Your translation company MUST drive sales or attention

Translating a website is quite different from a document, presentation, report or agreement. When translating these your primary concern is often accuracy and fluency. So a “normal” translation company will ensure that these two concerns are met. However, when you are on the web you most often also need to drive traffic, leads, online or offline sales or even lead the debate on whatever issue is most important to you or your organisation. You basically need a business-generating partner, not just a normal translation agency.

The multi-language keywords challenge

For one thing keywords used to drive traffic and visibility are already different in one language, so you can imagine the complications when you start targeting a foreign market. Which keywords will drive the right traffic and how will I achieve top rankings? You need to do decent keyword research here in terms of correct ones and their competition as well as understand what the business drivers are for your website. If your translation company cannot do this then this will be a problem.

From keywords to conversions

Then once you have started to drive traffic, you need to convert the visitors. Here you need to have considered what calls to action you need on your site and then written powerful and persuasive texts which lead your visitor to take the desired action. And remember that different local markets need a different text. The Nordic countries tend to prefer direct and shorter communication, and the farther south you go in Europe from the Nordic area the more people like to be communicated with.

So before you start translating your website or even writing content ask yourself; What is the purpose of our website and what do we want visitors to do there? Have we thought about keywords in each language and our ranking for each local market? And, how will we measure our progress and success?

Good luck with your efforts and feel free to ask us if you have any queries at all.