If you’re a business owner, you know the importance of localization. You can’t afford to ignore your international customers and lose out on potential revenue.
But how do you get started? How do you choose a translation agency that’s right for your business? And how do you ensure that your translations are effective and affordable?
To help answer these questions, we’ve put together some tips on how to reduce translation costs:
Don’t try to write your texts in other languages
Most businesses try their hand at writing their texts in other languages because they don’t want to spend money on translations. However, this approach doesn’t always work out well because it requires skills that most people don’t have naturally — even if they speak another language fluently! If you’re not a professional translator, don’t attempt to write your texts in another language. It’s better to hire a translation company that has expert teams of native linguists than do it yourself and end up with an embarrassing result.
When you translate documents yourself or get them translated by a friend or colleague, they will likely take a lot more time than if you used a professional translator. This is because professional teams will understand all nuances and subtleties of your text and know exactly what you’re trying to say. A good translation agency will be able to identify any potential problems before they arise and ensure that your document is ready for submission or publication without any errors or confusion.
Ensure the quality of your source text
The better the quality of your source text, the less time a translator will need to spend on it. For example, you should check text consistency, corporate language, use of terminology, formatting, grammar, and spelling errors before sending off your document for translation. If there are any mistakes in your source text, this could increase costs or even problems with translations if they are not done properly by professionals.
Work with a smart vendor, not a cheap one
It’s tempting to go for low prices when choosing a translation provider; however, this can lead to problems later on in the project if something goes wrong or if there’s any confusion regarding requirements or deadlines. Choose vendors who know how to reduce translation costs effectively and who can deliver high-quality work within your budget constraints while still meeting your expectations.
Ask for a sample translation before you order your translation
This will give you an idea of how well they understand your needs and what their style is like so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not they’re right for you in the long run.
Set proper expectations
Another step towards reducing translation costs is to set realistic expectations with your vendor. Learn about translation costs.This is especially important when it comes to managing the quality of their work and deadlines. You need to explain what quality is acceptable in different circumstances so there aren’t any misunderstandings about what constitutes good quality. The clearer your instructions, the better it will be for both you and your vendor. If possible, give as much information as possible about the project: its scope, deadlines, and so on. The more details you provide, the better it will be for both parties involved in the translation process.
Provide brief glossaries and annotated reference material
You should always provide glossaries or annotated reference material with your document. This way, translators will know what each term means and how it is used in context. It also makes it easier for translators to find the right words when translating. For example, if you use “digital marketing” in one part of your document and then “online marketing” in another part, it may be confusing for translators and increase the cost of translation. A glossary or annotated reference material can help avoid these issues.
Avoid machine translation or Google Translate
Using a machine translation, or Google Translate might seem like an easy way to get something translated quickly and cheaply. In reality, though, machine translation is more time-consuming than it appears—you’ll have to review any translation to make sure it makes sense. And Google Translate and other machine translation tools aren’t designed for texts that have “flavor,” like marketing materials, product descriptions, and website content. Their translations are often awkward and difficult to understand—for example, they might split phrases in ways that make them hard to read or sound unnatural. They also don’t catch idioms or specifics of a culture.
We hope that this article has given you some ideas on how to lower the costs of your translation projects. However, we encourage you to explore other options as well; there are always ways to save money. And whatever your budget or price range, make sure that you get the right translation for your needs—it’s your best chance at a successful project.