B2B Blog

Top 10 Languages Used on the Internet

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:10:00 GMT

The "World Wide Web" is used by apporximately 2 BILLION people throughout the world. That's why many companies are anxious to translate their website into additional languages. Instead of having an audience of millions, your product or service could be available to literally billions of people in dozens of different countries. There are over 6,700 languages in the world today, but obviously some languages are more popular than others.

Here are the Top 10 Languages Used on the Internet:

English - 536 Million Users
Chinese - 445 Million Users
Spanish - 153 Million Users
Japanese - 99 Million Users
Portuguese - 83 Million Users
German - 75 Million Users
Arabic - 65 Million Users
French - 60 Million Users
Russian - 60 Million Users
Korean - 39 Million Users

Here are a few other stats about the use of the internet throughout the world. If you are considering website translation, some of these might be interesting for you:

All of the other languages make up 351 million users worldwide.
The most connected languages are German and Japanese with almost 80% of people online.
Only 18% of the Arabic population has access to the internet.
In the United States, 77% of the residents online.
In Greenland, 90% of the residents have access to the internet.
Outside of North America, only 26% of the population is online.

All stats are from www.internetworldstats.com

Website Translation — Planning the Strategy...

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:18:00 GMT

Business is going well and you’re ready to take the next step. You want to translate your website into another language to increase sales. But, what is involved in order to make that happen? With some research, planning, and even some rewriting; we can help you turn your English website into a multilingual beast ready to conquer the world.

Here are some quick facts, figures and ideas as you begin thinking about website translation:

Research.
- Why do you want to translate your website?
- Is there a definite group of people who speak a different language who will use your product?
- Would people from a different culture use your product or service? Research the demographics, their likes and dislikes, and their culture.
- How many people who speak other languages live around your area?
- Can you make money from your new customers after analyzing the time and cost of translating your website?
Customer Support. After the website is translated, do you have someone who knows the translated language who can take the phone calls and answer the E-mails?
Start Small. When the person clicks the language link, you could have a “mini-site” which includes the main products and services you offer. Don’t waste your time and money translating pages that few actually read.
Word Files or HTML Files.
- We could give you the translated text in Word for your designer to copy/paste to create the new web pages (which is cheaper).
- Or, you could give us the HTML or ASP files and we will switch the text and provide you with new files ready to upload to your website.
Writing for the Web. There are many things to keep in mind when writing the text for your website, especially if you plan to have it translated into another language:
- Are you trying to reach people in the United States or other countries?
- Metric System
- Currency
- Slang
- Industry Jargon
- Acronyms
- Cultural Attitudes / Opinions
- Export Laws
- Customer Service in Other Languages
Final Cost. When everything is finished, the cost will probably be $50-$100 per finished page. The problem is most websites have dozens or hundreds of pages to translate unless they focus on starting with a mini website of their most popular pages.
Repeated Text. Most websites have text which is repeated over and over again throughout. Since this only needs translated once, we don’t charge for the translation of the same text on repeated pages.
No-Obligation Website Translation Quote. Are you ready to see how much this might cost? Please complete our detailed website translation quote form. This will take a few minutes, but the more information you give us, the more ways we can work together to translate your website while reducing the cost.

SEO for Multilingual Websites

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:36:00 GMT

Every business that has a website should be doing “search engine optimization” (SEO). What is that exactly? That is where you optimize your website so it ranks higher in Google and Bing. You have to look at your website through the eyes of a search engine, not only in English but in every language your website offers.

How do I can rank higher in Google and Bing?

Keywords. Do the main keywords which people search in Google appear throughout the text on your particular web page? Each web page should be written to focus on two or three main keywords unique to that page. It’s also recommended to use your main keyword phrase in your Domain Name, URL, and H1 header tag on your page.
Meta Tags – Keywords. In the HTML coding, at the top of the web page, you can insert “META TAGS” which are used by the search engines to rank your web page higher. Here, you can include your keywords, page title, and website description. In the keyword section, you should list 5-10 different keywords which are also found on your web page.
Meta Tags – Title Bar. Do you main keywords appear in the “Title Bar” of the web page? This is the one of the most important items used in ranking web pages.
Meta Tags – Website Description. Do you have a well-written, concise description of your web page which includes the same keywords? This is the sentence or two which appears in Google that describes your web page.
“ALT” Tags for Images. Each image should have an “ALT” tag that describes the image, preferably using your most important keywords.
No Keywords in Graphics. The text inside graphics is not seen by the search engines. It’s best to have all of your keywords as actual text on a web page.
Links to Directories, Blogs, Social Media. Search engines love links. It’s important that the links have keywords and text which they will find valuable as part of the ranking.

