A Guide to Setting up your Website in Multiple Languages

Going global

To fully interact in this global marketplace, communicating in just one language is no longer enough. Websites need to be multi-lingual so that they can connect with new target markets in their native tongue. As Willy Brandt, former Chancellor of Europe's most successful exporting nation, Germany, said: "If I'm selling to you, I speak your language. If I'm buying, dann müssen Sie Deutsch sprechen [then you have to speak German]."

This short guide provides an introduction to setting up a website in different languages, the key steps involved and points to consider in getting started.

Research backs this up. A survey by Forrester revealed that visitors spend twice as long on websites when the content is in their native language. They're also four times more likely to buy from them. For this reason, website localisation - translating a website into different languages while reflecting each country's unique cultural expressions and values - is an essential investment every company should be considering this year.

What's involved?

What's involved depends on the company's objective and the style of their website - whether it's an e-commerce site or one used to boost brand awareness.

Companies breaking into the international marketplace, for example, may be initially looking to target a certain number of countries and consumers. For these, translating the content of their websites into a number of landing pages, or dedicated micro sites in an agreed number of languages, may be all that's needed to get the ball rolling.

Companies who already have a foothold in overseas markets may want their entire website translated into the languages spoken by their core international customer base. This involves translating large quantities of content into a number of different languages while maintaining a consistent brand message, tone of voice, and look and feel that fits both with the company and the country they're translating for.

The best way to establish what your company needs is to talk to an experienced translation company with the technical knowledge and specialist translators in place to do the job expertly, whilst keeping costs down. With over 30 years' experience working with some of the UK's top small and large companies, Comtec Translations is exactly that.

So, how is it done?

Take Real Madrid. Translating the original Spanish content of their website into

English, David Beckham's profile read: "His speciality are the central shots from the wing, called ‘bananas', and free kicks, two types of plays where he displays a shooting technique which is unique in the world of football'. Bananas indeed!

With localisation, the original text is taken and then translated into the ‘local' language of each country. Comtec Translations hand picks translators for each individual project from their carefully sourced database. All members of the team translate into their mother tongue only, ensuring that the resulting text hits the mark linguistically while conveying the cultural subtleties of the target market. What's more, if the project requires specialist business knowledge and/or a particularly technical know-how, translators are chosen who are experts in those fields. You will find below the key steps in setting up a website.

The right process

Following a thorough process from start to finish always ensures the best results.

1. Client Briefing

Comtec's project manager will meet with the client (either a marketing agency or company) to establish a translation plan, timescale and budget for their website localisation.

They will also at this point:

Determine the target audience, key messages to be communicated and desired overall tone of the content.
Review the website technically and structurally, taking into account any particularities of specific Content Management
Systems (CMS), and advising the client on the best way to extract content from the website and reinsert it later.
Discuss any future use for the website, ensuring the localised text fits easily within those plans.
Discuss the client's multi-lingual Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy, advising on the most efficient way of incorporating this within the translation process.

2. Preparing Content

Website content, image text and metadata are extracted and prepared for translation. Text is exported from the website and converted into a pre-agreed format that will lend itself to translation and subsequent reinsertion.

3. Translation team established

Comtec's project manager selects the appropriate team for the project. These will be translators with significant experience in localising marketing content and specialist knowledge of the particular industry or sector where required.

4. Project gets underway

A number of processes are set up initially:

A landing site is set up for each of the target languages before the main translation gets underway. This will allow you to get ahead of the game, as your new website to be located on the Web as soon as it is launched.
A glossary of terms is drawn up. This ensures Comtec's translators and the client have a pre-agreed core terminology to work from.
Sample sections are reviewed. Comtec's translators will work with the client's ‘local team'- usually market managers already working in the translated language or with specialist knowledge of the area. Sample sections of web translation are sent to these managers at agreed intervals for feedback, to record changes and preferential terminology, and outline any further requirements.
Additional proofreading is offered. Bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the project, a second expert translator will review and enhance where needed the overall style and tone of the translated text. Much more than a simple grammar or spell check, this is an opportunity to fine-tune marketing copy so that it goes that extra mile in appealing to its target market.
Memory is collated. A term-bank of translated content is compiled and saved, and can be called upon for future translation projects or requirements. This results in speedy, cost-efficient work for the client going forward.

5. Website content re-inserted

The approved content is returned to client and then uploaded onto the websites by a web design team. Delivery of content can be arranged to meet interim deadlines within the project.

