How Using a Translation Service Can Boost Your Online Sales

If an online retailer wants to expand abroad, their only chance of success is translation. While this may sound rash, the statistics don’t lie: Did you know that the majority of people who go online every day do not list English as their first language?

Not only that, but as many as three-fourths of these users have stated that they would prefer to make a major purchase from an online retailer on a site that was written in their native tongue. When faced with such clear-cut numbers, the only way for these retailers to move forward abroad is by translating their website content.

However, this process is not as easy as just putting it into an online translation source; it requires a careful touch. Therefore, it is imperative to employ a professional translation firm that knows the market.

Using a Translation Service Can Boost Your Online Sales

Doing so will ensure that the translated content is culturally aware, properly coded, and updated with relevant information (like currency and local domain names). Whether you work in the education field and require an elearning translator, or are a big-box retailer looking to create localized content for a Chinese market, all industries and verticals can benefit from proper translations. Read on to find out just how big a difference hiring a professional translator can make in your digital success.

Relevant Marketing Tools

Choosing a professional firm ensures your work is being translated by people who are up-to-date with these markets. Having translators who are immersed in these cultures can also bring about major opportunity: they’re intimately familiar with the search habits and app usage in these other locations.

 Also read: Top Industries That Benefit from Professional Translation Services

Marketing tools that work in one country will not necessarily work or be available in another, and it is important to update your marketing plan regularly as your company continues to expand into other locations. A professional translator can recommend target markets and useful tools that may have otherwise gone undiscovered.

Proper Word Choice

It is extremely important to make sure that your language makes sense to your customer. Often, idioms and nuances are difficult to directly translate, which could result in large portions of your information being lost in the shift. Professional firms have translators who are attuned to these fine details of localization, allowing your message to get across clearly and concisely.

Avoid Unexpected Pitfalls

Formatting and coding issues can also be overlooked if you don’t utilize the skills offered by a translation team. Characters can take up different amounts of space when changed from one language to another, and important coding changes and formatting adjustments must be made when translating pages into languages that flow differently to English. If your product isn’t displayed nicely, customers will be reluctant to use your site.

Your legal documents will also demand attention: ensuring things don’t get lost in translation is important for any document, such as one outlining your terms and conditions, present on your site.

Something else that is important to note is that some markets will have their own legalities that you and your firm may be unfamiliar with. A professional translation service will be able to help you ensure your documents are correctly updated so you can continue to keep your customers informed and provide them best service possible.

Safeguard Your Reputation

If you launch your company abroad without consulting a translation firm, you run the risk of including culturally insensitive content, which could do harm to your reputation within overseas markets. A photograph or word that is completely acceptable in one setting may carry negative connotations in another.

However, if you consult with a translation firm and successfully launch your site in multiple languages, you are more likely to earn the sale. To attest to this, 74% of customers stated that they would be more likely to shop again if the site was translated into their native language. So what are you waiting for?

| About the Guest Author:

Guest Author
Rae is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing, of course.”


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