2. Effective website translation
is more than a word-for-word
1 Test and evaluate your content management system for foreign
language character compatibility before purchasing any platform
Make sure the CMS you are investing in can manage all foreign language
process. character sets you plan to publish in. Use Unicode character sets for
maximum compatibility.
2 Consider using WordPress, Joomla or Drupal as your CMS.
When evaluating CMS platforms consider using WordPress, Joomla or
Drupal. All of these platforms are open-source and available at no cost.
These platforms are feature-rich, with low-cost plugins for extra functionality
and provide easy-to-use dashboards to quickly develop fresh content.
Unless you have a highly-complex e-commerce site, you will likely find
10 easy tips
these platforms will out-perform costly or customized CMS solutions.
to maximize your website 3 Develop a multilingual keyword strategy.
Keywords are a critical factor in making sure your website is found and
translation process. are a major component to any SEO strategy. An effective keyword strategy
should include using your English keywords, their translation, equivalents,
and performing local keyword research to determine the best localized
search terms. For example, Chevrolet uses over 600 keywords in North
America alone.
4 Make sure you translate title tags, META data, rich snippets and
breadcrumbs along with your website copy.
Choosing the right images is just as important as writing the right copy.
Don’t assume that your images work in every market. Work with your
in-country managers and ask us for our perspectives.
5 Choose your images, graphics and colors with a multicultural
audience in mind.
Choosing the right images is just as important as writing the right copy.
Don’t assume that your images work in every market. Work with your
in-country managers and ask us for our perspectives.
6 Involve your internal clients overseas in the creative process.
Make sure your in-country teams participate in the creative process.
Their buy-in and local market knowledge is invaluable in helping to localize
advertising and marketing messages.
7 Create bilingual, not monolingual websites. Consider leaving some
elements in English.
These days, more people across the globe are living bilingual lives. Reading,
writing and communicating in more than one language every day. Age plays
a key role in knowing when to leave something in English or not. Knowing
your client demographics will help you make informed language decisions.
8 Have Language Arts & Science manage your in-country reviews.
We’ll separate the meaningful feedback from the clutter and make sure
your in-country managers don’t make changes that create legal headaches
for you.
9 Have us work directly in your source application files.
By having us work directly in your CMS or HTML files we can save you
time and money. Translation technologies allow us to streamline the entire
process helping you realize efficiencies throughout your project.
10 Fresh and high-quality content is a key component of
website success.
Websites are no longer static brochures, they are living, breathing, and
evolving marketing tools Google and other search engines put a premium
on fresh, high-quality content. Make sure you update your website regularly
with smart, optimized content.
Approved Google Engage Agency
3. How to create Advertising
and Marketing messages
1 Determine early in the creative process whether your project will
be translated.
The best translators in the world can’t save ideas and marketing messages
that work internationally. that don’t work in a given market.
2 Involve your internal clients overseas in the creative process.
Make sure your in-country teams participate in the creative process.
Their buy-in and local market knowledge should be used to localize
advertising and marketing messages.
10 easy tips 3 Provide a Creative Brief with your project.
Understanding who your audience is and what your objectives are is critical
to the creative adaptation process. Age is an especially critical demographic
to ensure your creative works! that will affect your transcreations.
4 Avoid double entendres – you can’t get the same two meanings
in another language.
Copy with double meanings always gets lost in the translations. Visually
with double meanings work much more effectively. Make sure you craft
headlines that can be adapted.
5 Choose your images, graphics and colors with an international
audience in mind.
Choosing the right images is just as important as writing the right copy.
Don’t just assume that your images work in every market.
6 Leave your tagline in English.
Unless you have the budget to test your tagline in every language and
country – and who does? Consider leaving your tagline in English. It works
for McDonald’s so it might work for you too!
7 Don’t expect translators to be advertising copywriters.
Expecting translators to perform like copywriters is a recipe for disaster.
At Language Arts & Science we employ copywriters and translators to
make effective ads, brochures, websites and landing pages.
8 Make your ads bilingual not monolingual.
More and more people across the globe live bilingual lives. Reading, writing
and communicating in more than one language. Age plays a big part here
in knowing when to leave something in English or not.
9 Have us manage your in-country reviews
Let us manage your in-country reviews. We’ll separate the meaningful
feedback from the clutter and make sure your in-country managers don’t
make changes that create legal headaches for you.
10 Have us work in your source application files.
We can save you money and boat loads of time by having us work directly
in your Indesign, HTML or CMS generated files. Translation technologies
allow us to streamline the process saving you time and money.