After you use these SEO techniques to optimize your most important keywords on your English website, you need to make sure the main keywords for each language are optimized on the translated pages. Be sure the translator knows the most important keywords and phrases for each page. They can make sure the translated versions of those keywords are in the title bar, website description, "ALT" images and links.

For example, we want to make sure that a Spanish person who is searching in Spanish, can find your website because it’s been optimized using the Spanish keywords. This is something that is easy to forget when talking about website translation.

Please contact us for more information on how we can help you achieve better web results in every language.

Trusting Your Global Marketing to a Machine?

Jim Cottrell — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:29:00 GMT

Anyone who has dabbled in other languages has seen the “free translation” websites where you can type in a phrase or URL and it will magically translate the information into another language. This is called “machine translation” or “computer translation”. But, do these work?

The answer is that machine translation is about 80% - 90% accurate. Is that “good enough” for YOUR international corporate image? Likely not.

Depending on the type of translation and how it will be used, there are times when machine translation is a good resource. Other times, especially for external communication, your translation should only be done by a professional, human translator.

Informal Translation. If you are casually obtaining information and want to “see” what something says, having a computer do a rough draft of the translation is usually fine. It’s not perfect, but you would never pay anyone to translate it anyway. For informal, personal translations like blogs, product reviews, and tweets; machine translation does pretty well. If there are errors, hopefully your customers will understand.
News / Basic Information Translation. Because the computer programs are populated with the translations of common phrases and contexts, if the text is basic, plain, and straight to the point; machine translation has a high accuracy rate with only an occasional error. Use with caution.
Specialized Translation. If you have a legal, medical, scientific, engineering, or technical document which needs translated; machine translation does a poor job since the text is complicated and many times very unique. The translation programs have not been programmed with many of the terms and phrases found in these original documents. The computer does not know how to translate them. This is especially a concern when translating documents which if there are errors in the translation, it could be a matter of life or death.
Poems, Novels, Stories. Writing is an art. Because of that, we like to read the writings of certain authors because they have a unique way of painting us a mental picture through their clever use of the language. While a machine translation can give you an idea of what the text says, it destroys the beauty and passion which goes along with the words. A person buying a book translated by a machine wouldn’t get past the first page before wanting to throw it in the trash. Definitely, true writing can only be done by translators who are experienced in writing words and phrases to accurately convey the emotions and feelings of the original language.
Advertising Text. I’ve seen copywriters spend days and weeks writing and rewriting text used in a brochure, postcard or television commercial. Every word and expression is carefully considered for the biggest impact upon their target market. Advertising text normally includes idioms and cultural references which only a human translator can rewrite into their own culture or for their native country. No machine could ever earn the trust of a true copywriter.

While machine translation is fine for informal, causal translation, it should NOT be used by businesses and authors when translating their materials into another language for distribution in print or on the web.

You have worked too hard carefully writing and developing your personal and business image for it to be tainted or even destroyed by a machine in order to save a couple of bucks.

Website Translation — Start Small, Then Add Later...

Jim Cottrell — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:54:00 GMT

If you are like most businesses, your website has grown and grown over the years to the point where it has dozens, even hundreds, of web pages. There is a mixture of new and old content, various attachments and links, social marketing add-ons, investor information, press releases, e-commerce, product reviews, and more. Now, you want to translate your website, but that’s a lot of information and a lot of money!

What about translating only your main pages into another language?

This is where your website analytics is invaluable. You know, that report which shows you how many visits each specific web page received and how many people downloaded each attachment? Let’s be honest. There are only a handful of pages that new, potential clients really visit. Which pages of your English website get the most traffic? It would make sense to translate only the most visited pages.

Like any business website, make sure you include these main pages for each language:

Home Page
Top Product Pages
Key Attachments / Brochures
About Us
Contact Us

It’s basically how most English websites started at the beginning. You can always start small and then as your sales and web traffic increases for each language, you can translate more pages and add them to your website. This way, it allows you to test the market while keeping your initial costs down.

If you would like a quote on translating your website into another language, please complete our website translation quote form or contact us for more information.

