Important Tips for Building a Multilingual Website

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Translating a website into more than one language may at first definitely seem like a daunting task, nevertheless, if you intend to approach new, foreign markets and present your services to a global clientele, this is simply something that must be done. Translating your website can of course be a difficult process in itself, however, there is also a lot to plan before you even get to this stage. Still, with the right strategy, approach and people, translating your website will be a long term investment worth every penny.

Who’s Your Target Audience?

There is little point in paying for your website to be translated into languages for regions you have no chance of growing the business in. For this reason, it is sensible to conduct some market research to help you identify where your products and services are most likely to be in demand. Some languages have more buying power than others, so bear this in mind. A great place to start getting to know your audience and the market itself could be by running a ‘PEST’ analysis.

Website Design

The ideal scenario is to design and build a website with translation in mind, but if you already have a fully-functioning website, this might not be possible. Websites need to be responsive and mobile-friendly first and foremost, but thereafter, it is a good idea to look at the content and consider which parts need to be translated. For example, if you are only selling a small section of your inventory overseas, there is little point in paying for the entire website catalogue to be translated. Saying that, another important factor to bear in mind is your company image. Translating your entire website will make your business stand out from the crowd and paint a professional image of your business.

Have a Cultural Assessment

Many things get lost in language translation, for example, an amusing joke in one language can be an offensive insult in another. For this reason, always have your content assessed before it is translated, to avoid including any text or images that could be considered offensive or meaningless in another culture. A great example of how cultural differences can play a vital role in your online business expansion would be colours used and their significance. For instance, in western culture white is naturally associated with cleanliness while in some Asian cultures, for example in China, it symbolises death.

Choose a Translation Agency

It is better to hire a professional rather than someone you met on a backpacking tour trip round Thailand five years ago. Website translation is more than just translating a bit of text. A professional website translator will need to liaise with your website developer to ensure there are no technical issues.

It is also a very bad idea to use a simple tool such as Google Translate, as words are not necessarily translated in context. You could end up with all kinds of weird and wonderful sentences – and you won’t have a clue! Working closely with a professional translation agency such as Language Reach will ensure that your website is translated to the highest possible standard, and all social and cultural differences were taken into the account when working on your text.

Website Links

Multiple language website will need to be linked. A small number of different language sites can be linked via a simple drop down menu, but if you are translating your website into multiple languages, consider having a separate page for users to navigate to the right version of the website. The main thing to remember is to make the process as simple as possible, or users will give up and go elsewhere.

International SEO

Last but definitely not least – International SEO. Overseas users need to be able to find the translated version of your website on their local search engine, so put as much effort into your SEO in foreign markets as you do in your home market.

Building a multilingual website in a haphazard fashion is a waste of time and money. Instead, make sure you choose the right translation partner and plan the job carefully, as this will maximise your chances of international success. Although it may cost more money in the short term, in the long run the investment will definitely pay off.