4. Search engine ranking 1 Use a multilingual
Keyword approach. 6 Maintain a balance between
International content and
is a multidimensional In most cases you should use your
local content.
and multilingual challenge. English keywords, their translations
and research locally used keywords.
Today your website needs to
communicate your brand globally
A multilingual keyword approach will and locally. An effective website
improve search engine performance strategy includes translating global
and Page Ranking. content and writing local content
in the local languages. The right
2 Use Geo-tracking to target combination of translated copy and
potential customers. locally produced copy creates more
effective search engine content.
Google provides high-quality
10 easy tips geo-tracking tools to ensure that
to effective international
correct pages and languages
are delivered in search activities. 7 Time PPC campaigns
to industry events.
Make sure you identify a site AAPEX, FENATRAN and other
and multilingual SEO structure infrastructure that industry events provide a forum for
meets your business objectives. manufacturers to introduce their new
& SEM. products and interact directly with
3 Translate rich snippets, your clients. Improve attendance
breadcrumbs and other search and interest in your Booth by driving
engine friendly content. traffic to it using a PPC campaign.
Today what’s behind your website
is just as important as the content
your audience reads. Search engine 8 Continually add and remove
Keywords as industry events,
technology and consumer
performance is dependent on
patterns change.
several search engine enablers.
In addition to translating content A static keyword approach will erode
that resides on your web pages search performance over time.
make sure you translate all the text Keywords change frequently and
Google and other search engines performance patterns must be
will use to rank your site. monitored and identified. Seasonal
and industry driven keywords should
4 Determine whether country or be used before, during and after
language sites are best. industry events.
Do you need a Spain site or a
Spanish language site? Are you
speaking to all German speakers 9 Identify and apply Best Practices
across all languages
(Austria, Germany, Switzerland) or to The same techniques that result
German speakers in Germany only? in best search performance are
Make sure you have a strategy that required in other countries and for
matches your sales processes, other search engines. So make sure
opportunities and goals. you translate keywords, title tags,
meta descriptions, breadcrumbs and
5 Make sure your site meets local rich snippets. Identify local keywords
legal requirements. for your industry and run local PPC
campaigns in multiple languages.
Confirm that any offers and
guarantees are legal in each country.
Some countries have restrictive
requirements regarding what you 10 Follow Search Engine
changes closely.
can say and even what words Google and other search engines
you can use. Have a corporate change algorithms and markup
lawyer review all advertising claims requirements frequently and watch
and content. for developments by the W3C,
ICANN and other web bodies
that help determine how the web
works and how your sites should
be programmed. Communicate
regularly with your SEO and SEM
service providers and budget for
Approved Google Engage Agency
requirement changes.
5. Trust a translation
supplier who speaks
1 Develop a basic style guide
to manage correct usage of
Brand Names, Product Names,
6 Provide content to be translated
in source application file formats
(XML, MSWord, FrameMaker).
Acronym’s and other linguistic Provide PDF files for linguistic
your language. requirements context.
According to a GM study, over 51% For maximum translation memory
of their “translation errors” were due savings you should provide content
to wrong terminology. Have your in file formats that allow for maximum
translation supplier prepare a leveraging. XML, Word and
terminology database and set up FrameMaker are common platforms
terminology usage rules in advance. that eliminate a significant amount of
manual page formatting producing
2
maximum cost and timing savings.
10 easy tips Once a year invest in a quality
analysis and consistency check
to maximize your
on your Translation Memories.
This a low-cost investment that
7 Provide illustrations and graphics
in .eps or .jpeg file formats.
service information will pay for itself and improve Schematics and part illustrations can
quality. A little translation memory require an enormous amount of time
translation process. maintenance can go a long way and to translate and format if prepared
can be performed during non-peak without translation in mind. Ensure
periods in preparation for heavy-load that any embedded text can be
periods. A cleaned up TM lowers replaced and reformatted.
cost and improves translation quality.
8
And the cost will be recovered Provide PDF files for linguistic
through more 100% matches. reference only.
3
Always provide a PDF file with the
Use the SAE J1930 Standard to
source files for linguistic reference.
develop technical terminology
Often times the way an image
J930 provides an easy-to-use or graphic appears will influence
methodology when naming technical or even explain an ambiguous
components in a vehicle. Language sentence. Providing a PDF file
Arts & Science performs translations reduces guesswork and provides
in accordance with J1930. The answers for many translation
adaptation of J1930 into the questions.
translation process improves
9
technical terminology accuracy Confirm data transfer and
and translator skills. storage capacity requirements
4
Service Information consists of
Prepare an Authoring &
thousands of files sometimes eating
Translation process schematic.
up terabytes of data space and
Regularly review during non-
requiring industrial strength data
peak seasons.
transfer capacity. Make sure you
Make sure you’ve added the communicate your data storage
translation process to the authoring and transfer needs before the peak
workflow and use to identify potential translation season starts.
bottlenecks or scheduling challenges.
