Why Is Professional Website Translation So Important?

By: Sheekha Sanghvi

By: Klaidi Shehi

Introduction

Translation is one of the most important tools in communication, especially with how interconnected people of different languages are now with the Internet. With 52 per cent of websites globally being in English but only being understood by 25 per cent of global internet users, people are now beginning to realize the importance of translating your website as effectively as possible into multiple languages. With International Translation Day coming up on Sept. 30, MCIS wants to highlight just how important translation can be in our technologically advanced world and how influential it can be for an organization.

What Exactly is Website Translation?

Website Translation put simply is converting all the text on one’s website from one language into another. The level of translation of a website can vary as a business may opt for all information on their website being translated, like landing pages and marketing material, or simply the key pages, the contact us, more information and services portions. Translating one’s website can be an essential tool in optimizing one’s business, whether a product or service. A study by CSA Research found that 75% of consumers are more likely to buy products from websites in their native tongue rather than one they simply understand. And 40 per cent said that they would never buy from a website that is not in their native tongue.

Benefits of Website Translation

  1. Boosts Website Traffic

Translation on a website can attract audiences from international markets that would not have been able to explore your website previously. It can boost impressions, clicks, CPCs and even conversions. This is great for businesses trying to grow internationally or for businesses that target consumers domestically who don’t speak the native language of that country very well.

  1. Increase Your Websites SEO

Boosting SEO can already be a bit tricky for businesses, let alone trying to improve it in foreign languages. However, SEOin languages other than your own might be just as significant . A global consumer study found that although English is by far the most used language on the internet at 43 per cent, the following top languages Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German and French accounted for 34 per cent of world users. It’s essential to consider different meanings to words in specific languages and how that can negatively or positively affect the SEO of the website. You should also keep it simple and focus on titles, industry-relevant keywords and well-structured content.

  1. Differentiate Yourself From Your Competition

If your competition is already not serving online customers in international markets with the best possible service, translating your website is one of the most effective tools in gaining a competitive edge quickly. This will make your website automatically rank higher on Google search when international consumers look for professional services or products in your industry.. Additionally, since the US, China, Japan, and Germany account for 50% of potential global online sales, translating your website into these languages might help you reach a considerably wider audience than your competitors.

  1. Reduce Bounce Rates and Increase Conversions

We’ve all been there before. We visit a website thinking it will provide us with the required information, services or products we are looking for and then a page in a language we don’t understand appears. When this happens, the immediate response is to close the tab and continue your search, contributing to the bounce rate. However, with a robust multilingual website, visitors can be prompted that the website is available in the native language of the country they are visiting. This can dramatically reduce the bounce rate and boost conversions as 73 per cent of consumers prefer to purchase from sites that provide information in their language.

  1. Website Translation Helps Establish Good Branding

When people visit your website and can access the information on it in their native language, it will increase the chances of them having a positive experience with the website. Things like slow website loading speeds, outdated designs or inaccurate information are all things that hurt a business’s brand image in the minds of a customer. If these are seen as critical areas of website optimization, why would one overlook the effects of one not even being able to understand anything on your website in their language?

Conclusion

In today’s online world, customers are faced with more choices of online goods and services than ever before. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is at the forefront of many business decisions and companies are inventing new ways to increase the experience of consumers on their websites. One of the key ways of doing so is to make your business’s website as accessible as possible to the most significant number of people. MCIS can help your business with its website translation with our language consulting services. We can aid in ensuring that all the text on your website is adequately translated into several languages with our expert team of translators. Visit www.mcislanguages.com to get a quote or to contact us for more information on how exactly we can find the best language solutions for you.

Citations

Ni Lim, S. (2022). 2022 Translation Industry Trends and Stats | Redokun Blog. Redokun.com. https://redokun.com/blog/translation-statistics

Alsan, M.  (2021). The top multilingual website stats and website localization trends for 2021. Weglot Blog. https://weglot.com/blog/top-multilingual-website-stats-and-website-localization-trends-2021/