Have you ever asked yourself this question? If so, I have two news for you, one good and one bad. Which do you want first? Okay, I’ll start with the bad – the best time to translate your website was last year. And if you’re reading this, you probably missed it. But don’t worry – there’s still the good news:
The (second) best time to translate your website is NOW
Surely this statement sounds like a big cliché for any change someone wants to sell or push on you. But not this time. Translating your website has become a mandatory step in each and every market expansion strategy. Your website is the face of your company and for many businesses it’s the main place for sales, marketing and customer support. It makes sense to invest in a well-structured and nicely designed website, and to keep it clean and useful for all your customers.
A good website builds trust in your brand and helps you grow.
The picture changes when you start looking towards the international market. Trust is a very intrinsic human emotion and a great driving force when it comes to trying something new. And the best way to start building trust is to speak the language of your customers.
Translate your website as a priority, not as an exception!
Image: © TransGlobe International
By deciding to translate your website you will make the most important step in your pursuit of new markets. But don’t take our word for it! Apart from seeing it with our own eyes every day, we’ve also gathered some real-life examples and statistics. Because promises are pretty, but numbers don’t lie 😉 So, here they are…
The benefits of translating your website
Okay, so when you translate your website, you obviously allow more people to find your brand and understand more about it. But this is not a benefit – it’s the expected result when you translate something. What are the real benefits, the ones that make a difference for your business? Most of the data below comes from an extensive survey conducted by CSA Research, entitled Can’t Read, Won’t Buy. How Translation Affects the Web Customer Experience and E-Commerce Growth. Here are our top picks:
- English is no longer enough. Yes, it’s usually the first or second language in which to publish your website, but you shouldn’t stop there. While English is the most popular language on the Internet, it represents just 25.2% of the internet users worldwide.
- Online shopping is mostly done in languages other than English. More than half of the users (55%) preferably shop online in their native language, so this is a huge audience you may want to reach :).
- 74% of consumers are more likely to return and buy again, if support is provided in their mother tongue. This means that…
Simply by translating your website FAQ page you will have a better chance of retaining your new customers!
- People with poor or average English skills are up to 8 times less likely to buy at English-only websites. So if English is the only language on your website, you’ll be limiting your customers to fluent English speakers only.
- 72.4% of the surveyed said they would be more likely to buy a product with information in their own language. And this is pretty obvious if you think about it. How likely are you to buy something without any product information?
There is one exception, of course. Global brands can get away with missing localization due to the already established trust with their customers. So if you’re a well-known global brand, you can afford to put off localizing some of your newest markets, at least for a bit :). But then again, being a global brand, you’ve probably already seen the benefits of translating your website. Precisely because the global brands are global, they owe it to their customers to communicate in their language.
Now you know why it’s not just a good idea to translate your website. It’s one of the basic requirements for all companies looking to expand to other markets. If you’ve already got a list of languages you need covered, don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@transglobeinternational.com or use the button bellow to request your free quote!
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