How Marketing Translation Can Help Make Your Company Visible Overseas

When working on a multilingual marketing strategy, companies should keep in mind that translating marketing material requires a special kind of attention. While it consists of translating from a source language to a target language, it also requires creative and persuasive writing that has an impact on and that appeals to the new target audience. In this article, we will tell you about the importance of marketing translation. Also, we will share some tips to run a successful campaign.

Why Marketing Translation Is Different

Every translation is a challenge. It is not just a matter of switching words from one language to another and expecting that all readers will understand the same.

The challenge of translation becomes greater and more interesting in the case of multilingual marketing content. Literal translations in this field will unlikely make sense. Why? Because these messages take place in a complex context, which has some peculiar characteristics:

• The main goal is to attract readers with persuasive and descriptive texts to make them keep on reading, buying, and choosing us.
• The market is highly competitive, with companies bidding for—almost literally—one second of readers’ attention.
• Cultural differences make it necessary to adapt and localise marketing content to meet the expectations of our audiences without neglecting the goal. 
• It is a dynamic context, highly influenced by social media, search engines, and public opinion.

Why You Should Localise Your Marketing Content

Consider some possible scenarios for marketing translation:

• Translate in a literal way and obtain good results, while assuming more risks and resulting in less predictability.
• Resort to the localisation of texts and obtain even better results with more accurate projections.

Here is an example to illustrate the points: 

A company with a solid track record in the industry is trying to change its market strategy. They want to move from traditional store-based sales to the digital world. For this, they highlight the perks of online buying and cite major global online marketplaces—as key players. Later on, the company decides to go global and, when translating the marketing campaign, they do it literally. It is worth mentioning though, that in some LATAM countries the most popular marketplace is Mercado Libre and many people have never even heard of eBay or Amazon. What will the result be? Probably part of the audience will understand and give their trust to digital media. But these results would be better if the information cited felt “local” and more familiar.

There is a third possible scenario with less optimistic results: To rely on literal translation and get negative results. Either by causing misunderstandings or by rendering messages difficult to read. In this case, not only are potential sales at risk, but also the visibility, relevance, and reputation of the brand.

To recap: A multilingual marketing strategy must adapt to the new audience, and therefore the messages must adapt too. This will provide greater and sustainable growth over time and will position the brand more effectively.

#OptimationalTip: Consider working with creative translators—who are not reluctant to diverge from the source text and be more creative when convenient—and who know the target culture or how to conduct good research.

Tips to Help Your Multilingual Marketing Content Achieve Full Potential

To ensure that translations reflect the personality and tone of the brand, and at the same time provide the desired results, keep the following recommendations in mind:

• Always remember who the buyer persona is. Having a clear idea of their characteristics, behaviour, background, etc. will help in choosing the right words.
• Pay attention to what you show on social media. The texts you post may be short, but their potential range is great.
• Do not overlook Multilingual SEO. Implementing SEO in your marketing translations can have a big impact on the campaign’s results.
• Localise email marketing campaigns to prevent them from being discarded as spam.

Final Thoughts on Marketing Translation

If your brand is on a roll and you are considering going global, this is perhaps the best time to do it. With globalisation and the reach of the internet, all the odds seem to be in your favour.

Remember that, to succeed in your multilingual marketing strategy, marketing translations will be like your business card, therefore, they will play a key role. Make sure your multilingual marketing content meets the cultural expectations of the target audience and shows the real value of your brand.

Need help translating your content? Contact us today.