A Complete Guide to Website Translation

What is Website Translation?

Traducir un sitio web es el proceso de tomar el contenido del sitio en su idioma original y adaptarlo -a menudo palabra por palabra- a otros idiomas para que sea más accesible y usable para los clientes locales.

El contenido traducible del sitio abarca desde texto estático dentro del sitio hasta contenido multimedia, como imágenes, videos y archivos en PDF. También tenemos:

• Metadatos "invisibles" que solo ven los motores de búsqueda y plataformas de redes sociales
• Contenido cargado en forma dinámica desde aplicaciones
• Notificaciones de experiencia del usuario como mensajes de error y correos electrónicos de confirmación

Todos estos pueden -y deben- traducirse para garantizar que todos los clientes disfruten una experiencia inmersiva en su idioma.

Hay distintos niveles de traducción, como traducción convencional, localización, transliteración y transcreación. Cada método es único y propicio para distintas necesidades de traducción. Learn more details about the different types of translation.

Is Website Localization The Same as Website Translation?

Although website translation and localization are commonly confused, both are related methods of creating multilingual websites. Website localization goes beyond the linguistic word-for-word conversion of conventional translation to create an online experience that resonates within specific markets. La localización de un sitio web abarca cinco elementos clave:

1. Idioma y regionalismos: se eligen las palabras justas para transmitir la voz de la marca de manera precisa y auténtica a los clientes locales. Esto incluye frases que quizás solamente se usen en países o regiones específicas.
2. Elementos culturales: se deben usar los formatos de fecha y hora, unidades de medida, feriados y valores locales para que los usuarios se sientan como en casa.
3. Elementos transaccionales: para que el sitio sea preciso y genere confianza, elementos como moneda, opciones de pago, direcciones y conjuntos de caracteres deben ser relevantes para los clientes locales.
4. Elementos de comunicación y confianza: el sitio debe incluir números de teléfono locales, direcciones locales, asistencia al cliente en su idioma, avisos legales y anuncios de seguridad para que pueda ganarse la confianza de los clientes locales. También es útil para que los equipos de marketing y ventas dentro del mercado puedan acceder a la información que necesitan para atender a sus clientes.
5. Navegación y descubrimiento: es fundamental que los usuarios puedan elegir el idioma que prefieren y puedan comenzar a interactuar de inmediato con su sitio de una forma auténtica.

El uso de localizaciones genera un mayor interés y atrae a los clientes. Learn more about website localization, including how to execute it in persuasive ways.

How to Translate Your Website

Traducir y localizar su sitio web es fundamentalmente una cuestión de tecnología porque hay que implementar procesos automatizados y software para gestionar varios procesos y flujos de trabajo. En general, hay tres tipos de tecnologías que se pueden usar para gestionar estos flujos de trabajo:

• A proxy-based localization solution
• Conectores CMS
• Interfaces de programación de aplicaciones (API)

Siga leyendo para conocer más sobre estos métodos. Para más información, también lea nuestro libro electrónico Tecnologías de traducción.

Using a Translation Proxy for Website Translation

With the proxy localization approach to website translation, technologies are used to leverage the content and structured code of your flagship website. Así se puede traducir, implementar y operar versiones en varios idiomas de manera fácil. Este método puede ser totalmente preconfigurado, es decir que prácticamente no se necesita ningún esfuerzo por parte del cliente para lanzar o mantener sitios localizados ni gestionar flujos de trabajo.

A proxy-based system is layered on top of your website to dynamically translate content in real time so that end users worldwide can view your website in their local language. Essentially, it's like a mirror is being held up to your site, and the reflections are fully translated versions. Proxies are intermediary servers that retrieve content from your server (also known as a client server), translate it in real-time either through machine translation or by taking from a set of previously approved translations, and then display the translated content to end users on your website.

Como los sitios localizados se arman a partir del contenido y código de su sitio principal, la funcionalidad y experiencia de usuario es consistente en todos los sitios. Esta continuidad también garantiza que el contenido nuevo se detecte, traduzca y publique rápida y automáticamente.

