In our current digital era, there are 5.45 billion people, who have access to the internet across the globe, making up 67.1% of the global population. This can be a great opportunity for businesses to reach a broader audience and penetrate the local markets. This is especially true for a country with a large population and linguistic diversity like India. This is where website translation comes in to enable brands to connect with their customers in their native language.
Studies show that about 57% of internet users in India prefer browsing in their native language, which means they consider content in their local language more reliable. This shows that there is a huge opportunity for businesses to reach out to their customers in their native language and connect with them effectively.
Effective translation helps you translate your website content to connect with your target audience on a deeper level. Businesses aiming to reach out to their local audiences must prioritise website translation to meet the varied linguistic needs.
However, website translation can sometimes be daunting, and brands might not see the expected results if not done right. That’s why it’s important to explore the fundamental aspects of translation for websites. In this blog, we’ll explore these crucial aspects of website translation to help you get started, helping you engage with your audience effectively. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, you should also understand why website translation is so important for businesses, especially in India.
The Importance of Website Translation for Indian Businesses
India’s multilingual population presents a huge opportunity for businesses to engage with their audience effectively. Website translation allows you to tap into regional markets to offer user-friendly experiences by getting familiar with all aspects of website translation.
It’s important to note that website translation is more than just converting texts – it also involves adapting web content to meet various linguistic preferences of different regions. This goes beyond standard document translation by focusing on user experience, and interface elements, and ensuring that your website content resonates with the local audience.
By doing this, you ensure that every message is accurately conveyed in the target language. This also builds stronger relationships with your audience and improves user engagement, helping your business stand out in the competitive Indian market.
The key fundamentals of website translation include:
- Linguistic Aspects of Website Translation
- Cultural Aspects of WebsiteTranslation
- Technical Aspects of Website Translation
Let’s dive deeper into each aspect and understand their roles in a successful website translation.
1. Linguistic Aspects of Website Translation
The linguistic aspects of translation are critical to ensure that the target audience understands the message accurately and effectively. It focuses on capturing the essence of your content and its meaning. For example, “digital wallet” may translate differently across Indian languages – “डिजिटल वॉलेट” in Hindi might need to be “ಡಿಜಿಟಲ್ ಪಾಕೆಟ್” in Kannada for better understanding. Technical accuracy must be balanced with natural fluency, especially in regions where English terminology has become part of the local language. This includes:
- Accuracy and Fluency:
If you want to avoid any misunderstandings, a precise translation that maintains the intent, tone, and context of the original message is imperative.
- Local Dialects and Nuances:
There are 22 officially recognised languages in India with numerous dialects within each language. Recognising and incorporating these regional differences can make your content even more relatable for your audience.
- Technical Terminology:
It’s important for you to correctly translate all industry-specific terms. This ensures clarity and maintains professionalism. Misinterpretation of technical terms can cause confusion and diminish trust in your brand.
The challenge lies not just in translation accuracy but in maintaining the content’s effectiveness across languages while preserving its original intent. And, getting familiar with these linguistic aspects of translation is just the first step. What about the cultural nuances of your target audience? Let’s delve into that next.
2. Cultural Aspects of WebsiteTranslation
While linguistic accuracy is vital, it’s important for you to move beyond that to include cultural aspects of translation to create authentic connections. This helps in truly engaging local audiences by adapting the content so that it resonates with the cultural norms, values, and sensibilities of the target audience.
Let me paint a picture for you, an e-commerce website’s “wedding season” campaign needs different approaches for North and South Indian markets. It’s important to consider the various customs and traditions of each region. Cultural translation primarily encompasses:
- Cultural Sensitivity:
It’s vital for businesses to understand and respect local customs and taboos. Even certain symbols or images might have positive connotations in one culture but negative or offensive meanings in another.
- Contextual Relevance:
Adapting content to be meaningful and engaging for the local audience is critical to the success of your business. This can involve referencing local events, festivals, traditions, or popular culture. For instance, marketing a product with religious undertones in India requires careful attention to avoid offending religious sentiments.
A phrase that makes sense in English may not translate well into another language. For example, the idiom “break the ice” might confuse readers if it’s translated literally. So, by paying attention to these cultural nuances, you can easily avoid misunderstandings, leading to stronger connections with your audience. After considering linguistic and cultural elements, it’s time to move on to the technical aspects of website translation to address the technical challenges of website translation.
3. Technical Aspects of Website Translation
When it comes to website translation, you must ensure that technical aspects align with the linguistic and cultural elements. This requires careful consideration of multiple factors, such as the website’s layout, fonts, and scripts to accommodate various Indian languages, many of which have unique writing systems. For example, when translating a website into languages like Bengali or Tamil, font rendering capabilities are required. In addition, for languages like Urdu, proper alignment for right-to-left scripts is also crucial. Key technical considerations include:
- SEO Optimisation:
Translating keywords and meta descriptions can help you improve your search engine rankings in local markets. With multilingual SEO (search engine optimization), you can ensure that your content is ranking on local search engines to reach the right audience when they search in their preferred language.
- Responsive Design:
It’s also important that your translated website is responsive across all devices, from desktops to smartphones. This further ensures a smooth user experience.
With a good understanding of the technical aspects, managing the translation process becomes even more efficient.
Website Translation for Business Growth in India
By considering the linguistic and cultural aspects of translation, you can tap into your local Indian markets that you previously could not because of the language barriers. Efficient website translation can help you improve user experience, build trust, and broaden your reach.
You can make the website translation process seamless and smooth by leveraging an effective translation management platform like Reverie’s Prabandhak and Anuvadak. Reverie’s Translation API can further help in streamlining the translation process and ensure a seamless user experience. To learn more about how Reverie Language Technologies can help your business, book a free demo today!
Faqs
Why is website translation important for my business?
Website translation enables you to cater to local language preferences. This helps you connect with a broader audience, improve user engagement, and enter new regional markets effectively.
What are the key linguistic aspects to consider in translation?
The key linguistic aspects may include:
- Accuracy
- Fluency
- Understanding local dialects
- Contextual relevance
How do cultural aspects impact website translation?
Cultural aspects ensure that the translated content is relevant and respectful of local customs, values, and cultural sensibilities. This enhances relatability and prevents misunderstandings or offence.
How does website translation impact SEO?
Translating and optimising keywords for local languages improves multilingual SEO for better search engine rankings in different regions, increasing visibility and traffic from local audiences.
How can Reverie's tools assist in website translation?
Reverie’s tools Prabandhak and Anuvadak can help you streamline the translation process by ensuring accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and efficient project management.
