SEO Translation: the guide
We don’t need to tell you about the benefits of SEO to your business website in the UK: increased visibility, greater traffic, high quality leads, budget-friendly marketing, improved credibility, increased trust, a better user experience and a competitive advantage over other companies in your industry. But have you thought about getting the same benefits in new overseas markets? Find out more with the guide to SEO translation by Active Languages.
Keyword localisation
A great website translation is all well and good, but if you don’t have the right keywords then nobody is going to be able to read it. Unfortunately, you can’t just translate keywords directly from English. You have to consider which words website users would naturally and organically enter in their own language… which means you need a translator. The human translators at Active Languages identify the most relevant local terms that occur at high volumes in search engines in their target language. Some companies choose to employ an SEO agency to research keywords in the target language for them, some choose to work direct with a translation agency. The choice really is yours. The main thing is that we use the right keywords to improve your positioning and create organic traffic in the international markets you want to explore. Find out more about localisation with a few examples of what not to do here.
Internal linking
What makes internal linking so important? Not only does it boost the ranking potential of the entire website by distributing link juice, but it also encourages visitors to stay on your website longer and increases conversions. Every link that goes in there is a potential call-to-action, so it needs to be clear and understandable to the website visitor. Just imagine reading through content in your own language only to click on a link to visit a product page and it’s all the original language, one that you don’t speak… Would it put you off? It would certainly make the experience more challenging. When you send us a text containing links, our translators update them to match your target market i.e. redirecting them to the German version of your webpage rather than the English one. You can also give Active Languages free rein to enter any internal links that the translator would like to take users to contextually relevant webpages in their own language.
Cultural localisation
Good SEO isn’t all about Google rankings, it’s about brand engagement and customer loyalty. Going back to keywords, translators consider vernacular and local terms, even slang words, which your potential website users may enter to find your site. They also adapt content to reflect local culture and traditions, not only to improve engagement but also to avoid any offence or confusion that may be caused in the target language. A good example of a cultural fail is the launch of Pampers in Japan: P&G used American marketing images of a stork delivering babies which left Japanese consumers bemused, since local folklore has it that giant peaches float down the river carrying babies in Japan. The human translators at Active Languages adapt your text to suit the target audience and ensure everything is just peachy (sorry, couldn’t resist!). Click here for further information about localisation with big name brands.
If you’d like to find out more about SEO translation and what our translators could do for you, please contact us on info@activelanguages.co.uk
