5 reasons to translate your website
Translation is one of the most powerful tools at a web developer’s disposal. It’s about much more than simply reaching a new audience – translating your site into a different language dramatically boosts its performance and even alters its standing in search results. Here’s an informative rundown of the top reasons to start translating today.
#1 Reach a new audience
Perhaps the most obvious reason, but using translation software like Smartling means that your website will appeal to a whole new audience. This, of course, leads to more customers who might otherwise have never heard about you, your services or your products. Remember that the internet is worldwide. If your website only exists in one language then its customer base is limited. Translation is the first step towards going truly global.
#2 Multilingual SEO
Most web developers understand the importance of SEO and even causal bloggers know about keywords and optimization. Correct use of SEO helps your site to rank higher in search engine results. You can go international here, too. Once you’ve identified the keywords in your native language, you’re free to analyze metrics from other countries. Incorporating multilingual keywords dramatically impacts how your site ranks with Google and can supercharge your reach across the globe.
#3 Gives you a competitive edge
Running an online business is more competitive than ever. Cyberspace is congested with multiple websites and companies offering similar services at similar prices. This can make it hard to find customers and even harder to grow, since you’re forced to operate on incredibly thin margins. Look closely, though, and you’ll realize that many of your competitors are limiting themselves by only appealing to a domestic audience. Translation lets you circumvent much of that competition by targeting a whole new, international market.
#4 Language is more important than brand
Studies indicate that language is more important than a big name brand. Customers are more likely to buy from a smaller, even unknown brand that uses their language than a bigger one that doesn’t. This is powerful. It can be difficult to compete with companies that have a lot of money to spend on product development and marketing campaigns, but translation means that you don’t need to. By communicating with customers in their native language you take brand names completely out of the equation. That, of course, gives you the opportunity to build up a loyal and international customer base.
#5 It’s cheaper than you think
Translation sometimes has a reputation for being quite expensive, but that’s no longer the case. translation software comes in all shapes and sizes, from the extremely basic to the advanced. Basic software will usually suffice for smaller websites, but if your online infrastructure is quite expansive, you might consider spending a little more. Advanced software doesn’t just translate. It delivers localization, preserves individual writing styles and is especially useful if your business uses a lot of technical terms. Whatever the scope, scale and budget of your business, there’s translation software to fit it.
