Often when companies create content they are so focused on the current need, they fail to think about future use. Right now, the document may just be used domestically – but what if you decide to offer the product or service to other markets?

If you do and require translation, you will run into the age-old dilemma of text expansion or contraction. When you’re translating from one language to another, the word count or text of the original will usually become larger or smaller in the target or translated version. Sometimes the word count will be smaller, but the text will expand for example in English you may have 2 words wire gauge but in German it is one-word Leitungsquerschnitt.

Whether the text will expand, or contract depends on the source and target languages, as well as the type of content (for example legal, technical or literary). A completed translation from English into German may have an increased word count between 10 and 35 percent while the same document into Japanese could end up with between 10 and 55 percent fewer words.

Why is this important?

There are several considerations to take into account. First, there’s the cost. Most translation companies evaluate the original document and charge per source word. What if you’re working with an agency who charges by the amount of target words? Then it’s important to know whether you’ll be paying for the expanded text or the contracted version.

Desktop Publishing Considerations – Also known as the Layout and Design

Second, text expansion or contraction can cause problems with the layout and design of your document. Say you have an English brochure. The design, colors and font sizes are perfect. It is easy to read and the content is engaging.

Now you decide to have that same brochure printed for your German and Japanese customers. The same formatting for your English brochure most likely is not going to work for these languages without modifications.

The German brochure may not have enough room for the text, meaning you may have to reduce the font size. The result could be a brochure crammed with small text that’s difficult to read. The Japanese brochure could end up with less text and too much white space. The brochure may look incomplete.

When you design your document keep the target languages in mind. Also consider if the images and colors you are using will work for other markets. Working with an experienced provider that provides multilingual desktop publishing can assist if translation and localization considerations were not a part of the planning process to assist with making the layout look the same as the original.

Localization

Your German and Japanese customers will appreciate a document that looks appropriate with localized images and relevant, readable text. Your customers will feel valued and will be more likely to be loyal customers. Consider your global audience when designing your layout’s design, colors and images.

Web design

First of all, ensure your site will support other fonts and languages. For example, if your site is built on WordPress, you will probably require a plugin prior to translation. Your translation provider can assist with evaluating the best solutions. (See the option we provide at the WPML website).
Once you ensure your site will support the target language, use the same design principles on your website. Imagine having to zoom in and out to read information on a web page. If a small font was used to squeeze in text, would you have the patience to stay on the page? Or would you click away and find another brand?

Planning prior to translation will save time, money and frustration both for you and your customers. Partnering with a translation agency who understands multilingual desktop publishing will alleviate many of the problems that arise with contraction, expansion and different fonts. Selecting a partner who can assist with any language you may need in the future instead of just the immediate needs will keep you prepared and ready to take on the world!

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Terralingua is an ISO 9001 and 17100 certified translation agency with extensive expertise in multilingual desktop publishing and localization. We offer over 40 different languages in a variety of industries. Please visit our website for more information as well as to obtain a no obligation proposal.

Knowledge is power. The more you know about the tools used to create your company’s translations means you know how to control your costs and content consistency.

Have you heard of Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools? Probably not. You may have heard of what is created from the CAT tools – your translation memory or TM. CAT tools are used by professional translators and can be quite expensive. (It’s important to note it is not machine translation or MT.) Humans drive the decisions powered by this software, but the features of the tool help the process to be more efficient and therefore save you money.

This software records text that has been used in previous translations. The TM is a package containing all of your previously translated content aligned with the source content. When you send a new document for translation, the text is extracted and compared against the translation memory for this matching text. The translator can re-purpose past translations thus eliminating the need to repeat a segment of translation that may be inconsistent with past work. Translations are more efficient, consistent and cost effective using this tool.

It is important to note – your company does not need to purchase this software in order to have control of your translated investment. If you have ownership of this package, you can provide it to any professional translator. This enables you to accurately obtain the most competitive price utilizing already purchased translated content, as well as move the memory to another provider if needed while maintaining consistency with past work. The most important question to ask any translation provider is if you can request and receive an updated copy of your translation memory at any time at no additional cost.

How does it work?