Website Translation — The Cost

Jim Cottrell — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:36:00 GMT

Like anything else, many variables go into the final price of translating a website. Generally, the price of website translation project is based on the following criteria:

Per Word – Translation of Text
Per Graphic – Editing Text Inside Graphics with Illustrator or Photoshop
Per Page – Edit HTML Pages for Final Style

Several variables can make a difference with the pricing. Here are a few items to consider and a few tips:

Which Language? Different languages have different rates. Spanish is the cheapest.
How Technical? If we need to use a specialized translator, that will be a little extra.
File Format? Microsoft Word is the cheapest. Flash is the most expensive.
Volume Discounts. We offer volume discounts over 10,000 words.
Rush Fee. If you need the project done yesterday, there may be an extra charge.
Additional Languages. If you need more than one language, we offer a 10% discount for additional languages.
Repeated Text. Many web pages have text that repeats on every single page. We charge less for repeated text because it only has to be reviewed and not translated over and over again.
Attachments. Don’t forget the linked documents on your website. Do any of the PDF files need to be translated and formatted into another language?

To give you a very general idea of pricing for most web pages, the cost is usually between $50-$100 per page, per language. The problem is that most websites have dozens of pages, so translating the entire website can get expensive. That’s why you need to review your website analytics to see which pages have the most users and maybe just have those translated in order to reduce costs.

We would be happy to review your website and provide you with a quote to translate everything into another language. Please take a few minutes and complete our free, no-obligation website translation quote form.

Don't Forget Multilingual Customer Support

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:36:00 GMT

Your website has been translated into Spanish and is now online. A person only knowing Spanish goes to your website and has a question. They call your phone number or send you an E-mail. Do you have someone on staff who can talk to the person in Spanish? What about answering an E-mail in Spanish?

The easy part is translating your website. The hard part is making sure everything else is in place to support your customer in their own language.

If you are translating your website into another language (Spanish, for example), here are some things to remember:

Customer Support. Do you have salespeople, installers, technicians, and phone support personnel who know Spanish? If not, how are you going to complete the sale or furnish the service that you are providing?
Marketing Materials. What about your other marketing materials, are they also translated? Brochures, mailing packets, newsletters, E-mails, business cards – are they also in Spanish so your client gets the complete consumer experience? We can translate all of your printed materials so everything has the same unified message.
After the Sale. To complete the consumer experience, there are a few more items to consider.
- Are your product packaging and manuals in Spanish?
- Do you offer post-sales or technical support in Spanish?
- What about your invoice, legal agreements, and E-mail correspondence? You might consider using bilingual business forms for all of your clients in English and Spanish.

Regardless of the language, none of us wants to get halfway through the process and then be stuck trying to figure out a language we don’t understand. Unfortunately, for those who don’t understand English, this is a common occurrence. Can you imagine the customer loyalty and word of mouth your company would have if everything was in the client’s language? Cha-ching!

Hispanics in the United States

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:15:00 GMT

Most regional or national businesses in the United States should consider translating their website and marketing materials into Spanish. Why? Because there are about 48.4 million Hispanics who might buy your product or service. This is especially true if your product or service appeals to younger people and your business is located in the South or Southwest.

Here are some statistics about Hispanics living in the United States:

Population:

The Hispanic market has an annual buying power of OVER $1 TRILLION in the US.
Hispanics make up the largest minority in the US with 48.4 million people.
The Hispanic population in the US has increased 42% since 2000.
There are over 1 million Hispanics living in each of the following states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey and Colorado.
Over half of Hispanics in the US live in California or Texas.

Language:

Spanish is the #2 language in the world with over 500 million speakers in 21 countries.
Spanish is the #3 language on the internet with over 153 million people online.
Approximately 21 million US Hispanics have access to the internet.
In the US, there are 32.2 million people who speak Spanish as their main language.
Nearly 56% of Hispanics living in the US struggle with English.
16% of 5-year-olds speak Spanish at home.

Demographics:

In the US, about 25% of 5-year-olds are Hispanic.
Over 1/3 of Hispanics are 18 years old or younger.
The median age of US Hispanics is 28 years old.
The average Hispanic family has 4.0 members (compared to 2.9 for non-Hispanic).
Only 4% of Hispanics live alone.
Only 47% of Hispanic adults were born in the US.

Like any other business decision, you will need to do a lot of research as it specifically relates to your business, your products, and your area. But for many businesses, using Spanish to directly market to Hispanics could be a way to increase your sales and find new customers.

