What you need to know when translating a website

Are you translating a website? It’s completely different from translating a brochure. For example, you have to take the laws of search engines into account, as well as the online reader’s habits. Not only do online texts have to be shorter and more powerful, you also need to make sure that they’re optimised for search engines like Google. This applies to their translations too.

Translating for the internet

Whether you’re copywriting or translating for the internet, there are several rules that you just can’t ignore. For example, it’s important to understand that the online reader has an incredibly short attention span. It’s best to focus the essence of your writing on a few core messages, making sure to formulate them as clearly and powerfully as possible. 

SEO translations

Anyone with some content marketing experience has undoubtedly heard of SEO, or search engine optimisation. Specifically, you translate in such a way that the webpage on which it appears scores as high as possible on Google and other search engines. A few points for attention:

• Use keywords that are popular in search engines. 
• Use familiar synonyms.
• Strategically use keywords: in the title, headers, etc. 
• HTML: respect the specific HTML codes in your translations.

How does ElaN Languages deal with Search Engine Optimisation? We incorporate your lists of SEO-friendly keywords and descriptions into our translations. No keywords? No problem. We will be happy to refer you to an SEO agency, which will provide you with the most effective keywords.

Localisation

Localisation means adapting a text to the local character. A good example of localisation is converting amounts in euros to amounts in pounds. Brits aren’t used to paying in euros. They’ll know immediately that it’s a foreign website and will be less quick to convert. Localisation is imperative for a website or webshop, and it doesn’t stop at currencies. Think about how telephone numbers, weights, measurements, and even the names of national holidays are written.

All ElaN Languages translators are native speakers. In addition to the points above, they also take things like religion, forms of address, and evocative language into account. They are translation experts and know everything there is to know about the country on which you’ve set your commercial sights.

Tailored quote

Need a translation? Or would you like a free test translation (maximum 300 words)? Contact Johan Noël: johannoel@elanlanguages.com - +32 (0)11 49 04 68. He will be pleased to help you. Or request your no-obligation quote here!