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betterlanguages.com specialises in high quality website translation, enabling you to communicate a clear message in any major world language. We can handle most file formats, and can work directly with your web designer if needed. Translations can be prepared in a word or pdf format for you to add to your site, or we can translate live web pages, working directly from the source code, and provide the translation in html in most languages. The aim is to produce high quality web copy which reads like original text.
Recent examples of sites we have translated include a financial services website from English to Spanish, a large intranet site into 11 languages, and a site for a toy supplier into 5 languages including both Simplified and Traditional Chinese. We have also translated technical magazine articles for web distribution. Our own site is currently available in 6 languages, with more to be added soon.
Effective website translation copy and navigation
Effective website translation is not just about translating the words on each web page, its important to translate page titles, descriptions and any alt text as well. It is also important to think through how a customer will be able to use your services, and navigate the site.
Do you want to generate telephone enquiries in another language, or do you want people to place standardised orders by e-mail?
Can you capture any essential data correctly? There’s nothing more annoying than filling in a web form which rejects your information because it requires a style of address or phone number which doesn’t match the required layout. Remember that right to left languages like Arabic and Hebrew require right to left navigation so will be a mirror image of an English version.
Translation quality and quantity
Remember that a translation is rarely better than the original text (though we can do miracles!). If your message is unclear in English, it won’t be better in the target language, so make sure you’re happy with the English content first. We always use professional translators, who are natives of the target language, and of relevant specialism. For example, when we translated the www.Roodsafe.com website into German, the client wanted the technical content translated, and also to have terms and conditions of sale in German. This required different specialisms, so the legal translation and proof reading were undertaken by specialist legal translators, and the construction content was translated and proofed by construction engineering specialist translators. When translating into Italian, the client didn’t need the terms and conditions translated. This represented a significant cost saving, without detracting from the quality of translation.
Domains and hosting
Give attention to domains and hosting, will you have the translated pages hosted on your existing domain, or do you need separate in-country domains and hosting for the different language versions? This largely depends on your purpose in translation. If you look closely at our own site, you will find that the English version together with the Welsh translation and Romanian translation are hosted on www.betterlanguages.com, whilst the Spanish translation is www.betterlanguages.es, the German translation is www.betterlanguages.de, and the French translation and Flemish translation are www.betterlanguages.be, all have country appropriate hosting. So what has the look and functionality of a single site, is actually four websites, with separate domains and hosting.
Ways of using translated information
An alternative approach to translating a full website, or web page, may be to provide downloadable information in the required language, for example, when preparing information for the Battle of Bosworth Visitor’s Centre, we provided pdfs with information about the battle in 20 languages.
A similar approach could be taken with company information or brochures.
View Bosworth English Example »
View Bosworth Hindi Example »
Content Management
Think about how you want to manage your multi-lingual website content. If you intend updating the English version regularly, you will need to update the translations. We can turn round small amendments very quickly, ensuring you keep your message up to date.
Free website translation consultation
Contact betterlanguages.com today for a free initial consultation to discuss your need of website translation.