Sources: Statistics pulled from USA Today, US Census Bureau, and Internet World Stats website.

Writing for Website Translation

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:36:27 GMT

On the computer, with terabytes of storage space and an unlimited number of pages available, it’s easy to write, write, and write some more. But, who reads all of these extra words? Will they be understood in another language or culture? And, who is going to pay to have all of these words translated for your website?

When writing text for your website, here are some things to keep in mind:

Be very clear and concise. Plain English without idioms, slang, acronyms, and local flavors will be the easiest to translate. While kind of boring, it will be the most understandable by those reading the translated language. Also, translation is charged “per word”. So, having fewer words to translate will keep the costs down.
Use bullet points and short phrases. Most people just scan as they “read” web pages. They pick up the high points and think they know the rest. Using long paragraphs is a turn-off.
Watch acronyms. Each industry has their own acronyms. An employee handbook might talk about OSHA. Our business targets B2B companies. We are a member of the ATA. The more acronyms you use, the more confusing it’s going to be to translate and understand. Keep everything simple and spelled out when possible. If you do use acronyms, define them at the beginning so the reader has a point of reference.
Keep text out of graphics. If all of the text is in a database or HTML page, it’s easier to translate, edit and format into another language. Otherwise, we have to edit the artwork files which is an additional cost.
Measurements & Money. If your intended audience lives in the United States, then talking about “inches” and “dollars” is okay for all languages. People living here will understand. But keep in mind that if your website is being translated for use in another country, then measurements will need to be converted to metric and the currency changed to match the intended country.
Culture. Each culture is different with their own values, beliefs, and customs. If you are planning to have your website translated into other languages, it’s best to stay with the facts and keep everything very plain. The only exception is if you are specifically targeting and rewriting your text to focus on a unique culture. Then, it's okay.

While it’s easy to just say “translate my current website”, those are some things to keep in mind when writing or editing your website for translation. The ultimate goal is for your translated website to sound like it was written specifically for your intended audience and not feel like it was translated.

When your text is ready to be translated into another language, please contact us for more information.

Top 10 Export Countries for United States in 2009

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 21:55:00 GMT

Businesses are always looking for new opportunities to increase sales, whether to people living in the United States or exporting their goods and services to other countries. Who knows? Maybe there is an opportunity for your business in Canada, Mexico or even the Netherlands.

Top 10 U.S. Export Markets in 2009:

Canada - $204.7 Billion
Mexico - $128.9 Billion
China - $69.5 Billion
Japan - $51.1 Billion
United Kingdom - $45.7 Billion
Germany - $43.3 Billion
Netherlands - $32.2 Billion
South Korea - $28.6 Billion
France - $26.5 Billion

The total amount the United States exported worldwide was $1.056 Trillion in 2009.

If you are looking to export your product to another country, we can help you with your language translation and website translation needs. Our experienced, specialized translators can translate your marketing materials into Spanish, French-Canadian, Chinese or any other language you need.

Global Marketing - Before the Language Translation...

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:41:00 GMT

As much as I want to help you translate your website or marketing pieces into another language, I also want to make sure that you have considered the big picture. True global marketing, whether it’s to people around the world or those next door, involves continually supporting and communicating to the customer from the first time they hear your name until forever. And that includes a lot more than translating your website or a few brochures.

Let’s take an example. What if you’re selling your satellite TV service to Spanish-speaking customers in the United States? What are all of the things you should consider before starting the language translation?

Consistent Initial Marketing Message. What are all of the ways people will hear about your service? You might have brochures, flyers, print ads, billboards, website, sales kits, etc. Everything will need to use the same Spanish words and terminology. Just like the English, it all needs to be reviewed as one big package for consistency.
Spanish E-mails or Phone Calls. If a person goes to your website which is in Spanish and thinks that you are a bilingual company, what if they E-mail you in Spanish? Do you have someone who can read and answer their E-mail? What if someone calls who only speaks in Spanish? Do you have bilingual operators and people who can help them on the phone?
Spanish Salespeople, Installers, Technicians. If you are providing a product or service where there is a “hands on” approach to selling or installation, do you have people who can speak Spanish? If your client knows very little English, it’s going to be very difficult to proceed with the transaction if there is a major language barrier.
Contracts. As part of the customer sign-up process, do they need to sign a contract or an agreement? If they are signing a legal document, that is one piece of information which they really need to completely understand. Are your contracts and agreements in Spanish?
Welcome Kits, Manuals, Instructions. When someone purchases a product or service, there are always manuals, instructions, and other documents which are left with the customer. Are they translated in Spanish so the customer can get the most out of your product or service?
1-800-SUPPORT. What if they have a problem? On your website, there is likely a support section with a phone number to call. If they call that phone number, will someone answer and help them in Spanish? Are there Spanish FAQs on your website?
Account Management. If this is an ongoing service, then there will be invoices, customer letters, new services, E-mail announcements, and who knows what else. In order to service their account and keep your customer satisfied and informed in the long-term, will there be an option for them to receive their invoices or E-mails in Spanish?

