How to Choose the Right Marketing Translation Service? (+ Bonus Tips)

Remember the iconic Pepsi campaign with Steve Carell asking, "Is Pepsi OK?" 

It brilliantly turned a familiar restaurant scene into a global conversation. This is the advantage of including cultural nuances in your marketing campaigns. 

But how do you ensure your brand message resonates just as powerfully across languages and borders? 

That's where the right marketing translation service can be the key. Instead of just swapping words around, effective marketing translation carries your brand story across cultures – ensuring it lands with the same power and feeling as your original message. 

Here’s everything you need to know to choose the perfect partner for your global marketing campaigns.

What Are Marketing Translation Services?

Marketing translation is the process of adapting your marketing materials for a specific target audience and language. This involves translating various types of content on different distribution channels including:

• Blogs
• Social media posts
• Website content
• App content
• Landing pages
• Product descriptions
• Infographics
• Video descriptions
• Emails
• eBooks

Unlike technical documents, which are comparatively straightforward, marketing messaging demands more culturally nuanced adjustments. More importantly, it must be able to attract different audiences and influence their purchase intent.

To ensure this, marketing translation services assist you beyond simple word-for-word translation. They don’t simply translate but create persuasive content that appeals to local audiences.

Key Services Offered by Marketing Translation Providers

Here’s a breakdown of the key marketing translation services:

• Translation of Marketing Materials: Marketing translation services ensure your entire marketing toolkit is accessible and persuasive in the target language. This includes translating websites, brochures, product descriptions, social media posts, press releases, and even video scripts.  

• Transcreation: This is a creative process to recreate your content in different languages while retaining its style and intent. Marketing translation services often bring the expertise of translators and writers together to transcreate your messages.

• Localization: The goal is to make your marketing materials feel like they were created specifically for that audience. For this, many translation services provide end-to-end localization solutions. It goes beyond language translation – involving product translation (e.g. text, graphics, slogans, etc.) and cultural adaptation to address market differences.

• Multilingual SEO and Content Marketing: Reaching new audiences requires speaking their most searched language. Marketing translation services optimize your content with translated keywords and culturally relevant content strategies to boost your global SEO.

• QA & Testing: High-quality translation services test and review the translated content by experienced linguists and native speakers. This step guarantees your message is clear, culturally appropriate, and achieves the desired impact.

Why Does Marketing Translation Matter?

Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman says that 95% of our purchasing decisions take place in the subconscious mind. This is also where our unconscious emotions, urges, and thoughts are stored, often influencing our decision-making.

So if you want the consumer to remember your product or make a purchase, they must be emotionally engaged to an extent with your company.

As the old saying goes – “ Sell the sizzle, not the steak.”

And this is what a relatable, compelling marketing message can do for your brand. Here’s how.

• Consumer Preference: Research indicates that 76% of consumers prefer browsing and purchasing products from websites in their native language. By creating localized marketing content, you can capture and retain the interest of international customers.

• Customer Trust and Loyalty: Addressing customers in their native language reflects your commitment to meeting their needs and preferences, This, in turn, builds loyalty and long-term customer relationships.

• Competitive Advantage: Businesses that invest in multilingual marketing strategies are more likely to access untapped markets and connect with local audiences. This proactive approach can lead to increased market share and revenue growth.

7 Things to Consider While Choosing a Marketing Translation Provider for Your Business

To choose the right marketing translation service, consider the following:

#1 Check for the Services They Offer

The first step to selecting a service provider is to asses the translation features they offer.

Here are some key points to look for:

• The translation service must be able to handle different marketing content such as website content, social media posts, product descriptions, and more. This capability ensures that all marketing assets across different channels are effectively translated.

• Not just text-based content, the service provider must also have expertise in multimedia localization. This includes accurately translating and adapting videos, voiceovers, or infographics to suit local preferences. 

• Seek providers skilled in transcreation and copywriting to create impactful marketing messages across all target languages.

• Evaluate their ability to manage content across your content management systems (CMS), version control systems (VCS), and other existing tools. 

• The marketing translation service should understand international SEO and optimize translated content for local search engines.

It’s also a good idea to examine their translation and localization tools. While some translation agencies or service providers rely completely on human expertise, others may use external MT engines or CAT tools to assist them. 

Which bring us to the next topic.

#2 Consider the Technologies Used

As we just mentioned, many modern translation services leverage advanced technology and tools to optimize their processes. 

This may include translation tools with features like:

• Translation Memory (TM): The TM stores previously translated content which can be reused in future projects. It can significantly speed up the translation process while maintaining consistency.

• Glossaries and Style Guides: Many tools allow you to integrate your style guides and glossaries. This helps you use industry-specific terminologies correctly and maintain your brand voice. 

They may also use external Machine Translation (MT) engines, which use computer algorithms to translate from one language into another. Remember to assess whether their tools can integrate with your existing workflow without disrupting it.

Advanced translation service providers may also use AI-powered tools to further enhance your marketing efforts. For instance, they may use AI to automate repetitive tasks so human translators can focus on more nuanced and creative aspects of translation.

#3 Look for Industry Expertise

When selecting a translation service provider, prioritize those with experience and expertise in:

• Your Target Industry: Opt for a provider that has proven experience within your specific industry. This way, they are familiar with industry-specific terminology, compliance requirements, and the unique nuances of your market. 