Most CAT tool use begins with the initial proposal or quote. A price for completing the translation work is determined by comparing the source document to text in the memory or repetitive text within the file itself. The tool is able to analyse:

• New Words – Text that hasn’t been translated before
• Repetitions – These are segments that are not in the translation memory, but are repeated in the source document
• 100% Matches – These are the segments of text which have been translated previously and are stored in the translation memory
• Fuzzy Matches – Segments which are not exactly the same as the text in the memory but are very close. Perhaps a change in punctuation or an extra word may be required. The segment matches are rated from 0% to 99%

Cost Savings

Text already in the memory doesn’t require a whole new translation. This equates to savings, as match types are charged at different rates. The industry standard is to price translations per word. New segments are charged at a higher rate than repetitions found in the memory or within the file. For example instead of paying .17 per word, you would pay .10 per word for a partial match and .05 per word for a perfect match in the memory. “Fuzzy” matches (75-99% matching text) are usually charged at 60% of a normal per word rate. Perfect matches or repetitions are charged usually at 30% of the normal per word rate. Clients have found even with one project thousands of dollars can be saved with this tool.

This adds up to significant savings over time which can make it hard for a client to leave a provider due to cost though the service may be horrible. Your company may wish to use a different provider but cannot because the current translator has the lowest cost every time you bid with others. This is because they have a significant advantage using your translation memory. They are utilizing the memory to their advantage instead of yours in this case. To enable you use what you have paid for to your advantage, ensure that you have a copy of your current and updated translation memory in .tmx. You can then distribute it to other translation providers during the quoting process if you would like an accurate cost comparison. Your company does not need to open the file, just provide it to those who can. Of course if you are leaving a company due to quality issues, you will not want to provide a bad translation memory to another provider. It is usually best to start new or pay someone to edit the existing one.

Consistency

A CAT tool’s translation memory creates consistency throughout your documentation. Whoever works on your documentation can use the TM, which contains previously translated content. This means sales brochures, web sites, instruction manuals and other marketing materials will use the same terminology. This ensures your brand voice is consistent through the same vocabulary and tone of voice. Glossaries and reference material can be imported into the translation memory as well.

You will want to ensure your translation provider updates the translation memory with any review comments or preferential changes that are made after the initial delivery so future work will also reflect these preferences. It is important to ask upfront if there is a charge to maintain and update the translation memory as most companies do not have the software to make the changes.

Quality

Quality checks are included with most CAT tools. There are basics such as grammar check but there are also warnings given if there are missing tags or formatting errors.

The suspicious areas are summarized in a report which the translator then reviews to determine if they are truly errors and if any modifications are needed. Though these tools are helpful, they do not replace the need for an independent human editor. Ensure your translation quality assurance check includes at least one professional translator and independent editor.

Speed

The fact that the translation memory can quickly identify past matching work speeds up productivity. Updates and corrections to a document can be completed with a quick turnaround. Many clients find that turnaround times are reduced the larger a translation memory grows.

As you can see translation memory improves your company’s consistency, quality and speed. Utilizing this tool is especially vital with updates and documents with similar content. When you have control of this asset, you have more control over your company’s translated investment – past, present and future.

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Terralingua is an ISO 9001 and 17100 certified translation and localization agency. We provide our clients with their translation memories upon request. We do not charge to maintain or update the translation memory with review comments. If your company would like a no obligation quote, please visit our website for more information.

Taking your business from a domestic market to a global one can be overwhelming. How can you best convert challenges to opportunities? Many companies have already discovered the investment to go global has paid off. SCORE, a non-profit business organisation, reports that, according to a survey by American Express, “80% of American small and mid-sized businesses who sell globally say that business is up.” Trade in the international marketplace is expected to continue to increase significantly over the next five years. Below are four important considerations before you decide to enter the global market.

Pick Your Market

Emerging markets are often good places to start trading. A strong, growing consumer market is not very hard to find. People with extra income to spend are often looking for items which previously couldn’t be purchased in their country. If your product satisfies the new demand, then you will be ahead of your competitors by entering the market sooner rather than later.

Other opportunities relate to the improvement of infrastructure. As better roads, rail systems and power plants are built, your company will have the opportunity to provide goods and/or services that the local population and businesses need.