This is a general list of all of the touch points that a company has from initial marketing on through the selling and servicing of an account. Things to think about before you begin the language translation or website localization.

And much of this can be resolved by looking at all of your communications and making sure they are translated in a consistent manner. Imagine the loyalty of your customer if you take care of them at every touch point!

If you would like to discuss global marketing and language translations specifically for your company, please contact us for more information. We would love to help you with the translating the big picture.

Global Marketing - Colors Around the World

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 25 May 2010 21:29:04 GMT

The first thing people think when they consider selling their product in another country is "I need to get everything translated". And that's true. But, it's much more than that. Something as simple as the colors used on the marketing materials, product packaging and even the product itself can determine your product's success in another country.

For instance, when you see these colors, what is your first thought or emotion?

Red
Green
Black
White
Orange
Blue

If you live in the United States, many of us attribute colors to certain holidays. Others think of a season. And others think of an even such as a wedding or funeral. When I think of "Orange", I think of Halloween. "Red" and "Green" scream Christmas to me. "Green" by itself represents the environment and the spring season. "Blue" signifies baby boys just as "Pink" is for baby girls. But those are my opinions based on living in the United States and my cultural surroundings.

These same colors mean different things in other countries. Here are a few examples:

Red - Worn by brides in Eastern Countries and China. (If you were selling wedding dresses to the Middle East or China, definitely something to keep in mind.)
Green - Green hats in China mean a man's wife is cheating on him.
Black - The color for young boys in China.
White - This represents mourning or grieving in Japan.
Pink - In Korea, pink represents "trust".

The bottom line is that in regards to product development, retail packaging and advertising; everything is designed around colors. It's worth doing a little research to see what your colors signify in the countries where your product will be sold.

Here is a very interesting graphic from Fast Company which shows what colors mean in different cultures:

On your next global marketing project, please contact us for both your translation and your marketing needs. We will make sure you communicate the right message in both words and images.

Global Marketing — Convert to Metric?

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:45:00 GMT

Should we convert any measurements to metric? That is one question we ask before translating your documents or websites into another language. Why? Well, while the metric system is rarely used in the United States, the metric system is used practically everywhere else around the world. In fact, the metric system is the official system of measurement for all nations except for Burma, Liberia and the United States.

So, how should you answer this question? Well, it all depends on WHERE the translation will be used. If the translation will be used in the United States, then it’s best to use our common measurements (“imperial system”). If you are translating a document to be used in another country, then the measurements should be converted into metric so the readers in the target country easily understand. Here are a few websites which can help with the conversions:

But wait! There is something else to keep in mind. What standard sizes are commonly used in the target country? For instance, I was working on a project today where we were translating recipes into French-Canadian for use in Canada. We had to not only convert the measurements using a calculator but also make sure the converted metric value matched the sizes commonly used in the kitchen.

For instance, there was an ingredient where we had to convert “1 cup” to metric. On the calculator, 1 cup = 237 ml. But in Canada, their nearest measuring cup is 250 ml. That is their cooking equivalent of a cup. So, we used “250 ml” in the recipe. The same is true with their other sizes. Like 1/4 cup = 59 ml on a calculator, but their measuring cup for this size is only 50 ml. If we used the values from the calculator, we would confuse those trying to use the recipe. Can you imagine trying to measure 237 ml?

The same is true with oven temperatures in Canada. We had a recipe which called for 400ºF. On the calculator, it converts to 204.4ºC. My first thought was to round it to 200ºC, thinking that would be more common on their oven dial. Well, guess what? If you look at French recipes, many use 205ºC. That’s because they have “205” on their oven dial since it most accurately matches the 400ºF.

