What Is Content Translation and How to Start with It?

Content translation enhances the seamless transfer of information across multiple languages. It allows businesses to reach a larger audience and cater to a wider range of markets.

But what is content translation in modern business settings?

This article explores the concept of content translation so that you can communicate effectively with global audiences and discover new growth opportunities.

Keep reading to discover:

• What is content translation?

• 4 types of content translation

• 4 benefits of content translation

• 4 steps for translating content

Pro tip: Streamline your content translation process with a professional localization management suite like Centus. The solution features automation, project management, and quality assurance tools, as well as seamless integration with Deepl, Google Translate, and other translation systems. Learn more.

What Is Content Translation?

Content translation is the process of adapting and converting content from one language to another while retaining its meaning, tone, and context.

It involves translating different content categories, such as website articles, marketing materials, technical documentation, and legal documents, to successfully reach and engage audiences in different locations and languages.

Content translation is important for breaking down language barriers and expanding the reach of businesses and organizations. It allows companies to efficiently introduce their messages, goods, and services to a wide range of audiences from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Translation requires not only linguistic skills but also cultural understanding to ensure that the content aligns with the preferences of the target audience. This process entails more than just word-for-word translation; it also involves adapting the text to the cultural nuances of the target market.

The flipside of content translation? Back translation. Learn about it here.

4 Types of Content Translation

Different types of content require different approaches to properly convey the desired message to the target audience. Here are the common types of content translations:

Brand content translation

Brand content translation involves adapting and localizing content that represents the brand's identity, values, and messaging. It involves translating slogans, brand names, taglines, and other branding elements. This type of content translation aims to maintain the same consistency in the target language as the original content.

Marketing content translation

Marketing translation focuses on adapting and localizing promotional content such as commercials, brochures, social media posts, and website content.

It aims to successfully convey marketing messages to a target audience while considering cultural nuances, preferences, and marketing methods that are specific to the target market.

Those who want to elevate their messages even further should opt for marketing localization. Learn more about it here.

Technical content translation

Technical content translation is the translation of technical documents, product specifications, user manuals, and other technical documents. It requires a thorough understanding of the subject matter as well as specific terminology.

The translated materials should convey the original’s technical information with the utmost accuracy and clarity.

Legal content translation

Legal content translation involves the translation of legal documents such as contracts, terms and conditions, patents, and other legal materials. This type of translation requires an understanding of legal terminology as well as the legal systems of the source and target languages.

Legal content translation also requires precision, accuracy, and conformity to legal norms so that the same legal meaning is delivered in the target language.

Each type of content translation has its challenges and requires specialized knowledge and skills. Professional translators with relevant experience are required to provide accurate and high-quality translations.

Understanding the different types of content translation can help businesses adapt their translation strategy to efficiently reach their target audience and achieve their marketing and expansion goals in diverse markets.

4 Benefits of Content Translation

Content translation offers many benefits for businesses that want to expand their reach and engage with diverse audiences. Here are the crucial benefits of content translation:

Reaching larger audience

You can reach a wider global audience by translating your content into other languages. This helps you enter new markets and attract customers who may not be fluent in your native language.

Content translation facilitates communication with a global audience by breaking down language barriers.

Gaining a competitive advantage

Businesses need to be ahead of the competition in today's globalized world. Translating your content gives you a competitive advantage by demonstrating your commitment to serving international customers.

Also, you can increase the accessibility and appeal of your brand while positioning yourself as a reliable business by providing information, products, and services in other languages.

Improving user experience

Content translation improves the user experience by offering content in a language that the target audience understands. It offers a more personalized and engaging experience since the target audience can access information, navigate websites, and connect with your business in their native language.

This strengthens connections, builds trust, and promotes consumer satisfaction, resulting in higher conversion rates and increased loyalty.

Increasing Return on Investment (ROI)

Effective content translation can help boost ROI. You can generate more leads, increase sales, and increase revenue by expanding your reach and interacting with new audiences.

