Most business owners are aware of the importance and benefits of having English to French translations for your business. However, localization is an extra step that is often overlooked when it comes to business translations.
Localization has many benefits, but in the most basic sense, it provides your business with more appealing material for documents and websites presented to your target audience.
What Is Localization?
First, let’s take a look at what exactly localization means.
Localization means adapting a translation to a specific country or region. While translation converts the words from one language to another, localization involves adding more specific cultural elements.
Language carries cultural weight in specific words or phrases that are used. This is why it’s important to consider how your message translates with these considerations in mind.
These cultural elements will help the reader connect to the material they are presented with.
The Importance of Localized Translations For Your Business
Adding localization will take translated content and adapt it linguistically and culturally to your target audience to make it appear as though it was created locally. With fully localized content, your business can offer an experience that resonates more deeply with your target audience. Here are a few reasons why localization is important for your business:
Helps You Enter The Quebec Market & Reach New Audiences
For Canadian businesses, high-quality translations that effectively use localization will help your business enter the Quebec market or reach the francophone population in your area.
Francophones are proud of their language, heritage and culture, which is why your choice of language and messaging is crucial. The translated content you present to them could make or break their decision to support your business. If you present them with material that uses basic translations, the message you are sending may not be as effective when received by the target audience.
Improves Your Search Engine Ranking
The main goal of search engines, such as Google and Bing, is to provide users with useful information.
That is why high-quality translations lead to good search engine rankings. Content that is translated using localization will further improve how your business ranks on search engines. Depending on the region, people might use different words or nuances when using search engines. If your business is not using the right keywords in you translated content, you risk losing out on high search engine rankings.
As described by MOZ, a leading SEO company, “Localization is the greatest form of personalization Google applies to their SERPs, filtering entries, so searchers see information about entities that are nearest to them, whether the searcher includes a city in their search or not.” Using localized translation can lead to improved search engine rankings and give you an extra advantage over your competitors.
Improve Your Brand Image
A business’ success relies heavily on its brand image. A strong brand image starts with conveying the right messaging to your audience. A high-quality, localized translation is the right way to ensure that your message does not get lost in translation (literally). Including the right language and nuances that is used by a particular region can make sure you are able to connect your products or services in the way that you intend to.
It is not uncommon for some words that when translated from English to French to have a completely different meaning. A famous example of this is when McDonald’s first introduced their Big Mac in France, it was translated to “Gros Mec”, which, among many meanings, include “Big Pimp.” Many other companies have fallen victim to poor translations and as a result their performance in a certain market suffered.
How 5 Star Uses Localization For Business Translations
Our translators at 5 Star Translation provide expert translations that apply localization. We produce high-quality business translations in French which capture the attention of francophone consumers and appeal to the Quebec Market.
If you have any further questions about business translations, contact us today!
