Did you know that companies that invest in translation are 1.5 times more likely to experience an increase in total revenue? Some businesses already realise how important it is to translate when talking about improving ROI, and this is what we will touch on in this article today.
Translated websites and landing pages generate higher conversion rates. Also, translated ads can result in better click rates. Neil Patel, one of the most recognized marketers in the world, talks about it in an article on his web page. After translating his web and blog he noticed an increase of 47% in the general traffic of his web and quantitative improvement in his click rate.
The co-founder of MOZ, an SEO tool, Gillian Muessig, argues “research indicates that 3 times as many readers of a website will convert to customers if you give them information in their native language. You don’t need to translate your legal and privacy info pages, but you do need to translate your important landing page and selling pages. Not to do so is to turn away 2/3 of your potential business.”
And, as if these data were not enough, more than half of the respondents to a study of Common Sense Advisory regarding consumers based in non-English-speaking countries said that they rarely or never buy online on English-language sites. In other research conducted by CSA, it was found that more than 4 out of 5 business buyers prefer to buy a product with online information in their language.
But that’s not all, 42% of European Union consumers don’t buy products presented in a foreign language, even if they are fluent in that language, and the number rises to 95% when talking about Chinese customers.
With these numbers in mind, translation is not only a recommended service, but a must, that can contribute immensely to revenue and ROI growth.
In speaking the mother tongue of your potential consumers you will greatly enhance their user experience and the likelihood that they take a purchase decision on your website will increase.
Cost vs. Opportunity
The vast majority of brands think of translation and localization as a cost instead of an economic opportunity. In 2013, a survey conducted by CSA argued that one-third of respondents spent 1 million dollars annually on localization services, but only one out of four registered their ROI evolution.
So, how can I improve my ROI through translation?
Step 1: Determine where your traffic is coming from and which is its potential
The first step to determine in which language to translate your content is knowing where your traffic is coming from, and to which type of public your product or service will add value.
Many brands only use two or three languages for their website and communication, but research has shown that this isn’t enough. In a hyperconnected world, Common Sense Advisory determined that it took 14 languages to reach 80% of people on the Internet in 2015, and that it will take 16 languages to reach the 80% in 2022.
Step 2: Prioritize the content to translate
If translating your entire content is too much, you can always optimize the content that achieves a better result.
Adapting your homepage and its services is a must, but… then what? If you have a blog post that generates a big part of your web traffic or numerous pages that contribute to the most conversions, that’s where you should start.
Step 3: Choose a professional translation service that takes care of your content
A literal translation is an inaccurate translation. Adapting only words or sentences is not enough, concepts and ideas must be conveyed effectively, creating a unique experience for the audiences of a different language and culture. Often this means creating new ideas that will be more meaningful to your potential clients.
It’s really important to have a team of native translators specializing in different areas that will understand perfectly the nuances of a language and all its culture. The translated text has to meet the highest quality standards, as it works as a cover letter for the potential clients and determines if they will trust you or not.
At Berba, we manage all your translations from start to finish. Our team of Project Managers will take care of the entiretranslation process so you can focus on growing your business. Our pool of specialized native translators work interconnectedly to make your content global within hours. We also make use of translation memories, which reduces considerably the costs of translation.