5 Measure translation quality
instead of proofreading
10 Eliminate disconnects
and “non value-added”
workflow processes.
every word.
Identify technologies and processes
With service Information growing in that reduce tasks, automate
size every year, few organizations standard activities and harmonize
can afford to proofread and authoring and translation workflows.
verify every translated word. Meet periodically during the
Today there’s no need too either. non-peak season to review past
Measuring translation quality year’s performance and set new
instead of proofreading reduces performance and cost savings
costs, improves timing and provides goals for the next season.
an objective method of evaluating
translation quality.
6. Improve global performance and process adherence.
10 easy tips for effective HR & training translations.
1 Translate communications for international employees
even when it isn’t legally required. 6 Use interpreters to help train your staff when opening
facilities in a new country.
Most countries do not mandate the translation of HR policies Opening a new facility means hiring a large number of new
and codes of conduct however many have de facto laws that employees, all of whom require company and job training.
render untranslated employee communications as legally invalid. Specialized training may need to be conducted by employees
Violations can be difficult to enforce, even when the employee from headquarters who do not speak the local language.
speaks English. Translating HR policies, codes of conduct and Local LAS interpreters can bridge this gap, ensuring the right
other communications helps you avoid unnecessary legal costs. knowledge is transferred to local employees.
2 Have local staff review existing HR documents to
eliminate US-centric references that have no relevance
for international employees.
7 Consider less obvious translation requirements when
training employees in a new international facility.
Creating different modules for courses that contain locally
Many concepts such as “cultural diversity” or “affirmative action” influenced issues such as soft skills, legal and regulatory
or “vacation accrual” that are included in corporate policies and compliance and policies and procedures will enable you to retain
codes of conduct will have no relevance outside the United important corporate messages while enabling localization for
States and may even conflict with local mores, customs and modules that need it. You can then simply drop in localized
laws. Have in-country HR personnel review these documents, modules, repackage and distribute course materials more quickly.
you will not only be legally compliant, you will also demonstrate
8
respect for your international colleagues Take a modular approach to designing corporate
training and eLearning courses.
3 Include in-country HR staff in the development of key
employee communications. Creating different modules for courses that contain“ high context”
or locally influenced issues such as soft skills, legal and regulatory
Solicit input from your in-country HR teams when developing compliance and policies and procedures will enable you to retain
important employee messages from headquarters. Their buy-in your general corporate messages while enabling localization
and local knowledge will be invaluable in effectively communicating where you need it. You will be able to simply drop in localized
all-hands emails, policy updates and important company modules, repackage and distribute course materials more quickly.
announcements so they are easily understood and accepted.
4 Prioritize and consider translating documents for
international employees, even when your “official company
9 Choose eLearning tools that automate functions
important to localization
language” is English. The best rapid- and eLearning software tools will automate many
functions and help you avoid costly and accident-prone manual
Distributing untranslated HR documents to non-English-speaking processes. Look for tools that:
employees does not make good business sense and can be
• automatically allow text to expand to accommodate
hazardous. Although many managers may speak English, it is
other languages
unlikely that rank and file employees do, especially in markets
• separate content from presentation to ensure all text
such as South America and Asia where English is not prevalent.
is translated the first time
You can’t translate everything, but translating key communica-
• have automated import/export functions for easy transfer
tions is good business practice, since it conveys important
of files and localized versions
information more clearly.
5 Provide contextual explanations for certain HR-related
concepts rather than literal translations for expatriates 10 Select images, graphics and colors for training
and eLearning materials with international
employees in mind.
and immigrants working in US facilities.
Choosing the right images is just as important as writing
Literal translations of concepts such as “employment at will”
appropriate copy. Don’t assume that images will work in
or “exempt versus non-exempt” or “vacation accrual” could be
every market. Your in-country HR staff can provide guidance,
confusing to recent immigrants or non-native English speakers,
as can LAS, in choosing culturally sensitive images.
since they are unlikely to exist in the employee’s home country.
Providing contextual explanations will help avoid misunderstand-
ings, unintended policy violations and improve compliance.
7. Translating important employee communications
and documents is a safe policy.
10 easy tips to effective financial and legal translations.