The art of translation is not only knowing the words used in the language, but also knowing the culture and how people live everyday in the target country. This is why we use native-speaking translators who actually live where the documents will be used. Our goal is for the translated documents to read like they were written directly for the reader in their country.

Please contact us to discuss your next translation project.

Common Words and Phrases Translated Online

Jim Cottrell — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:16:00 GMT

We receive a lot of requests from people where they need a common word or phrase translated into another language. And while there are a lot of free translation websites which will translate their words, many of these are questionnable as the translated words just mysteriously appear out of a database. So, I understand why they would want to ask a professional.

Well, there is a website called Omniglot that focuses on "writing systems and languages of the world". It has been developed by translators and those dedicated to foreign languages. Started in 1998, it's kind of like the Wikipedia of languages. They have collected lots of information and it is a great resource about different languages, even the most obscure like "Hakka" . The translators working with Omniglot have compiled lists of common words and phrases which have been translated into approximately 100 different languages. These lists include phrases like "Hello", "Thank you", "Days of the Week", "Holidays", "I don't understand", and many more.

Check out their list of useful foreign phrases translated into 100 different languages.

While I don't know if every single word and phrase is correct, I would trust their lists more than a lot of other online sources, especially for something simple and informal. It's a very respected website put together by people who love languages and has been developed over the course of 12 years - lots of time to make sure the translated words and phrases online are correct. If nothing else, it's very interesting to learn more about languages around the world.

Of course, this will only help with common words and phrases. If your entire document or website needs translated into another language, please visit B2B Translations or send us an E-mail for more information. Our specialized translators will provide you with a quality translation at a competitive price.

Idioms and Expressions in Language Translation

Jim Cottrell — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:06:32 GMT

All languages have their own unique idioms and expressions which are understood by native-speakers of the language but are very puzzling to others. When you think of the English language, we have our own idioms, expressions, slang phrases, "play on words", acronyms, taglines, marketing phrases and even unique brand names which all make sense to us. But most of the time, these are very difficult to translate and should be avoided when writing documents or developing websites which will be used in global marketing or translated for others around the world.

I came across a perfect example of this from strangely enough a podcast I listen to called WeatherBrains - a podcast where a group of meterologists discuss weather terms and forecasting. They were discussing this list of how the phrase "it's raining cats and dogs" has been translated into other languages around the world. Here is a link to the entire list on the Omniglot website.

I've listed a few of the more unique translations below as an example:

CZECH - "Padají trakaře" - "It's raining wheelbarrows"
HAITIAN CREOLE - "Chyen ap bwe nan nen" - "Dogs are drinking in their noses"
NORWEGIAN - "Det regner trollkjerringer" - "It's raining female trolls"
RUSSIAN - "Льёт как из ведра (Lijot kak iz vedra)" - "It's pouring like from a bucket"
CHINESE (Cantonese) - "落狗屎 (lohk gáusí)" - "Dog poo is falling"

Quite a difference from language to language! When you are preparing original documents which will be translated into other languages, it's best to stay with regular, basic words and stay away from the idioms, expressions, and casual slang.

If you have any questions, please contact us when preparing your original documents for language translation.

Multilingual Typesetting — Spanish, Japanese, Chinese

Jim Cottrell — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:46:00 GMT

One of the many global marketing services we provide is multilingual typesetting in any language. We recently completed a project for Cakebread Cellars where we translated and typeset their recipe booklet into a few different langugages. Here is one of the recipe cards shown below in English, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese:

Click on each image above to see a larger version. Our professional multilingual typesetters will put the finishing touches on your translation so everything is ready for the printer or web.

Global Marketing — More Than Language Translation

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:17:00 GMT

Selling your product in other countries requires more than translating your marketing materials into whatever language the import country uses. It goes much deeper than that. You must understand the culture and day-to-day lifestyle of those to whom you are marketing.

Over time, we will write a series of blog posts which specifically explains many of these ideas in more detail with links to additional resources. It's a fascinating topic. But for now, we wanted to give you an overview as it relates to language translation and website localization of your brand and product across the globe. It will at least get all of us thinking...

Below is a list of items to consider and even research. Some of these focus on translation. Others are more about the overall culture — the use of the product, imagery, graphics and even local laws and customs.

