Marketing Translation

We ensure that your advertising and marketing copy has the desired emotional impact across cultures by providing creative marketing translation services.
What is the reason for the necessity of professional translation of your marketing copy?
While information is an essential component of marketing, it is insufficient to ensure that your copy is comprehensible in a foreign language. Standing out in the appropriate manner is imperative due to the overwhelming number of options available to consumers. The manner in which information is conveyed and the language employed are the critical factors in accomplishing this.
We provide marketing translation services that entail the translation of some or all of your marketing content to ensure that it is appealing to your target audience, regardless of whether it is available on your website, social media platforms, emails, or hard-copy materials.
LSA.GLOBAL is a pro at assisting you in the development of a comprehensive understanding of the most effective methods for targeting an international audience.
The distinction between translation, transcreation, and localization
While information is undoubtedly a significant component of marketing, it is insufficient to ensure that your copy is comprehensible in a foreign language. Standing out in the appropriate manner is imperative in the current market, as consumers have an abundance of options. The manner in which information is conveyed is the critical factor in accomplishing this. The desired response can be achieved through the skillful and emotive use of words. Consequently, we prioritize creative marketing translation and derive pleasure from fostering a genuine understanding of each brand with which we collaborate.
What is the definition of conventional translation?
For content such as product descriptions, training documents, and instructions, standard translation is typically acceptable. This form of content necessitates straightforward clarity.
Standard translation can also be a cost-effective approach, as the translator/writer is not required to be creative in their translation of the text. Standard translation may be an appropriate choice for you if you are not concerned with cultural distinctions in the specific content you are translating and do not need to pay careful attention to the brand language.
When it comes to attracting a new audience, this translation method can result in a variety of issues. By employing standard translation, you forfeit the capacity to evaluate the context, cultural distinctions, and potential language errors, all of which have the potential to alienate your audience. For instance, in 2009, HSBC implemented a marketing campaign that necessitated the complete rebranding of its global private banking operations. The company spent $10 million to modify its tagline to “The world’s private bank,” which has a much more appealing ring. This was done in order to scrap its “Assume Nothing” campaign, which was translated as “Do Nothing” in numerous countries.
What is the definition of localization?
Localization differs from standard translation in that it necessitates consideration of consumer preferences and cultural subtleties when translating text. Translators must comprehend the cultural traditions, superstitions, and idiosyncrasies of their respective countries in order to effectively localize the content they are translating. For additional details, please refer to our blog post regarding the distinction between translation and localization.
Localization is an art form; therefore, if you are able to execute it correctly, you will establish trust with your target audience and be well established in international markets. This could encompass a variety of content, such as a post on your social media accounts or video content that you utilize on your website. It is crucial to consider your multicultural audience from the outset, particularly in the context of marketing. This could potentially save you a significant amount of time, money, and internal conflict in the long term. Indeed, it has the potential to maintain your brand’s global prominence.
Exactly what is transcreation?
Transcreation is the process of converting a message from one language to another while preserving its context, tone, manner, and intent. It is essential to maintain your message in a new environment in order to convey your brand and company ethos to a local audience. It is of paramount importance in the context of marketing translation, as you can assume.
The process of transcreation will be necessary for highly branded materials, including product names, slogans, and advertising copy, in particular, for global marketing. This is an essential factor to take into account when producing content for global campaigns, as standard translation is insufficient. It is imperative to transcreate and localize your brand and message in order to guarantee that they are culturally appropriate for your audience, rather than merely translating them.
The marketing translation services that LSA.GLOBAL offers are significantly influenced by the expertise of our transcreation team. The transcreation process will always necessitate a comprehensive comprehension of the respective languages and cultures, regardless of the international market being targeted. In addition to being highly qualified and creative linguists, our transcreation specialists consistently operate in their native language. In this manner, we ensure that the professionals responsible for your marketing content are fully engaged with the audience and possess a comprehensive understanding of the potential impact of specific words, tones, and imagery.
Additionally, our transcreation specialists possess exceptional abilities in the development of captivating copy from the ground up. Therefore, if you believe that your creative content would be enhanced by a comprehensive reorganization, we are pleased to assist you in this regard.
Collaborating with global corporations
By selecting to collaborate with LSA.GLOBAL, you will become a member of an extensive roster that includes some of the most recognizable brands in the world. Our team is responsible for the transcreation of Microsoft’s advertising campaigns for Chinese and Arabic-speaking audiences, while Google, the internet behemoth, entrusts us with the transcreation of its AdWords marketing materials for a variety of European markets. Canon, GlaxoSmithKline, Hilton Worldwide, and numerous other international brands are also included in our client portfolio.
What type of marketing translation do you require?
Video
English continues to dominate the list, despite the fact that the diversity of languages used online has increased in recent years. Many individuals believe that English is spoken by the majority, at least to a certain extent, and that English-speaking countries are of the utmost importance to their business. In reality, 60% of all video views on YouTube are generated by users who have chosen a language other than English as the site’s display language (source: gigaom.com). Therefore, despite the fact that you have invested a significant amount of time and effort in creating exceptional video content for your audience, a significant number of viewers may not comprehend the content if you exclusively use English.