Furthermore, content translation helps you repurpose and leverage existing marketing assets across different markets, allowing you to optimize your resources and maximize the return on your content creation efforts.

How to Start with Content Translation

Implement a structured approach before you venture into content translation. Here are four essential steps to get you started:

Set clear goals

Set defined content translation goals before you start translating content. Define your goals, whether you want to grow your global reach, increase revenue in specific locations, or improve the user experience for multilingual audiences.

Doing this will guide your content translation strategy and help determine how effective your translation efforts are.

Research the local market

Conduct extensive research on your target market for efficient content translation. Learn about your target audience's cultural nuances, interests, and purchasing behaviors.

Also, understand their language requirements, local dialects, and specific linguistic conventions. This will allow you to effectively modify your content and make it resonate with your target audience.

Develop a content translation process

A streamlined translation workflow ensures that your content localization efforts are consistent and efficient. Create a style guide that outlines your brand's tone, voice, and key messaging elements. This will help translators maintain brand consistency across different languages.

Pro tip: Use a localization management suite like Centus to streamline your content translation process. The suite has translation memory, glossaries, integration with DeepL, Google Translate, and other translation tools, QA checks, and everything else you need to ensure the highest quality of translations. Learn more.

2 Options for Translating Content

In the 21st century where AI is solving most of the business challanges, there are 2 options to localizing or translating content:

Premium option: Hire native speakers

To ensure the highest quality of translations, work with experienced translators who are native speakers of the target language. 

Native speakers understand the target language's nuances, idioms, and cultural references, resulting in more accurate and culturally appropriate translations.

Consider collaborating with translation agencies to ensure accurate and high-quality translations that resonate with your target audience.

Budget option: Use AI

To ensure the reasonably high quality of translations, use AI. 

AI-enabled translation tools like ChatGPT or DeepL can automate your translation process, thereby minimizing its cost and completion times.

Note, however, that AI-driven translation often requires post-editing by human translators. Nevertheless, with proper quality assurance, AI translation is still faster and cheaper than its traditional counterpart. 

Decided to opt for automatic translation? Check our list of 20 best professional translation software tools.

To Sum Up

Content translation can provide your company with a new opportunity to connect with diverse audiences all over the world. It enables you to adapt your content to the specific needs and preferences of different locations, resulting in a better user experience, enhanced brand exposure, and a higher ROI.

A translation management system like Centus, can help you execute a successful content translation workflow and unlock the potential of global markets. Learn more.

FAQ

What is SEO content translation?

SEO content translation is the process of translating and optimizing website content for higher search engines ranking in different languages and locations. This involves:

• Keyword research in the target language

• On-page SEO with localized keywords

• Considering cultural and language differences, and

• Generating local backlinks

Businesses can grow their online presence, generate organic traffic, improve search engines ranking, and reach a larger global audience by applying these strategies.

SEO content translation ensures that the translated content corresponds to the target audience's search behaviors, resonates with the local audience, and increases the chances of success in different markets.

What are the 3 types of translation?

The 3 types of translation include:

• Human translation: The traditional translation workflow in which a human translator converts a text from one language to another.

• Machine translation: It uses software to translate texts from one language to another.

• Post-edited translation: A hybrid strategy that combines the efficiency and speed of machine translation with the accuracy of human translation.

Learn the advantages and disadvantages of human and machine translation here.

Why do we translate content?

We translate content for different reasons. Some of the reasons include:

• To reach a wider audience

• To comply with regulations

• To improve customer service

• To build trust

• To create a more inclusive environment

What are 5 tips to translate correctly?

Here are 5 tips to help you translate correctly:

• Use the right translator. The right translator is someone who is proficient in both the source and target languages and has expertise in translating the type of information that you want to translate.

• Provide clear and concise source material. This will make the translated content of higher quality.

• Set clear requirements. Let the translator know the tone and style you want the translation to have, as well as the amount of accuracy you require.

• Review the translation. Once the content has been translated, carefully go through it to ensure that it is accurate and aligns with your requirements.

• Get feedback from a native speaker. This will ensure that the translation is natural and coherent.