6. Content check and links testing

Final checks prior to the website going live are advisable, and should be built into the process where possible. Web designers are not linguists, so linguistic details such as the positioning of line breaks, language-specific encoding and word hyphenations may get overlooked. Getting a native speaker on board to check these stylistic elements will ensure your translated website looks and reads as professionally as the source website.

Case study: Hydratight - Leading Engineering Company

Translation Powers Hydratight's Global Ambitions

Developing and manufacturing products for the oil, gas and power industries, leading engineering firm Hydratight realised that, to grow their business in this increasingly global sector, they needed to communicate with more clients internationally.

They recommended their marketing agency get in touch with Comtec, and work began on translating and localising Hydratight's website into six languages: French, German, Brazilian, Portuguese, Chinese and Spanish.

Comtec's first step was to select the appropriate translation team for each language, hand-picking mother-tongue translators with specialist knowledge of the industry's terminology and extensive experience in market localisation. Then Comtec began liaising with Hydratight's ‘local teams', agreeing a glossary of terms for each language and regularly sending sample text for review and approval.

Despite a timeframe of just six weeks, the project was completed without a hitch. This was down to a number of things. Having worked with Hydratight for years, Comtec already understood the business and had compiled a database of translations to draw on from previous projects. This ensured speed and consistency of translation, together with cost savings for the client.

Comtec's trusted relationship with Hydratight also contributed to the project's success. They were able to work in close collaboration with the company's local teams to approve translated content on a regular basis. "Each team took the time to agree terminology, check translations and feedback on everything," says Susan Lankfer, Project Manager at Comtec. "Like us, they wanted to be 100 per cent happy with the results."

Now maximise it!

To really reap the rewards of having a foreign language website, pages should be monitored and updated regularly. By working closely with a translation partner, this can be managed quickly and cost-effectively.

Boosting global hits

Effective search engine optimisation (SEO) boosts website traffic to English websites, and it is equally important for foreign language versions too. This means continuously checking keyword suitability to ensure the website ranks high in local search engines. It also means paying attention to the translation of metadata and using user-friendly URL links that include foreign language.

Amtico - International Flooring Specialist

Amtico Floors The International Competition

When international flooring company, Amtico, decided to update sections of their foreign language websites last year, Comtec was called upon to undertake the project.

Before they could get started, however, they needed to replace their old content management system (CMS) which was becoming difficult to work with. Introducing Ektron, a CMS system with excellent multi-lingual handling capability, Comtec got to work on the 100,000-word project, translating and localising the content into French, German and Swedish.

Comtec's first step was to select a team of translators and proofreaders for each language, all of whom had extensive experience in the area, and the technical expertise required to localise specialist marketing content into their mother tongue.

They then set about agreeing a glossary of terms with Amtico, later sending regular sample sections of text to their ‘local teams' in each market, recording any corrections and comments, and updating the content.

"Website localisation always works better with the involvement and support of local teams," explains Comtec's Managing Director, Sophie Howe. "They bring a unique and important insight into the cultural characteristics of each country, the consumer behaviour and the perception of the brand."

For Amtico's European Marketing Manager, Sophia Mckain, the project's success came down to having a trusted relationship with Comtec, whose excellent project management skills proved invaluable. Ensuring there was ample time to check and approve text regularly with their local teams, Comtec's previous work with Amtico also meant they understood the business top to bottom.

Responding to international leads

International enquiries coming via the foreign language website is one result to come from website localisation. To take advantage of all the leads generated, it's essential to have a good strategy. This could involve setting up a pre-recorded message in the foreign language or sending out an automated holding email which allows time to respond in more detail. Once again, Comtec will provide the necessary support to ensure all enquiries are dealt with, and all new business opportunities maximised.

Get in contact

Call or email Comtec Translations direct now to arrange a free, one-hour review of your company's language requirements. It's a chance to talk through your export plans in more detail and identify where translating and localising your website can boost sales performance overseas. Comtec will even highlight some simple steps to get you started straight away so that you can see the benefits of investing in your company's language capability immediately.

Comtec Translations Limited

With over 30 years' experience, Comtec understands the demands and potential of international business. As one of the UK's leading suppliers of language services to small and large companies, we specialise in technical, medical, financial and legal translation, marketing and website localisation, interpreting, multi-lingual desktop publishing and software localisation.

For more information, please contact a member of the team on +44 (0)1926 335681 or email info@comtectranslations.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Download a copy of our Guide to Setting up your Website in Multiple Languages here.