Things to Keep in Mind for Translation:

Date Formats — MMD:YY or DD:MM:YY or Other
Currency — US Dollar, Euro, Local Currency
Convert Measurements into Metric?
Trademark of Brand Name in Other Countries (TM) / (R)
Acronyms — Will Not Make Sense in Other Languages
Use of Slogans / Marketing Catch Phrases — Normally Does Not Translate Well
Do Not Use Slang / Improper English / Jokes
Regional Differences Important? For Use in Which Country?
Identify with Local Audience — What Are Their Needs?
Basic, Simple, Proper English Best for Translation

Things to Keep in Mind for Cultural Differences:

Is Product Useful to Import Country? Lifestyle Differences?
Color Meanings Differ in Countries — (e.g. "White" is the color for mourning in Japan and Middle East)
Brand Name When Translated May Have Negative Connotation
Use Images / Pictures to Match Intended Countries
Body Language / Gestures Vary Around the World — (e.g. "Thumbs Up" is an insult in Greece and Middle East)
Local Laws / Regulations — Is Product Allowed? Modifications?

Things to Keep in Mind for Website Localization:

Use Specific Country Domain Names — ".jp", ".ca", ".fr"
Country Flags — Only for Localized Content. Many Languages Are Spoken in Multiple Countries.
Does Everything Need Translated? Focus on What Is Important for Additional Languages.
Machine / Computer Translation Not Professional or Accurate. It Damages Corporate and Brand Image.
Encode Web Page to Match Local Browser Language
Social Marketing — Different in Other Countries

As one of your primary resources for global marketing, we want to remind you that an effective campaign and product launch is more than just an accurate translation of the text. You will want to make sure the colors, brand name, product images, product usage and marketing slogans all represent the culture.

One thing we do to help with this process is offer an additional editing step where we have the edited translation reviewed again by an in-country reviewer. Someone who is like our "test customer" to make sure the whole look and feel of the product is acceptable and favorable to the residents of the country. They can let us know if something isn't quite right before millions of dollars are spent.

As we go along, we will provide more information as it relates to global marketing and website localization. Marketing translation can be tricky but our goal is to help everyone think about those little things that can permanently damage a brand's reputation around the world.

Please contact us for more information about global marketing through our website or E-mail.

Language Translation Pricing

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:41:00 GMT

The most common question we get is “how much will the translation cost”? And while every project is different, it seems to be a big mystery as to how we come up with this magical number. So, I wanted to explain some of the variables that go into determining this amount, along with explaining the language translation process a little bit.

We Charge “PER WORD”. And that is “per original (source) word” being translated. If you have an English document with 2,600 words to be translated into Spanish, the final price will be 2,600 words multiplied by the “per word” rate for English to Spanish translations. On average, the price per word is $0.15-$0.25 which depends on the other variables listed below…
What Language? Some languages like Spanish are very common and are easier to translate. The price to get a Spanish translation is cheaper than let’s say a Slovenian translation which not as many people speak and the number of translators is rather limited.
How Technical Is the Document? There is an obvious difference between translating a medical journal written for doctors and a movie review about “Avatar” written for the local newspaper. If the text is specialized, then we will need to use specialized translators which because of their experience and demand tend to be more expensive. Plus, when the text is more difficult, the translators spend more time researching the concepts and double-checking the terminology. Our main goal is to provide an accurate translation.
Any Special Formatting? The longer it takes the translator to format text and work with unique programs, the more expensive the translation will be. The most cost-effective translations are those which are provided in Microsoft Word. If the translation must be retyped and formatted from scratch, expect a little higher charge for the extra work.
Is the Project Urgent? If the translators need to work extra hours to complete the translation, they will charge extra. On average, a translator can translate approximately 2,000 words per business day. The translators don’t like to rush too fast because they want to make sure their translations are accurate and stupid mistakes aren’t made because they are tired.
Proofreading / Editor Included. Every translation is proofread and edited by a second translator unless you tell us otherwise. When we give you a price, it’s actually for TWO TRANSLATORS working on your project. Maybe you just want a “rough draft” or “quick translation” to see what something says. Or, maybe you have your own editor. If that’s the case, please let us know and we will reduce the price since we won’t have to pay a second translator to carefully review everything.
Repetition Discounts. If you have a group of documents or website pages which have a lot of the same information repeated throughout, we take that into consideration. We have a program which looks for phrases that repeat and notifies the translator so they know it was translated before. When that happens, we discount the repeated words and phrases since it’s already been translated and just needs to be double-checked.
Volume Discounts. Our translators love large projects. They don’t have to worry about jumping from one topic to another and doing a lot of specialized research for small projects while at the same time lining up their next job. They are more efficient as they can get more done per day and stay focused on just one thing. Because of that, the cost to translate large projects actually gets cheaper. It might be just a penny or two, but multiplied by a 60,000 word project, it adds up!
Multiple Language Discounts. We do offer a 10% discount if the same document is translated into more than one language at the same time. While each translator still has the same amount of work, the project manager coordinating everything saves time working with all of the languages as one large project as opposed to having several individual projects.

