Translation for Startups: 5 Essential Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business
The internet has made it possible for people worldwide to communicate through the simple touch of a button. You no longer have to travel several miles across the world to purchase a particular product or speak to friends - you can do it all from the comfort of your couch.
Isn’t that amazing?
However, while progress has been major when it comes to global connectedness - the same can’t be said for the language barrier. As the world largely operates as an online community these days, communicating solely in English as a business owner isn’t going to cut it.
It comes as no surprise that at least 76% of consumers worldwide prefer to purchase products with information written in their native language. This necessitates translation as your ticket to engaging international audiences.
It’s important to note though, that translation will only positively benefit your business if the translation itself communicates authentically to intended audiences. So, how can you properly leverage translation to grow your business?
Here are five essential marketing tips for Growing Your Small Business with translation in 2023
Do Your Homework
The first step to growing your business is to plan for all your translation projects. You need to determine if you can do the translation yourself or have a translation company do it for you. However, each process comes with its pros and cons. But with the proper research, you can find a system that works best for you.
Some questions you should ask yourself include:
Does your business have the logistical means to deliver translation services cost-effectively?
Which platforms are your customers most likely to engage with your products and business?
How much time and resources can you allocate to translation to help you expand your business globally?
Does your business have the logistical means to venture into translation cost-effectively?
Start by researching the answers to the questions above. Remember, every business is unique. And once you have the answers, you can then prioritise your translation strategy.
Hire a Reputable Translator
It’s no secret that translating is a challenging task. As a small business, doing it yourself might prove to be a challenge. Rather than burden yourself with all translation responsibilities, you can hire a reputable translator or a translation service provider.
So, how do you do that?
Start by reviewing the price - The first thing you should always do when outsourcing your translation services is to look at the price. A qualified translation service should offer customised pricing for projects or websites of particular importance. The translation service company should also have translators who can translate various languages.
Experience - The more languages a translation service has, the more diverse the translation services you get. Always inquire about the years of experience a translation service has, especially if you are looking to hire one for a large body of work.
Nature of the project - Every startup has different translation needs. When looking for a translator, it’s always important to understand the nature of your translation project. For example, do you want your product page translated? Do you want your entire website translated? Knowing the type of service you require allows you to narrow down your translator search and find a service that works best for you.
With the right translation service, you can significantly reduce your workload and focus on what matters - the growth of your business.
Have a Reasonable Time Frame
Quality takes time. This also applies to translation. Unfortunately, most businesses often make the mistake of rushing through translation work which always leads to a rushed and confusing output. When your target consumer gets confused about what you offer, there is always a high likelihood that they won’t return to your page.
Having a reasonable time frame ensures that no rushed output happens. It also helps guarantee that you can afford to pay for the translation services you receive. If you aren’t sure how long a particular translation project will last, you can always have a translation service estimate a time frame for you. Also, take time to schedule a review process. This guarantees that you look over the output and identify areas that may require revisions.
Have no Errors
Translating is more than simply pasting your content into Google translate and pressing the translate button. You need professional input if you want quality results. Otherwise, you may end up leaving a negative impression on your target audience by trying to look for ways to save money. A poor translation can sometimes be offensive, and quite often than not, it always reads as nonsense or out of context.
To avoid possible PR disasters, make sure you hire a qualified and experienced certified translation team. With their help, your content will not only be well-written; but is also sensitive to cultural nuances. As a result, it will also sound more natural and show that your company values its language.
Know What to Prioritise First
The first thing you should think of when it comes to translation is the language. Since your overall cost will multiply depending on the languages you are targeting, it’s always important to prioritise one language at a time.
Once one language has been translated, you can move on to the next language. Another aspect you should prioritise when translating is the page you need to be translated. For example, do you want your entire website translated or a particular website page?
By doing your homework, you can get an idea of what tasks to prioritise before moving on to the next task. This also allows you to stay ahead of every aspect of the project and get quality work done. Technology has created avenues for small businesses to grow.
With thoughtful planning, you can scale up your business to other parts of the world. With high-quality translation, you can do precisely that.