• Creative Marketing: Choose a translation provider that understands marketing terminology and strategies. Their expertise in marketing ensures your promotional materials are appealing to local markets while maintaining your brand voice.

A good idea is to review case studies of the service provider for projects similar to yours. This verification process can help you understand whether or not the translation service can meet your specific needs.

However, to get accurate marketing translations, you should provide your service providers with ‘global-ready’ source content. If your content isn’t high quality (e.g. clear, concise, and culturally neutral), you may not get the desired output.

For instance, in product documentation, technical terms must be used consistently to avoid confusion. Glossaries or terminology lists are invaluable in such cases. If these documents are not already in place, they should be compiled and integrated into all business documentation.

#4 Check for Translation Certifications

Translation certifications are like credentials that highlight the expertise of linguistic professionals.

Here are some of the top certifications to look for in your translation service:

• ISO Certificates: This can include ISO 17100 (for translation services), ISO 18587 (for post-editing MT output), and ISO 9001 (for quality management).

• Professional Affiliations: Look for affiliations with reputable professional bodies such as ATA (American Translators Association), ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting), or other relevant industry associations.

These certifications provide reassurance of the provider's adherence to industry best practices and their ability to deliver reliable solutions.

#5 Asses Communication and Support

Effective communication and reliable support are crucial to getting the best out of a marketing translation service Here’s what to consider:

• Dedicated Account Manager: Look for a provider that offers a dedicated account manager or a single point of contact. This person is your primary liaison who ensures personalized service throughout the project lifecycle.

• Customer Support: Assess the provider's customer support capabilities. Check their availability, responsiveness, and the channels through which you can reach them. Remember, prompt customer support is essential for resolving real-time issues and faster output.

#6 Quality Assurance 

Understanding how they maintain accuracy and consistency in translations is crucial when starting out with a new service provider.

Don’t forget to inquire about their:

• Reviewing and editing processes
• Feedback mechanisms
• Policy on revisions 
• Any additional QA measures or tools used
• Associated costs 

Choose a provider with strong quality assurance processes and transparency on the above considerations. This ensures you save costly errors and achieve better marketing results in the long term.

#7 Consider Pricing and Turnaround Time

Different providers may have varying pricing models such as:

• Charges based on the number of words translated
• An hourly rate for projects that require more creative input, transcreation, or localization
• A flat rate for the entire project

So, it’s a good idea to compare costs relative to the quality and range of services offered to avoid unexpected charges. 

Another important discussion to have with your service provider is their turnaround time. This is crucial for maintaining your marketing schedules. Also, ask about options and associated costs for expedited services if you have tight deadlines. 

Bonus Tips to Choose the Right Marketing Translation Service

As we promised, here are 4 bonus tips to make sure you choose the right marketing translation service:

Check for Client Testimonials

Look into the reviews and testimonials of your translation service provider from other clients. 

Do they have experience working with companies in your industry or targeting similar markets? Are they well-reviewed? What were the results that they brought for their earlier clients? 

Make sure you know the details before signing up for a new translation service.

Assess Scalability Options

As your business grows, your translation needs will likely expand. Choose a provider that can accommodate increasing content volumes and new language requirements. 

Ensure they have the infrastructure and resources to scale their services effectively without compromising output quality.

Customization and Flexibility

Every business has unique needs. Select a translation service that customizes their services to your specific requirements. 

Whether it's adapting to your preferred style and tone, aligning with your existing workflows, or adjusting to changing requirements – flexibility is helpful to collaborate better.

Leverage AI Functionalities

Global market players, including Samsung and Meta, include AI-powered translation models for their devices. The reason is simple: AI enhances translation efficiency. 

Even for your business, choosing a translation service that leverages AI can significantly reduce turnaround times and operational costs while maintaining translation quality.

How to Perfect Your Marketing Translation?

Let’s be honest – marketing translations are a lot of work, especially as you enter new markets. While there's no single right way to perfect your marketing translations, having the right translation service is crucial for global expansion.

By following the above key considerations, you can identify the marketing translation partner that is right for you.

However, traditional translation services often come with several limitations such as:

• Collaboration challenges across projects and teams
• Workflow disruptions
• Slow turnaround times
• Inconsistency in branding
• Higher costs

These drawbacks can significantly impact the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. Alternatively, you can consider using an advanced translation management system (TMS) like Transifex to: improve turnaround times, reduce costs, ensure consistency, and easily collaborate with your team.

This all-in-one marketing translation solution removes the need for separate content systems, translation tools, human translators, and external MT engines.

It is packed with every feature you will need for your marketing materials, including:

• Translation support for all marketing text formats, including website content, in-app texts, graphics, and more

• Over-the-air translations in real-time without any need for files or human interventions.

• Features like TM, glossary integrations, and Transifex Quality Index (TQI) to ensure high-quality translations and consistent brand voice across all languages

• AI capabilities combined with human experts to provide automated, context-based translations that speak your unique voice

• Powerful integrations with API and webhook support so you can use Transifex with your custom applications

• Project management features so you can manage your localization workflows and view project progress in real-time

To see it in action, start your free trial today and experience the difference a dedicated marketing translation partner can make.

Finally, whether you decide to go for Transifex or another marketing translation service is up to you. But we hope this guide will help you create successful global marketing campaigns.