According to website Investing Haven, the emerging markets to watch in 2019 are India, Brazil, Thailand and China.

Do Your Country Research

Study your target country so that you have a clear picture of the infrastructure, digital economy, local laws and consumer behavior.

For example, suppose you decide to trade in Brazil. If you research about the ease of doing business in Brazil, you will see their rankings improved in 2018. Consumer confidence is high, and the economy is growing.

Digital economy is improving. The number of consumers buying online has been rising steadily and the government has announced plans to improve its digital economy in the next few years.

Develop Your Export Strategy

Developing your export strategy will help you to set goals, budgets and expectations with service providers. You will see clearly where you will need to concentrate your efforts and how to manage new objectives. Useful information can be found at export.gov.

Organize Your Website and Social Media Platforms

If you want your international consumers to find your business online, you should localize your website to the target country. If you are planning on doing business in Brazil, then you will need online content in Brazilian Portuguese. It is important to consider not only translating, but also localizing your content. Make sure your website has graphics, images, colors and content that reflect the people and culture of your target market.

This is especially important for social media marketing. Text should not be translated word for word from your English posts. Content should be created by a translator who understands your target language’s culture. This will ensure your appeal to the local audience and gain their trust in your company.

These four considerations will help lay the groundwork for a solid global strategy when entering the international marketplace.

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If you would like a quote to translate your content for a global platform, visit our website for a no-obligation budgetary quote in 24 hours or less. Terralingua is an ISO 9001 and 17100 certified translation provider. We assist both small and large businesses in the international marketplace.

Organizing an event is an opportunity to increase brand awareness and attract new customers. One of the most important factors of any event is measuring its success. These considerations will help you when planning your next trade show or company event.

Setting Goals

When setting goals, ensure they are realistic, achievable and measurable. Consider how you will record and collect goal measurements such as:

• Recording the number of people who attended the event
• Monitoring social media feedback
• Measuring the event’s ROI

Measuring Success – Quantitative versus Qualitative

Quantitative measurements are all about numbers. Before and after the event, track and review numbers, such as the number of opened email invites, the number of inquiries you received by phone, and the amount of social media comments. Whatever can be counted and totaled will be the measure of your quantitative goals. These measurements will help you benchmark your prior and post event goals.

Qualitative measurements are taken by gathering feedback and communicating with customers or event attendees. It can be taken formally, through comment cards and surveys, or informally, through conversations or monitoring social media comments. It’s about identifying whether your guests thought the event produced value, whether it increased brand awareness, and to check for problems that might arise.

Speaking to Your Audience

Ensure your materials and content are targeted toward the event attendees. Don’t assume the same content will work for every event. For example, if your event is being held in another country or is mainly targeted towards guests who don’t have English as their first language, then translation is important. Information available in their native language will make potential clients feel comfortable and engaged with your brand.

ROI

Measuring your ROI will help you to decide whether to repeat the event in the future. In simple terms, ROI can be measured by dividing the amount of money spent on the event by the revenue generated or anticipated. Over the weeks following the event, track your sales. Are purchasing customers existing or new? Has brand awareness increased? Are there new markets to explore based on the event feedback?

Success is not an accident. These considerations will help you plan and measure a profitable event.

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Terralingua is an ISO 9001 and 17100 certified translation company. If you would like to learn more about how our translation and localization services can assist you with your event, please visit our website for further details.

If you want to expand your global business footprint, you might want to explore an emerging market. This means you can take advantage of a growing middle-class population with more available money to spend. You can quickly become a market leader with products that customers need.

However, in order to this, you will need to attract customers and keep them engaged. You will need to use marketing strategies which include the basics of a website and localized content. Do not make the mistake of thinking all you need to do is translate the material you already use for your domestic audience.

When doing business with another country, it is vital to know about its language, traditions and culture. Yes, you need to translate into the target language, but you also need to make consumers feel comfortable and valued.

How do you do this? By localization. In other words, you should make your website, manuals, user content, social media platforms and any other marketing materials relevant to your target community.

