When writing content online, you want your message to reach as many people as possible. And not only locally, but also internationally. When writing multilingual marketing content for your company or client, there are certain factors you need to bear in mind to ensure you beat your competitors and dazzle Google to achieve the best possible positioning in the search results.
Bear in mind that the importance of content translation in Marketing stems from the need to communicate with international markets; to take your product further and reach your community the clearest and most appropriate way possible. To do this, the first step is to familiarise yourself with the concepts of Inbound Marketing and speak the same language. Secondly, it is essential that you are familiar with transcreation, localisation and globalisation strategies:
Transcreation in content marketing
Transcreation comes from the terms translation and creation, which makes the translator a co-author of the content. This process goes beyond the translation itself involving creativity and emotion, translating the ideas rather than the literal words. This process means the reader interperts the message with the original intention of the content, to understand it in the same way in every language.
Localising your content
Localisation is a procedure that goes beyond transcreation and language. Localisation is a translation strategy which understands the culture of the source reference and above all, understands the social and historical context of the target culture. It does not only involve translating the text, but also adapting it to the target culture.
Globalisation in Marketing
Globalisation consists of translating elements into a language so that all speakers of that language can use it globally. Decide whether you want to globalise or localise the product, as this is part of the translation process; some companies decide to globalise their brand but localise the corporate message in specific areas or regions.
Once you understand the concept of translation in Marketing, and taking into account the translation strategies mentioned above, I recommend you take the following steps to get your message across to your target audience:
Marketing Translation Tips
- Establish objectives and strategy
- Know the company’s philosophy
- Understand the style and tone of the copy, from the source and target
- Prioritise coherence and provide a consistent message
- Be clear about the channels and means to adapt the translation
- Use clear and concise language without resorting to jargon or localisms used exclusively in certain geographical areas
- Adjust the foreign language version to the given space. This is essential on a website where your text coexists with other elements
- Use translation tools and glossaries to complement to your writing
- Revise and read the text as a stand-alone text to move it away from translation
I hope this post has helped you to implement the Inbound method in your content translation strategy. If you want to know more about translation in Inbound Marketing, do not hesitate to contact us and we will advise you. I’ll read you in the comments.
