Five Easy Steps for Pinpoint Website Translation

Companies often approach website and app translation like other process-oriented business activities. They see it as building a plan, gathering resources, and moving methodically through the process to an end result. And the end result may not have to be a work of art; it just has to work.

The problem with this line of thinking is that translation is not a typical business process. There are countless nuances to every language that can’t be overlooked, and it takes true expertise to localize a website, app or service into a meaningful end product. So for localization project managers, it’s not just about making it work. It’s about making it work right — and that takes pinpoint execution from a linguistic and process perspective.

So what constitutes pinpoint website translation? Five key things:

Focus on Translation Accuracy

Getting the context right for every translated phrase, sentence and idea is vital for pinpoint localization. Local audiences will know if you’ve done your homework, so it pays for your localization platform or service to have a state-of-the-art contextual linguistic engine at its core. Contextual translation gives you far better accuracy — as much as 10x more accuracy than manual approaches — helping you reduce errors and get the job done right the first time.

Choose Translation Methodology to Fit Your Needs

Every localization project has different requirements, so you need flexibility when choosing the right approach. Machine translation (within an automated platform) works best when you want to do it fast, use pre-translated content and just plug it in and let the technology do the heavy lifting. Crowdsourcing is best for larger sites and projects, where there is a huge volume of content and you can just open it up to your entire user base to scale efforts. And professional translation is best when you really want to hone in on the right nuances of a language, working with language service providers right in the localization platform to give you pinpoint results.

Reduce Cycles to Speed the Process

Typically, translation is a lengthy process that can last for months, calling for people resources (translators, developer support and project managers) and patience collaborating between each team member. An automated localization platform alleviates the burdens of a labor-intensive process, creates a repeatable system that preserves translation strings for re-use and eliminates the need for multiple translation files and updates.

Statistical Data Improves Translation Quality

The more information you have on what translations have worked in the past can help you hone in on the exact right translations in your current (and future) projects. Aggregating data with usability rankings, which automated platforms can provide, gives you better context for each translation — and more confidence that your translation choices have worked before and are spot on for your specific needs.

Leverage Community Translation

Odds are, whatever you’re working on, similar translations have been done before. Translators can use a shared resource to significantly speed their projects and improve accuracy and quality. Universal Translation Memory provides a collaborative framework for sharing and utilizing translation strings across an entire network of translators, making both common and specialized translations available to the community.

With the right mindset and a focus on quality and speed, any organization can achieve the goal of pinpoint translation and make the global masses truly appreciate your software and services.