Social Media Locally

Social media has become an established marketing staple. But what if you are doing business in another country? Do they use Facebook and Twitter? Research is required to ensure you understand where to find your customers. For example, you will find the equivalent of Facebook in China is called WeChat. It has around 1.08 million active users a month. The Chinese market also uses Sina Weibo for Twitter and Toudou Youku instead of YouTube.

This means if you want to get your message out to social media users in other global markets, you should be using the most popular local platforms to give your company a wider reach.

Translation and Localization

Localization means using a native speaking translator who lives in the country and understands the nuances of the language and current culture. Literal translations are avoided when you choose a translator who understands and localizes the content. However, you still need to review your content to ensure all of it is relevant to the target audience and to modify it accordingly before the translation step. Colloquialisms or idioms will not translate well. Taglines often need their own approval process and creation because of this issue. You should also consider supporting phone numbers or addresses for that market.

Colors and images should also be evaluated to ensure they will not signify something different or offensive in the target culture. For example, in China if you put a black border around someone in a photograph it means that they have died. It is worth doing some cultural research before you design your global marketing materials.

Global Websites

It is a proven fact that consumers are more likely to buy a product or service from a website in their own language. How does your website appear to consumers abroad? Is it easy for them to navigate to their language? Do you have support contact information listed for targeted countries? Ensure that your website platform is built to support different fonts and characters sets. Your translation partner can assist with advising what tools are needed in order to achieve a global site, including plugins or navigation assistance. Having your site built to support other languages, even if you are not ready at this time to translate content, will prevent many headaches down the road.

Expanding to other markets is less of a risk with a trusted translation partner in place. Proper localization of your brand message and presence will guarantee that you are starting off with your global customers on the right foot.

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Terralingua is an ISO 9001 and 17100 certified translation company. If you would like to learn more about our translation and localization services, please visit our website for further details.

Effective internal communication can be a challenge for large organizations, but it is an important part of running a productive business. If you want high employee production, less down time and excellent customer service, then effective communication is the key.

Look upon your workforce as a powerful marketing tool. They help to communicate your product or service and their enthusiasm for your business can help it to grow and thrive.

Coordination

Each department within your company should be aware of each other’s activities. Coordinated internal communication should provide information and the control to ensure that this is the case. Your workforce should be involved in decision making, as well as encouraged to develop ideas and provide feedback.

Strategy

Begin by sending out an assessment questionnaire to all staff. Provide the opportunity to share their opinions on the communication methods they prefer. This includes how they want to report concerns and what they think the priorities or essential aspects of a strategy agreement are.

Intranet

Make the most of your organization’s private network. Create podcasts, blogs and newsfeeds that inform and engage staff. Encourage comments and use this feedback to collect valuable data about how your communication strategy is working.

Translation

Translation is important when communicating with your customers, but don’t forget about your workforce. Internal translation shouldn’t be forgotten when you want to pass on important information to employees who work for you abroad.

Though they may speak proficient English, do they have the same level of English proficiency for reading and writing? English has many words in some languages that can’t be translated. Slang terms are also popular, and you might use them in internal communications without even thinking about it.

Rather than hoping that your employees overseas understand the nuances of the English language, it is better to translate and localize important documents to ensure your employees understand your internal communication, goals and brand message.

Do all new employees understand your business vision and mission statements? Do they understand all legal and safety information? By having content translated, your company’s goals and expectations are clearly set out for everyone’s understanding. There should be no confusion about the company’s aims and employee expectations.

Feeling Valued

Internal communication is an ongoing process that requires constant evaluation and refinement. If done well, though, it will help to create a loyal workforce. Your employees will feel like they are a part of your company’s brand and will understand how to achieve goals globally.

Effective communication shows your employees how much you value their participation in your organization. Just as it shows your care with customer support, it is also an important aspect of feeling valued as an employee. Be assured that they fully understand the materials you provide. Communication in all languages demonstrates to all offices and employees they are a valued part of your workforce. It conveys respect of the global language and culture differences of the workforce as a whole.

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Terralingua is an ISO 9001 and 17100 certified professional translation company specializing in localization and desktop publishing. Please visit our website to explore how we can be of service with your company’s translation projects.