Advantages:

• La traducción con proxy simplifica el proceso de traducción y elimina la complejidad y esfuerzo que tradicionalmente implica traducir un sitio web.
• Translation proxies are easy to implement, making them a less expensive way to test a new international market strategy before deciding on a more complex translation method.

Using CMS Connectors for Website Translation

For companies that prefer to store and control translated content internally (rather than with a translation vendor), it’s possible to translate a website with a CMS connector. El conector permite que el contenido se envíe a un proveedor de servicios de traducción y después se vuelva a cargar al CMS para publicarlo.

A CMS (content management system) is an application used to publish and manage content on your website intuitively. Examples of platforms include WordPress (WPML), Drupal, and Adobe Experience Manager. Using a CMS simplifies maintaining site content for the site administrator or content manager, especially for large websites with multiple sub-pages. In addition, CMS plug-ins allow for efficient and straightforward management of a website's various language versions directly from the content management system.

For example, a CMS eliminates the need to alter the underlying HTML code of a website when changing content; instead, new content and images can easily be entered and edited through a protected area called the "back end." Customers would send content ready for translation to the language service provider (LSP) in the given source language through the back end. The finished translations are sent back to the CMS, where the website administrator or content manager checks them before publication.

Advantages:

• CMS gives greater flexibility with translation, including tone of voice, layouts, color changes, style, and glossaries that should be used during the translation process. In addition, the client is able to revise the content as needed on their server both before and after a website goes live.
• A CMS solution ensures that businesses can keep their websites current with the most updated technology, including new video and file formats, functionality, and apps.

Disadvantages:

• CMS connectors can struggle to communicate properly with the CMS interface, which can lead to usability issues. Connectors are standardized and pre-configured, meaning they may not work exactly as advertised given your specific CMS.
• Modifications are required to bridge connectors with content platforms. These modifications are time- and effort-intensive. Even with a well-set system, connectors are fragile and often break after CMS software or security upgrades. This can cause delays to translation workflows.

Using an API for Website Translation

A translation application programming interface (API) is typically provided by a translation provider and has a broader scope than a CMS connector. It allows companies to create workflows for any type of content requiring translation, not just content stored in a CMS.

A translation API is a way to pass content between two computer systems (content that needs to be translated and the content that has been translated). It's a software interface that developers can use to add machine translation capabilities to their products or programmatically translate texts and content that their product displays in localized versions.

APIs can be valuable tools to facilitate continuous localization needed for multilingual site updates. Tasks such as monitoring source materials for updates, creating projects, assigning translators, and downloading and uploading files are administrative time sinks that can use up a lot of the project manager's attention, but this is where an API functionality shines. It's a precursor to accessing features that will automate tasks.

Advantages:

• Translation APIs are often easier to tailor than a CMS connector, and are compatible with a range of formats, including HTML, XML and even JSON.
• Proxy-API hybrid solutions can combine the flexibility of the API with the ease of the turn-key solution for an ideal omnichannel translation approach.

Disadvantages: 

• Translation API implementation can take some time and requires careful planning and preparation. The structure and storage of the content must be well-organized, or the API won't function consistently.
• A developer is required to programmatically configure and support translation requests that will be serviced via the Translation API, which can add cost to a project.

Human vs. Machine Website Translation

In addition to the translation technology methods outlined above, you’ll also need to consider whether to pursue human or machine translation when translating your website.

Human translation involves the translation of content by professional linguists fluent in their international customers' industries, brands, languages, and cultures. Studies show that human translation generates superior engagement, conversions, and credibility among multilingual customers because human translation ensures superior translation accuracy and quality assurance due to human editorial oversight and multi-step review processes. In addition, website content can be easily customized for regionally preferred dialects and phrases.

Machine translation uses computer software to translate text from one language to another. Content is fed to machine translation software, which automatically translates content into the target language without human involvement. Machine translation allows businesses to use "machines" such as Google Translate to translate content at scale. Machine translation is often an integrated feature within localization platforms and is used by companies looking to lower their translation costs. It's effective for content that does not require translation precision and extensive copywriting.

