The world is getting smaller, and that includes the world of business. Every day we become more interconnected than ever, and every day we are looking to expand the ways we do business that feel authentic and natural, no matter who the audience is, or which languages are being communicated.
From the tone, cultural references or even corporate speak, language can be a world unto itself. The widespread accessibility of online translation tools can lull us into thinking that a fast, online tool is a suitable option for any translation, but the reality is that genuinely reliable and quality translation for businesses is so much more. Reliable marketing translation requires a level of intuition and attention to context and detail that goes beyond words.
Solutions to Cultural Problems
More than ever, businesses are relying on marketing translation services to bridge gaps and make cross-cultural connections. Luckily, there’s a multitude of translation services available that make it possible for any business to show their best assets and reach across cultures to ensure the ultimate understanding.
How are businesses staying connected? Keep reading to learn about ten important ways that businesses rely on quality marketing translations.
1. Approaching Foreign Markets
One of the first things that come to mind for businesses looking to grow their market base is considering how to approach the international marketplace. With the increasing necessity of businesses worldwide to get and stay connected, it’s crucial that digital content and marketing materials are culturally and linguistically suited to whichever audience they are targeting.
2. Accessing Market-Specific Language
People don’t often think about the nuances in industry language that are critical to meaning, but they are critical to making sure messages are clear and specific. Without an intuitive and reliable translator, many of those nuances often get completely lost. Did you know, for example, that the word “differentiation” encompasses four completely distinct meanings, all relative to the particular industry that is using it? That’s pretty substantial. Having an industry-trained translation professional is critical to not only understanding those market-specific types of words but also amplifying their meaning in context.
3. Focusing on Localization
Why is localization so important? Localization helps businesses to build relationships with their client base, and communicate in ways that are really relevant to each region. It might be the difference in word choice (think: “row” and “argument” in UK and US English), spelling, (“organise” and “organize”), and even use of tense (“Have you finished your homework?” and “Did you do your homework?”) Improperly localized text might be misinterpreted as unprofessional at best, and uncomfortable at worst. In short, localization allows for contextual, nuanced, and culturally sensitive translations. Putting a translation service to work for you would allow for so many of these cultural nuances to be honored. It goes beyond just words.
4. Translating Across Age Demographics
It’s so important that communication reaches across age demographics as well. Language changes relative to culture, but also relative to the age of the user as well. Think about terms like “influencer”, “podcast” or “hashtag”. While they tend to be mainstays in the vernacular of millennials, whose language style reflects and changes with the near constant use of social media, when compared with the conversation pattern and style of a Baby Boomer in the workforce, those terms take on a whole new meaning, if they have any meaning at all. Target-specific translations are crucial to maintaining relevance to each of these unique audiences, in order to reach across generational gaps and create a clear and consistent message.
5. Avoiding Cross-Cultural Faux Pas
Businesses everywhere are making it a priority to ensure that they are not committing any cultural faux pas. This could range anywhere from creating audience discomfort to missed business opportunities! These faux pas can make an appearance anywhere; from the humor we use, to culturally specific metaphors and idioms that might sound odd to target audiences if they are communicated poorly.
Consider the unfortunate example of Pepsi’s “Back to Life” campaign. When marketed in China, it translated directly to “Pepsi brings you back from the grave.” Or, KFC’s “Finger Lickin’ Good” slogan in the same region that translated into: “Eat Your Fingers Off.” While they may be unwittingly funny to the outside observer, it’s likely that the businesses did not intend to send those messages! Moreover, translation mistakes like this can be costly as well.
In each of these cases, and more besides, having access to reliable marketing translation services makes so many of these potentially embarrassing and uncomfortable instances avoidable!
6. Maintaining Cultural Relevance
Who doesn’t remember enjoying delicious Vegemite sandwiches as a child? Or having fond memories of an Oscar Meyer commercial? If cultural references aren’t shared across the world, how can businesses ensure they are still invoking those very human shared experiences that cross cultures? Translators work to smooth some of those cultural gaps and fill in the blanks so that that language and imagery can still evoke the same feelings in culturally relevant ways.
7. Enhancing Email Marketing
Linguistic and cultural relevance is crucial to email marketing campaigns, where audiences rely on text and imagery to convey all-important messages to the client. Making sure these messages are unobstructed by hard-to-follow or poorly translated language is crucial to make sure that messages reach the ultimate level of engagement possible. In fact, 55% of customers are more willing to make purchases when they are buying in their own language. That number increases to 80% when faced with customers who are monolingual. Businesses shouldn’t overlook crucial opportunities to reach those clients because of poorly translated email marketing campaigns. Luckily, there are so many translation solutions available to help.
8. Optimizing SEO
Marketing translations allow for target audiences to easily search and find businesses’ services when searching online, and also allow for a much greater possibility of being searched by new audiences as well. It really all comes down to engagement. How long are target audiences engaging with a website? The chances are, that if a website is untranslated, the bounce rate is much higher among its target audience if their primary language is not being used. Having a translation service that translates SEO makes it possible to increase a website’s accessibility, and keep audiences engaged with the website that much longer.
9. Optimizing Social Media Marketing
The power behind social media is its ability to connect users from around the world with one another, often through a series of creative and engaging storytelling. Whether through images, video, or words, the language of these multi-layered social connections is the key to sharing these stories. Of the 3.3 billion social media users worldwide, businesses are becoming more adept at harnessing the power to reach each one of them. Imagine the scope of potential miscommunication if a message is poorly translated! Or worse, if an audience is unable to access their message, businesses run the risk of derailing entire campaigns. This could signify thousands in lost revenue, and the long-term potential to lose a large part of their market value. Intuitive and effective translation is crucial to help any business fully realize their message and keep their audiences engaged with relatable and accessible content.
10. Ensuring Your Business is Well-Represented
One of the biggest opportunities for businesses in any arena is ensuring that they are well-represented. This means making sure that their image is always synonymous with quality and efficiency. Language is one of the most powerful ways to communicate that message; having a solid translation service in place will allow for any misrepresentations that come up to be mitigated, and to ensure that the message that is communicated is the one that is intended.
Working with a translator who is specific, reliable, and well-versed in the target language can facilitate a smooth transition through all of these circumstances, and more, no matter where you are in the world. Luckily, with our team of experienced language professionals, Language Department is here to help. Reach out to us today to learn more about how having a reliable translation service can set your business up for success anywhere in the world.