It is evident that video plays a significant role, as 72% of consumers prefer video over text when learning about a product or service, as per Smart Insights. Maintaining a competitive edge is imperative for a shrewd marketer.
The sole method of distinguishing oneself from the vast ocean of video content is to produce films that establish a genuine connection with their audience. It is crucial to collaborate with an expert to guarantee that your video is translated to the utmost quality, as video content that is delivered to new audiences with subpar audio production and translation will vanish without a trace.
Therefore, how should you approach the process of translating your video content to engage a local audience? You have the option of utilizing AI*, subtitles, or a translated voiceover. This voiceover can take the form of an off-screen voiceover, lip-syncing, dubbing, or a UN-style voice-over, as illustrated in the video below: *For additional information regarding AI, please refer to our news article regarding the translation of video content for the Malaria Must Die campaign, which features David Beckham, or view the video that demonstrates the behind-the-scenes process of integrating AI.
It is important to note that when we discuss subtitles, we are not referring to Google’s automated captions; rather, we are referring to a professional translation service. Google’s automated captions are consistently inaccurate, which can result in humiliating errors. Google’s automatic captions also perform inadequately in organic search, as they are not indexed independently.
After determining the most suitable form of video translation for your target audience and yourself, it is important to consider the following before commencing the process:

1. Begin by considering the concept of globalization. For instance, refrain from employing English idioms or gestures that will be misunderstood when translated into a different language. This will simplify the entire procedure for all parties.
2. Allow for the expansion of other languages that require more space than English by incorporating interruptions into your video.
3. Refrain from using on-screen titles, as they can be expensive to translate.
4. By filming the majority of the action in the upper half of the screen, subtitle space can be preserved.
5. It is advisable to integrate globalization strategies into your videos from the outset. However, it is crucial to also localize existing video marketing strategies, as failure to do so may result in the loss of valuable local audiences.
   Website
   In order to engage an international audience, it is imperative to translate your website. It will enable you to engage consumers in your target market and target specific audiences.
   Machine translation is one of the numerous methods available for translating web content. Nevertheless, the utilization of a human translator will consistently surpass other methods. The translated content will be utterly inaccurate, as machine translation plugins are unable to comprehend the context of the content on your website. This implies that it is impossible to employ humor or manipulate language; the machine is incapable of comprehending such concepts.
   Human translators are capable of translating idioms or employing colloquialisms when necessary, in addition to comprehending content. A professional is capable of identifying errors in the source text, a feat that a machine is incapable of accomplishing. Not to mention, a professional translation agency will be able to integrate pertinent SEO terms into your website copy; we will delve deeper into this matter at a later time.
   Translation can also influence the design of your website. For instance, certain languages consume significantly more space than English. French is an example of this, as the text in French occupies 15% to 20% more space than the text in English. This can result in layout issues when there is a limited amount of space, such as within a button. The subsequent translation demonstrates that the translated text employs a significantly greater number of characters than the original:

Japanese words may occupy a larger horizontal space, and certain languages can even require more vertical space on a website. It is important to take into account all of these factors when considering how space will be utilized in multilingual websites. Sometimes, the layout of your website may need to undergo significant changes. This is not only due to cultural differences, but also because text in different languages can occupy varying amounts of space.
Take a look at our comprehensive guide to website translation for a deeper understanding of how to effectively translate your website.
Utilizing social media platforms
Seizing every opportunity to engage with your audience and promote your website content is crucial, particularly when aiming to grow your business internationally. Social media offers a convenient platform for brands to connect with large audiences worldwide, eliminating the need for costly television ads or local press. It can also enhance your brand recognition internationally and subtly guide the global audience towards becoming your customer.
Research conducted by Hootsuite reveals that a staggering 3.48 billion individuals are currently active on social media platforms. It’s worth noting that a staggering 45% of the global population is actively engaged on social networks.
Social media platforms
It’s important to keep in mind that social media preferences vary across different countries. What’s trending in one place may not be the same in another. Take Facebook, for example, a platform that is popular in numerous countries, except for China where it is prohibited. When considering reaching an audience in China, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate the most suitable platform to utilize. Hint: it’s not Facebook…
It is important to consider that what may be coherent in one language could become nonsensical in another if it is not translated accurately. Using Google Translate for occasional words is acceptable, but relying on it for all of your social media communications will likely lead to mockery. That’s why utilizing a translation agency is absolutely essential. For a prosperous international social media marketing campaign, having access to expert advice and guidance is priceless. To prevent any potential embarrassment, brands should ensure that their messages are accurately translated and that their social content is tailored to the specific audience of each country. This enables a brand to expand its e-commerce business on a global scale, by cultivating a loyal following of brand enthusiasts in various countries.
An excellent illustration of executing this successfully is demonstrated by Magnum. The delicious brand showcased a collection of tweets that showcased different celebrities crafting their own Magnum ice cream at the Cannes film festival in 2016. In order to cater to their diverse audiences, they featured various celebrities on separate Twitter accounts.
The UK Magnum account showcased the presence of model Kendall Jenner, who has gained immense popularity in the UK. The Magnum Thailand account showcased Thai celebrity Davika Hoorne (Mai), who has a massive following on social media in Thailand. This localisation effort proved to be highly successful, generating a significant increase in brand engagement across both countries on the same platform.
Which social networks should you focus on?
In addition to the well-known social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (which we discuss in our blogs: the significance of Instagram and mastering marketing on this platform), and LinkedIn, there are numerous other social networks across the globe that continue to attract a large number of users:
For instance, XING in Germany is a professional site that functions similarly to LinkedIn. The majority of its page views originate from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Viadeo is a professional networking site that boasts a global membership of over 65 million users. With a significant presence in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa, Viadeo is a platform that connects professionals from all corners of the world.

• In China, Weibo and Renren have a massive user base of over 500 million. It’s worth considering these platforms, as long as you can navigate around the government’s restrictions.
  •In Russia, Vkontakte is a highly popular social media platform that bears some similarities to Facebook.
  In the end, searching for a ‘social media network’ in any country may lead you to a local site that could be a valuable asset for your marketing strategy. However, for a comprehensive understanding of your target audience’s social media platforms, it would be beneficial to consult with a professional translation agency.
  If you’re considering expanding your business internationally and utilizing social media to connect with a broader global audience, there are no obstacles in your way. Develop your strategic plan, refine your messaging and content with the assistance of a translation agency, and establish profiles on appropriate social media platforms to engage with a global audience.
  To learn more about social media translation, visit our blog and check out our article on international social media marketing. We discuss 5 key things to know about this growing trend in global marketing.
  Search engine optimization (SEO)

If you want to expand your brand globally, multilingual SEO is absolutely essential. Appealing to customers who speak another language is crucial for any company aiming to achieve multinational success.
It’s important to consider that in certain regions, there are speakers of various languages, even if those languages are not native to that particular area. London is known for its diverse population, with residents speaking over 300 different languages. When you focus on SEO to reach an English-speaking audience, you may unintentionally limit your chances of reaching potential clients or customers who speak a different language. If your website isn’t search-optimized for foreign audiences, you’ll miss out on reaching the other 95% of the world’s population who don’t speak English as their primary language. Check out our blog to learn more about the common misconceptions surrounding SEO.
When it comes to keyword research, understanding the top and most fitting search terms is just the beginning. What truly counts is how these terms are seamlessly integrated into the copy, meta titles and descriptions, image alt text, and headings on your website. All of them need to be optimized correctly to maximize the effectiveness of your SEO efforts.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that individuals search in an intuitive manner, rather than like a robot. When incorporating keywords and phrases, it’s important to seamlessly integrate them into the text to maximize their visibility for online searchers. Understanding the local dialect is crucial because it allows you to use the appropriate local terms and phrases to effectively reach your desired audience. In order to ensure that your website is fully optimized for the most relevant keywords and phrases, it is crucial to have a knowledgeable expert with a deep understanding of the local market. At LSA.GLOBAL, our team of multilingual SEO experts is highly experienced in various industries. We believe that there is no better way to create a comprehensive list of search terms than by utilizing the expertise of native language speakers. We encourage you to reach out to a professional agency without delay.