Prepare for Globalization with Website Translation

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The advent of the Information Age has demolished geographic limitations on business. There are over 1.5 billion Internet users in the world today and over 84% of them live outside the United States and Canada. Within this global environment, there are no limits on a company’s potential marketplace other than those it places upon itself. Currently fewer than 10% of websites in the United States offer a language option other than English, effectively shutting out vast numbers of foreign clientele.

Buying Products in Your Own Language
Today your company can harness the power of the Internet to communicate with potential customers no matter where they live in the world. However, research by the Common Sense Advisory has found that most customers across the globe prefer to buy online in their own language. In fact, more than half of all customers purchase only from those websites where information is presented in their native language. Even among consumers who read English, more than 60% prefer buying from websites in their native language.

Search Engines
Website translation removes a barrier between you and your potential customers. This barrier also extends to search engines. Internet users throughout the world use search engines to find information, but it would be a mistake to think that they are all using the same ones or that they are all searching in English. Google, MSN, and Yahoo offer searches in about 125, 50 and 25 languages, respectively. Besides these international search engines, there are many more that are country-specific. Websites that are not available in other languages won’t even be listed on these foreign language search engines and consequently will be missed by their millions of users.

The Strategy of Winners
Global leaders such as Proctor & Gamble, Ford and Toyota understand the value of multilingual communication. Between them, they boast more than 300 fully translated websites that have been “localized” for specific markets. Businesses following their lead can enter a global online trading market worth over $12 trillion.

In short, the benefits of website translation include:
• Tapping into new, non-English speaking markets.
• Communicating with customers in their preferred languages.
• Showing that your company is an international player.
• Helping potential customers find you online.

So What Now?
Creating a multilingual website will give your company a global reach. There is more to this than simply translating the information on your website. Search engine optimization is a cost-effective way of making your company even more visible. Translating and localizing website keywords and metatags for specific markets helps Internet users find your website. All related marketing materials and downloadable documents should also be translated. Communication doesn’t stop with the website, so it is also important to consider translating documents like user guides and instruction manuals. The next logical step involves partnering with an “on call” translation agency to translate e-mail correspondence. In the end, creating a multilingual website can help your company reach the 70% of Internet users who don’t speak English as their first language.

Michael Bargar is a freelance writer for Foreign Translations, Inc. Foreign Translations, Inc., is a foreign language translation, interpreting and website localization firm headquartered in Greenville, SC, that offers professional and accurate translation services in all major languages.