Before you start creating bilingual content, you need to research your target markets and audiences. What languages do they speak, read, and write? How do they consume online content? What are their expectations and needs? You may not need to translate your content into every language, but focus on the ones that are most relevant and profitable for your goals. You can also use tools like Google Analytics to track the language preferences and behavior of your website visitors.
Having material in various languages is difficult to obtain in many facilities but highly needed for clients. Having the option to select a clients preferred language is a must.
Best Practices are understanding the target audience, tailoring content culturally, maintaining language consistency, utilizing professional translation, and optimizing for SEO in both languages.
It reminds me of my audience on Facebook. Most of my audience there speaks Arabic, but am not Arabic native. Although, I have some other people from different regions. So, based on what most of my audience understand, I create content in two languages, Arabic and English. Am currently learning Arabic, though.
Once you have decided on your languages, you need to find a way to translate your content accurately and consistently. You can either hire a professional translator who has expertise in your field and your target culture, or use a reliable tool that can handle the nuances and complexities of bilingual communication. Avoid using free or low-quality tools that may produce errors, misunderstandings, or even offensive content. You should also proofread and edit your translated content to ensure its quality and clarity.
This is true, especially when translating "Notary Public" to "Notario Publico". A Notary is not a lawyer. In fact, it is against the law for Notaries who aren't attorneys to provide certain kinds of advice and services. The Spanish version in many Latin countries is understood as someone that practices law. In order to combat so-called “notario” scams, Notaries in most states are prohibited from using the misleading phrase “Notario Publico” in their ads. Many states require Notaries to post a written notice explaining they are not attorneys licensed to practice law, cannot offer legal advice or accept fees for legal services.
It's true. You can't rely much on translator tools, since NLP technology has not reached to perfection. Other than hiring a translator, I could recommend is learning a language, as am learning Arabic. You not just can write content in other language, but also, strengthen your network.
Tools aren't quite there yet when translating languages that are very dissimilar, like Japanese and English. Stick to a human translator. Something I've found beneficial is having a bilingual native speaker check the translation. In my experience, this has uncovered subtle issues like formality, tone, clarity, and, most importantly, voice. Translations can come back to you rather stale or not portray your brand how you truly want. There's a myriad of reasons this can help. But at the end of the day, it's always better to have an extra set of eyes on what you're putting out into the world.
Bilingual content can boost your SEO and accessibility, but only if you optimize it properly. You need to use the right keywords, tags, and meta descriptions for each language, and avoid duplicating or mixing content across languages. You should also use a clear and consistent structure for your website and social media pages, and provide easy navigation and switching options for your users. You can use tools like hreflang tags, sitemaps, and language codes to help search engines and browsers recognize and index your bilingual content.
Bilingual content is not just about translating words, but also about adapting your message, tone, and style to different cultures and contexts. You need to consider the cultural norms, values, preferences, and expectations of your target audiences, and avoid using jargon, slang, humor, or references that may not make sense or may be inappropriate in another language. You should also pay attention to the visual and audio elements of your content, such as images, colors, fonts, symbols, sounds, and videos, and make sure they are suitable and appealing for each culture.
This is why you should hire a translator that is either living in that country or is closely related to the area so that they can monitor usage and what words/phrases are trending or out of style.
Creating bilingual content is not a one-time task, but a continuous process that requires testing and updating. You need to monitor the performance and feedback of your content, and see what works and what doesn't for each language and platform. You should also keep up with the changes and trends in your field and your target markets, and update your content accordingly. You can use tools like surveys, analytics, and social media insights to measure the impact and effectiveness of your bilingual content.
Bilingual content can help you connect with your audience, but only if you engage with them actively and authentically. You need to respond to their comments, questions, and feedback, and show that you value their opinions and insights. You should also encourage them to share your content, participate in your campaigns, and join your community. You can use tools like hashtags, polls, contests, and live chats to create interactive and meaningful experiences for your bilingual audience.
A clear brief for your translator can make things much easier for you both. Be concise about your target audience, the intended voice and formality. Communicate your brand's image to the translator and provide some examples of what's been successful for you in the past. And if possible, give the translator the freedom to alter the text as they see fit to properly adhere to your brief. Schedule a conversation to go over any changes so you understand what was changed and why. And don't be afraid to politely request revisions. Every translator I've worked with was open to at least one revision.