Marketing translation means translating content on platforms such as emails, copy, social media, and websites into a target market’s language.
If your business is in the international business expansion stage, you may need marketing translation services, as not all countries speak English as their first language. More so, you need to find a way to localize your business to build customer awareness.
Marketing translation requires precise processes beyond linguistics to understand and respond to communication on various platforms. Sometimes, the process gets complex because many factors have to be considered.
To help you get started, here are five marketing translation tips you can consider for international business expansion.
Hire Professional Language Translators
Hiring experts in marketing means trusting that your business is treading on safe grounds as you expand internationally. Aside from marketing experts, you also have to work with reliable language translation service providers.
Marketing translation requires flawless execution and error-free outputs. Poorly translated content of offline and online marketing campaigns may have a negative impact on your image and credibility.
Thus, investing in high-quality translation services is highly recommended if you want to resonate with your new target market in no time.
Identify Priority Content
Identifying the content that needs translation should be on top of your list. Focus on those that will boost brand awareness and customer engagement.
Take your website as an example. Your website content must be translated into the target audience’s language to make it more accessible and intuitive. Successful marketing translation also means the effective execution of search engine optimization (SEO) marketing.
SEO marketing is the process whereby your website’s visibility increases when one uses a search engine. The ranking will be improved through a specific set of keywords picked up by the algorithm. Users use these keywords to search for particular products or services.
Keywords may also vary from one country to another. Incorporating these keywords that feel native to your target audience is as important as having these words present on all your webpages pages to boost your rankings and refine user search results.
It takes a trained team of experts to translate your content into the target language and consider the SEO strategies you have in place.
Understand Cross-Cultural Dynamics
International business expansion requires an understanding of cross-cultural dynamics. Here are some of the dynamics that need to be considered in marketing translation:
Historical Background
A company looking to expand into such sensitive cultural dynamics means all translation needs to be mindful of possible racial segregation misinterpretations, such as apartheid. To avoid misinterpretations that result from translation means engaging a native to assist in the translation, ensuring that all your content is within the proper and respectful context.
Taboo Subject Topics
Another example of understanding cross-cultural dynamics is to study the agreed unspoken topics, themes, or subjects of the audience. These may depend on the religion, political climate, or gender dynamics of the country.
If your business directly translates from one topic to another without considering the subject, you may risk causing more harm, though with good intention.
Suppose an audience perceives your brand as one that doesn’t consider their sensitivities and cultural dynamics.
In that case, it may categorize your business as one that solely focuses on profit and not customer relations.
Locals can provide insight into how the audience receives the communication instead of leaving it to your discretion.
Linguistics
Linguistics is vital to understand when expanding to new markets. You might be in a country wherein certain words have different meanings depending on the context. Misuse of words, grammar, punctuations, and syntax may result in offensive or insensitive messages. These language barriers make it more challenging to connect with your audience. You can avoid this when you engage with reliable translation service providers.
Determine Your Communication Channels
Expanding your business will require extensive research. At the minimum, you have to know the communication channels used mainly by your target market and determine their cost-efficiency and efficacy. Note that even if your content is flawlessly translated but doesn’t reach the audience because of the channels used, the communication goal isn’t met.
You also have to keep in mind that even though there are preferred channels, they may not be suitable for the type of business or industry you belong to. Some might prefer mobile experiences, so you will need to create an app for seamless communication, whereas others might prefer email or phone communication. If you are working with translation companies, advise them of the media you ought to use, so they can translate your content into text that will have maximum impact.
Be Open to Feedback
Communicating with the audience in their language means that you must also be open to feedback. The audience can point out gaps in communication that you can then rectify.
You can also actively engage locals to understand how they perceive your communication style and include constructive criticism if any. Understanding how your audience receives these messages should be prioritized over how your business prefers to communicate. Utilizing your social media accounts are a great and convenient way to collect feedback.
Culturally-Attuned Marketing Translation Strategies
International business expansion is such an achievement. This expansion also calls for cultural sensitivity through accurate marketing translation.
For your business to succeed in the new market, consider hiring experts to assist in translating your content and campaigns that will resonate with your new audience.
These experts will consider writing keywords in the proper context and structure to increase your web visibility and support your brand image.