Why translation and localisation go hand in hand
1st September 2021
Globalisation is all about getting your website world ready, with the goal of making the website functional and accessible to a global audience.
Translation and localisation are the two core elements of website and content globalisation.
If your aim is to successfully deliver your brand’s content to new markets across the globe, you need to adapt that content for your target audience. Various research has shown that user’s engagement is far better if content is presented in their own language.
People are more likely to buy products in the own language, language that they fully understand and use most efficiently.
Research carried out by Eurobarometer, on 13,700 users across 27 EU member states, has shown that 42% of the respondents have never bought online in a foreign language and 56.2% of consumers said that obtaining information in their own language is more important than the price.
But to appeal to your audience effectively, engage with them and make them trust you, website translation may not be enough. You will also need localisation.
To make your global expansion successful, you must take translation and localisation seriously and capitalise on the huge potential lying ahead.
What’s the difference between translation and localisation?
Even though they sound familiar, there are major differences between these two services.
In essence, translation will translate the words from one language to another, localisation will ensure translated text make sense to the users.
What is language translation?
Translation is the process of transferring text from one language (known as the source language) to another (target language).
High quality translations are delivered by experienced linguists with an extensive knowledge of both the source and target languages.
The translator’s job is to convert the text with grammar, writing convention and idioms in mind.
Generally, they will not take non-textual components of a product or service such as cultural difference, customs, and habits into account.
What is language localisation?
Localisation services ensure that your content has been adapted for your target audience, whilst considering different cultures, cultural nuances and quirks, traditions, superstitions, common habits as well as consumer preferences.
The localisation process may include anything from localising the text to multilingual typesetting: adapting the way the text and images are arranged on the page, size of the font, punctuation, text direction, adopting local currencies, choice of colours, cultural references, and many other details
These elements are local sensitive, they aim to avoid conflict with local culture, customs, and common habits and can have an enormous impact on the end user.
Do I need both?
The simple answer is yes, but it varies from one document to another.
Ideally, your website, flyers and other marketing documents will be both translated and localised. This is a good way to ensure your documents don’t use inappropriate words, symbols, or colours, making them less appealing to your target audience.
For example, in China, green can be associated with infidelity and considered unlucky. A man wearing a green shirt is thought to have an unfaithful wife. Black can also be considered unlucky given its association to the darkness and secrecy. The word ‘mafia’ means ‘black society’ in Chinese.
Surveys, instruction manuals and technical documents read literary and don’t require the same level as localisation as a website or marketing materials. They may still include small changes such as different weight scales, units, currency and numbers. For example, stones need to be changed to kgs for a European audience.
How much localisation is required will depend on whether your content needs to be translated for functional reasons, or to appeal to a specific audience/culture.
If you are looking for translation and localisation services, please get in touch.
