes. It often generates confusing text that is difficult to understand – it can even result in embarrassing or offensive language that turns away customers.
In addition to providing quality translations, working with a professional translation service offers many other benefits and makes it worth the investment. When looking for web page translators, it’s best to work with trained professionals who have experience in web copy and SEO concepts and who understand the nuances of your local market.
