Tips for localizing your website
It can even be used when a dialect of a language is converted to another dialect, for example from British English to American English, or even when a standard message is changed to suit a particular subset. or to a niche of readers who actually speak the same language, such as a marketing message or a website that was originally designed for older people but has been revamped to suit teenagers.
What is content localization?
Content localization is a refinement of translation that makes translated content easier to understand or appreciate by the target readership. At a very basic level, it converts things like currency, units of measurement, and time zones to those used by the target population. It helps to avoid confusion, ridicule or disgust when words are literally translated without considering what those literally translated words might mean in another language. It helps convert the official language into dialects and colloquial usages that are easier to understand.
Content localization is not widely used (apart from units, etc.) when it comes to translating scientific, medical or technical documents. Official documents such as birth and marriage certificates also do not need to be “localized”. However, some legal documents may need to be localized to account for differences in legal systems and terminology. Much of marketing and literary translation uses content localization techniques due to the greater differences in language usage.
Develop a content localization strategy
Here are the 3 points to implement a content localization strategy:
Analysis of target markets and languages
Identify what is to be located
Find a translation service provider
Analyze your target markets and languages
Content localization may or may not be necessary. Whether or not it is depends on careful analysis of the target market and the language(s) used by that market. It all depends heavily on the type of content you want to translate. As explained above, content marketing is one of the most common types of content requiring a localization strategy. New applications such as those used on mobile devices will also need a localization strategy.
Select what you want to locate
Localization is not just about replacing text with text that will be more easily understood and appreciated by the target market. It includes images, colors, video content, slogans and brand names. This means using location services that really have both feet firmly planted in the target population and the source population, in order to avoid misunderstandings and potential anger.
Find the right translation agency
Many translation agencies and freelance translators specialize in one branch of translation or another. Not all translators offer localization services in addition to standard translation. This means that you really need to know what level of localization you need before looking for a suitable translation company . Note that localization will cost more than a simple translation, so again, if you don’t need localization, don’t ask for it!
In some cases, you may need to hire a translation company to do the bulk of the content translation and then hire a specialist localization team to convert that translated content into appropriately localized material.
Conclusion
Localization is a specialized form of translation that makes content more palatable and valued by certain target markets . It’s especially important for marketing content, although basic localization may be needed for a lot of very different content. It’s important to find an agency that specializes in content localization, not just one that does standard translation.
