Translate Your Web Site and Expand Your Market

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Want to double the number of people who readyour Internet sales ...
... your web site and sales letters to reach the ...
speaking ... 2001, more than half the us Want to double the number of people who readyour Internet sales materials?Try translating your web site and sales letters to reach the Web'snon-English speaking majority.In 2001, more than half the users of the Web do not speakEnglish as a first language.
What's more, the number ofnon-English speaking newcomers is growing at a muchfaster rate than the number of English speaking Internetnewcomers. However, 80% of the information on theweb is in English.Should you make your web site available in languagesother than English? If you are interested in reachingoverseas markets and doing business with persons fromother cultures, it's almost a necessity.
As one expertpointed out, they call it the World Wide Web becauseit represents international audiences.If you are considering translating your site, considerthe following:* If you have the language skills, you can translatethe web site yourself. The QWERTY keyboardworks for every language in the world.
However, ifyou are planning to translate to characters other thanthose found in the Western alphabet, you will need aphonetic map (a software application that maps thekeyboard input into characters). For example, if youwanted to write "Tokyo" in Japanese, you would typein TOKYOO then hit the space bar.
The mappingsoftware would show you the two most likelycharacters. If they were not what you werelooking for, you would hit the space bar againand be shown all the options that are available to you.*You will need an international browser.
Both Navigatorand IE Explorer are available in international versions.*Your operating system is an additional consideration.Windows 2000 is said to support all languages using astandard called Unicode. Apple offers language kits thatcan be installed in the MAC OS.
If your web site is to containsophisticated programming, you will also requireinternational developmental tools (i.e. JapaneseDreamWeaver, etc.)*If you don't want to do your translation in-house, alocalisation company can provide your translationservices.
A good localisation company will be usingtranslators that not only speak the language fluently,but also are familiar with the culture and customsof the target market. In America, for example, youwould not use the same marketing language toreach a twenty- year old as you would use to reacha baby boomer.
Nor would you use the same languageto market to a stay-at-home mom as you would use toreach a career woman. Similar differences occurwithin other cultures.
Your translator must be familiarwith your target market's pop culture.Translation software is an option -- and some say thatit has improved in the last couple of years. However,remember that translation software cannot localiseto your target market the way a person familiar withthe culture can do.*Localisation companies can also support your businessservices.
It is not enough to simply translate your website. You must be able to process the orders and serviceyour customers in their language.*If your web site is going to be updated regularly,discuss a maintenance package.
Some companieswill monitor your English web site for changes, thenmake corresponding modifications to your internationalsites.*Your web server could require special enablements.Ask your web administrator for input. Localisationcompanies also assist in this area.
When selecting alocalisation company, look for one that asks a lot ofquestions. They must thoroughly understand yourbusiness needs before they can provide the type ofservice you need.
A multicultural developmentcompany can also offer suggestions regarding the designof your site and how it will work in differentcultures. The company might also be able to suggestways of modifying site architecture to save you money.*Ask your localisation company for a weekly report onthe status of your project.Fees will vary.
Do price comparisons, but remember thatprice should not be the only consideration. Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com .