The internet has created a space where a small business, employing a handful of people and centred in the UK, can market their niche product to an audience based in the Middle East, or anywhere else in the world.
However, for companies once restricted to a local or national market, this global visibility comes with its own particular set of problems and quandaries.
The main issue of course, is the language barrier.
How does a small business manage to entice foreign customers to make purchases when they don’t speak the language, understand the culture, are unfamiliar with international search engines preferences, and so on?
The answer is translation and localisation!
• Translation
Language translation is the process of converting words from one language (the source language) to another (the target language).
Professional translation doesn’t just translate each individual word, but looks at the context, meaning and the overall impression of the message in the target language and ensures that the new audience will gain the correct significance from the translated words.
For example, if you are translating from English to Arabic, but the original marketing materials, produced for a UK based audience, contain words that would be offensive to an Arabic audience, then a professional translation would alter the offending word(s) and replace it with something that conveyed the same meaning but without the negative connotation for the new market.
A professional translation will also give consideration to dialects for targeted marketing, offer accurate linguistic choices and improve brand acceptance in foreign markets.
Translation will give you the important first step into foreign markets, but there is more to be done!
• Localisation
Localisation is similar to translation, in as much as it adapts a message from one language to another, but it is far more in-depth, adjusting elements outside of the basic language changes and considering aspects such as:
• Images
• Cultural norms and expectations
• Weights and measures
• Regional Search Engine Optimisation
• Currency
• Religion
• Colour
• Social structure
• Familial structures
• Government
As you can see from the list above, localisation offers a total cultural engagement and should only be performed by an expert linguist who is a native of the target country and who understands the nuances and differences of the source and target languages.
Select a translation services provider to work with, on your translation and localisation projects, that can offer examples of previous work in your desired language(s), has native-speaking linguists at their disposal, and will give a confidential, expert management of your project.
Speak to the experts here, at Creative Word, if you’d like to learn more about how we can help you improve your global brand presence through our effective translation and localisation services.
Recent Comments