Neural machine translation (NMT) uses deep learning techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the source sentence and find patterns to create a suitable translation in the destination language. This technology is based on deep neural networks, an interconnected series of "nodes" modeled after the human brain. Before translating, NMT software will be given training data such as different examples of translations for a certain text. The software is then "trained" to produce the most accurate translation.

Translation proxy systems, CMS, or API translation systems all utilize machine translation to translate website content. However, a hybrid approach to translation is generally recommended. For example, Google Translate can easily translate content and then it can be reviewed again by editorial and quality assurance teams for accuracy and relevance. This can come in handy for content like product descriptions or other straightforward content that doesn't need a lot of emotional nuances or cultural localization context.

2 Examples of Successful Website Translation

Aventa Credit Union

 

Aventa Credit Union is located in the Colorado Springs area and is expanded into more southern Colorado counties, resulting in member growth from Spanish-speaking communities. Aventa wanted to ensure all their members had access to financial resources in their preferred language, so they decided to translate their website into Spanish. In 2020, Aventa focused on hiring bilingual Spanish-speaking associates and leveraged their workers' fluency in Spanish to translate English content for their website. But, this took away from other work employees were hired to perform. Employees who knew Spanish also didn't know the same Spanish, resulting in inconsistent translations.

Aventa hired MotionPoint in 2021 during a rebranding effort to translate and localize website content for the various Spanish dialects their clients speak. Using translation connectors, a reverse-proxy system, and web plugins, Aventa's content translation and localization is now effortless. New content is quickly localized into Spanish and published on Aventa's digital channels in less than a day with little to no work required from them.

VITAS Healthcare

VITAS Healthcare is the nation's leading provider of end-of-life care. They recognized the complexities and cultural sensitivities around end-of-life care and dying topics. They determined that offering content in local languages, including through multilingual websites, would greatly benefit customer service and support. VITAS set out to translate their website to Chinese and Spanish and searched for a website translation solution company to deploy and operate multilingual websites. They also wanted to ensure high-quality and accurate translations, including reflecting the language's original tone and cultural nuances, so they looked for a service that provided human translation support.

VITAS worked with MotionPoint's proxy-based technology to support their careful, culturally-appropriate language needs. Now, MotionPoint can automatically identify changes to VITAS' English-language site, which alerts MotionPoint's human translators to translate content and makes it available on the localized sites - typically within one business day.

Website Translation vs. Traditional Translation

La traducción de sitios web implica matices que pueden ser difíciles de manejar para las agencias de traducción tradicionales. Estos incluyen:

• Contenido dinámico codificado en HTML, JavaScript o JSON
• Ecosistemas complejos de plataformas y contribuyentes
• El ritmo vertiginoso de las actividades en línea
• La exigencia de los usuarios de contenido nuevo que se pueda compartir y capacidad de interactuar

Las soluciones de traducción tradicionales no pueden diferenciar el código del contenido, no pueden coordinar varios flujos de trabajo con distintas plataformas y contribuyentes, no pueden seguir el ritmo a las actualizaciones constantes y les cuesta preservar el aspecto y funcionalidad de su sitio web.

Thankfully, digital-first solutions can easily handle code, multiple platforms, fast deadlines and more.

Challenges of Website Translation

Más allá de la tecnología de traducción, estos son algunos otros retos notables a tener en cuenta para traducir un sitio web. Siga los enlaces para ver los detalles y las mejores prácticas.

• Traducir un sitio web es difícil y una agencia tradicional podría no ser capaz de manejarlo.
• Su sitio web irá cambiando y necesita una solución de traducción que se adapte con usted.
• Para seguir siendo relevante, su solución de traducción tiene que actuar rápido. Su proveedor de traducción también tiene que actuar rápido.
• El contenido y las aplicaciones externas pueden añadir riesgos que hacen que traducir un sitio web sea complicado y costoso. Elija una solución principalmente digital que elimine las cargas y los costos.
• La consistencia de la marca en distintos idiomas es importante. Los mejores proveedores de traducción pueden lograrlo sin complicaciones y de manera rentable.