Hopefully, this gives a little insight into our pricing for language translations. That’s why we ask so many questions during our quoting process. Believe it or not, our goal is to provide you with the lowest price possible for the project while maintaining our high quality standards. For the best quote, we really need to see the original text being translated, understand your expectations, and then work to see how we can handle this the most cost-effective way.

Please contact us through our website, E-mail, or phone 317-345-6482 so we can price your next translation project.

Holidays Around the World

Jim Cottrell — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:04:00 GMT

As we get ready to celebrate Valentine's Day and President's Day here in the United States, the Chinese will be celebrating Chinese New Year - their biggest holiday of the year. Since each country observes their own unique customs and historical traditions, it's important to keep in mind these differences as you work with various countries around the world.

Here are two websites which list the holidays around the world:

Earth Calendar - This is a very cool website. You can click the "Today" button to see what holidays are being observed today around the world. You can search by country, by religion and by date. And, not only this year but other years in the past and future.
List of Holidays by Country - In Wikipedia, you pick from a list of 100+ countries and it will list the observed holidays. It's an easy way to take a quick look at what holidays a particular country observes.

This is another item our translators keep in mind when they are doing a language translation. They need to not only translate the words correctly and make the translation easy to understand; but, they also need to know the culture where the document will be used. This includes knowing about the holidays of each country and culture. If your document talks about celebrating "Memorial Day" here in the United States, that isn't going to mean much in a Chinese translation targeted for China or a Spanish translation used in Mexico.

Just another thing which makes each country and culture uniquely special!

Spanish Website Translation - Should I Offer Both?

Jim Cottrell — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:11:00 GMT

As the Hispanic population in the United States continues to increase, more companies are asking themselves - "Should we translate our website into Spanish?" Of course, it depends on each business and who your target market is. But, it's starting to be a necessity, especially if you have a larger business.

Forrester Research and E-Marketer had a couple of reports online which were interesting:

51% of online Hispanics in the United States PREFER to be offered Spanish-language websites.
23% of online Hispanics in the United States MUST have Spanish online (because of their poor English skills).
In 2008, there were an estimated 23 million Hispanics online in the US at least one time per month. (They account for 11.4% of all internet users in the US.)
28% of the Spanish-preferred Hispanics are more likely to trust companies who have Spanish-language websites.

Here is another quote from the same Forrester Research article, "English-language sites are currently underserving 7.1 million online Hispanics," said Forrester Research data researcher Tamara Barber. "If companies are serious about reaching this growing audience, they need to offer Spanish-language sites."

OK, so should YOU offer both Spanish and English on your website? Here are a few questions or ideas to consider:

Do you have a large Hispanic population in your immediate area?
Is your product or service local, regional or national? (If you are a plumber in a small town where very few Hispanics live, then Spanish will likely not be worth the investment.)
Is your product or service something Hispanics would likely use?
Do you have any Spanish-speaking people on staff who can assist in communicating with the potential Spanish clients who might call or E-mail?
Would the ROI of translating your website into Spanish exceed the cost?

For many companies, it would not make sense to translate their website into Spanish. They don't have any Spanish-speaking staff. Or, they are too small to realize the potential benefits. But, there are a lot of companies who, if done correctly, could become a market leader for their product or service because they made the extra effort to reach out to the Hispanic market by having Spanish on their website.

How do you begin? Well, if it makes sense to translate your website into Spanish, here is what we need to know for a website translation project:

What is the URL to be translated?
Are there certain pages or attachments which would NOT be translated? (You can always translate your entire website in phases.)
What format are the website files in? HTML, ASP, PHP, Flash, etc.
In addition to translate the text, should we also edit the text inside of graphics and finalize the layout and design of the translated website? Or, should we only translate the text and you will finalize the layout and design?
Is there a certain timeframe for completing the translation project?

Those are the basic questions we will need to know before we could begin reviewing for website translation.

For more information, please visit our website regarding our Spanish website translation services or contact me for a free translation quote.