1 Translate communications for international employees
even when it isn’t legally required. 6 Create a multilingual data room (VDR) for smooth
and accessible M&A information exchange.
Most countries do not mandate the translation of HR policies VDRs have numerous benefits to both buyers and sellers.
and codes of conduct, however many countries have de facto The seller can attract more buyers by providing translated due
laws that render untranslated employee communications as diligence materials in a secure, searchable repository. Buyers
legally invalid. Violations can be difficult to enforce, even if the have access to pertinent information for better assessment and
employee speaks English. By translating HR policies and codes decision-making. At a minimum the seller should translate the
of conduct you demonstrate your dedication to and appreciation VDR index so buyers can readily find pertinent information.
of all employees and avoid expensive legal costs. Providing translation summaries of key documents should also be
considered, since it helps the transaction progress more quickly.
2 Practice continuous improvement with global
compliance programs.
7 Remember that due diligence can extend beyond
the obvious.
Enforcement of FCPA has become increasingly aggressive:
penalties are escalating and foreign prosecutors are assisting Cross-border due diligence processes may extend beyond the
in anti-corruption actions of US authorities. Stay abreast of company being acquired and include strategic suppliers, business
developments and ensure that all employees are aware of new or partners and customers. Communicating with all of these parties
changed company policies, particularly rank and file employees in a cross-border environment suggests translating key information
who may not speak English well. By translating FCPA policies is required. Consider translation in your due diligence strategy;
and partnering with local management to ensure they are it will help you prioritize information, determine the quality level
understood, you increase compliance and improve enforceability. required, control costs and ensure the right information is
accessible when it’s needed and in the right languages.
3 Develop a solid plan of action for translation in cross-
border litigation.
8 Adjust quality expectations according to the text requiring
translation and its intended purpose.
Sifting through voluminous amounts of data during the discovery
process can be arduous in English, let alone in one or more other 100% accuracy and consistency are the hallmarks of legal and
languages. Having a strategy for language-intensive discovery financial translations, particularly when legal or financial decisions
will help you avoid translating irrelevant materials, saving precious rest on a complete and unambiguous understanding of the text.
time and money. Create a list of keywords for ALL languages However it isn’t always practical or financially prudent to seek this
to help you prioritize documents for relevance and importance. level of quality with all legal and financial information. Consider
Critical documents may require certified translations, while others the purpose of the documents and assess their importance.
may require a summary translation. Text that is “for internal “Information only“ documents may only require a cursory translation
purposes only” may only require a cursory translation to facilitate for understanding rather than a more costly certified translation.
understanding. LAS can advise you.
4 Translate litigation hold policies to ensure they are
understood and adhered to by foreign employees.
9 Assess your IP translation practices for cost reduction
Our globalized economy is making the protection of your
intellectual property at an international level more important than
The goal of every litigation hold is to preserve data that is relevant ever and necessitating the filing of patents in multiple countries.
to the case. In international litigation, holds must be communicated Without an effective IP translation strategy, translation costs
in a manner and language that a foreign employee will understand can spiral out of control. Reducing your reliance on a multitude
so he knows what it means to preserve and the rules surrounding of international law firms to handle translations and exploring
it. This prevents data from being compromised or lost. Reducing translation technologies that can reuse text can help mitigate
the amount of “legalese” in hold communications may be required costs. Call LAS to discuss your options
depending on the target country and employee familiarity with
legal processes.
10 Maintain client-attorney confidentiality by using
professional translation services.
5 Increase the velocity and confidence in cross-border mergers
and acquisitions by pro-actively translating key data. Using online translation applications such as Google Translate
to save money could be a false economy. Care must be taken
Cross-border mergers and acquisitions are more common because any text that is translated through it becomes part
than ever. Regardless of the direction of the deal, participants are of Google’s domain and therefore has the potential to violate
likely to be located in a country where English is not the primary client-attorney confidentiality and jeopardize a case. Sensitive
language. Proactively providing due diligence and other documents should be translated by professional translators
information in different languages as clearly and accurately as who are bound by non-disclosure agreements. Call LAS to
possible helps both the buyer and seller conclude the cross- discuss cost-effective alternatives to online translation tools.
border deal more quickly, confidently and cost effectively.
8. Language Arts & Science specializes in serving
the motor vehicle industry and supports the
entire supply chain, including manufacturers,
component suppliers, services companies
and even industry trade magazines.
Language Arts & Science
333 West 7th Street, Suite 120
Royal Oak, Michigan 48065
P: 248-246-0475, F: 248-282-0433
Visit our website at www.languageartsandscience.com
for more information on how to get the
most from your translation needs!