What do audio, video, and written content all have in common? Alone they can be used to communicate with your target market whether current, potential or even previous customers. However, when combined, multimedia provides your audience with an entertaining and engaging viewing experience. And in this post, we’ll be looking at the top skills all multimedia localization companies need within their talent pools!
Taking a multifaceted approach can also help you increase the number of views your content receives. After all, different people prefer different methods of communication.
But if you want to improve your reach, you need multimedia localization to target an international audience.
Why is Multimedia Content and the Localization Process Important?
According to a Renderforest report, incorporating multimedia in your customer communications can vastly improve your conversions.
Here are some key statistics:
- Emails that incorporate video tend to have 2x – 3x better click-through rates.
- Landing pages with video have 80 percent better conversions.
- Animated explainer videos—like the ones often seen on YouTube—can improve conversions by 20 percent
Now, incorporating multimedia into your marketing is powerful enough by itself. However, multimedia localization can multiply these results through sheer volume.
As it stands, there are 4.66 billion active internet users around the world, but only 1.35 billion people speak English. And to top it off, the majority of these English speakers are non-native, which means they prefer content in their own language.
So if there are only 400 million native English speakers in the world, this means you’re missing out on communicating with 4.2 billion internet users.
Instead, invest in multimedia localization with a professional company and multiply your reach.
7 Skills All Multimedia Localization Companies Need on Board
Now that you’re aware of the power of multimedia localization, it’s time to find out the skills needed to get the job done.
Since multimedia localization involves blending different types of media into one coherent presentation, there are many skills involved.
1. Subtitling
Subtitling is a multimedia localization skill that caters to many different companies.
For example:
- Companies on a budget who want the easiest way to expand their reach
- Businesses that want to make their media accessible to people with hearing disabilities.
- Brands that want to give their audience as many viewing options as possible.
Subtitling involves transcribing the original audio, translating and localizing it, and then tweaking the script until it fits your video’s limitations.
Some of these limitations include:
- How long the on-screen character speaks for.
- The number of words that can fit on the screen without disrupting viewing.
2. Dubbing
Dubbing gives your international audience the best viewing experience outside of re-shooting every piece of content.
This skill involves analyzing every on-screen characters’ lip movements and comparing them to the translated and localized script.
During the process, the localizer will continually tweak the new script until it seems like the on-screen character is speaking a new language. They can achieve this by taking into account the original script’s syllables, intended meaning, length, and pronunciation.
Dubbing also involves solid audio and video engineering skills to blend the new voice audio with the existing sound and effects. But since it’s a must-have skill for multimedia localization companies it deserves its own point!
3. Translation
Translation is the backbone of every multimedia localization project. Without solid translation skills, you’ll end up with a subpar—and likely inaccurate—translation of your multimedia content.
After all, most languages don’t directly translate with each other. Many languages have unique words that don’t have an equivalent or may have a different meaning from the one intended.
For example, when the Chevrolet Nova was released in Latin America it had problems selling because of its translation. In Spanish “no va” means “not going” which isn’t something that you want a car known for—especially one that you’re trying to sell!
4. Audio and Video Engineering
Audio and visual engineering is a whole set of skills that every multimedia localization company needs. After all, they’ll be recording new audio (and sometimes video), blending the new audio into the existing video, and tons more.
Some important skills for audio and video engineering include:
- Troubleshooting
- Video editing
- Audio editing
- Maintaining equipment
5. Localization
Localization brings your translated scripts and media to life. As you learned, translations don’t always go the way they should and that’s where localization can save the day.
With multimedia localization, you ensure that the end result takes into account situations like the Spanish mistranslation above. Instead of going ahead with the original name, a localizer would take the original meaning and find an equivalent in the new language.
For example, if Chevrolet had localized their product name, they could’ve chosen something like “Estrella Nueva”, which means “new star” in English. A much more appropriate meaning than “not going.”
6. Voice-overs
Voice-over skills are important for multimedia localization that involves animation, documentaries, or important interviews.
There are two main types of voice-overs:
- Off-screen voice-overs
- UN-style voice-overs
Off-screen voice-overs get their name from the voice artist not actually being on-screen. For example, cartoons or nature documentaries. This style of voice-over is generally easier to get right since there’s no on-screen character that needs matching.
On the other hand, UN-style voice-overs are perfect for formal multimedia localization, such as interviews with foreign dignitaries. The idea behind the UN-style is to preserve the original speaker’s voice in the background while the new audio is overlaid.
7. Empathy
As with any multimedia presentation, it takes empathy to produce engaging content that audiences can resonate with. And this is no different for multimedia localization.
Your chosen multimedia localization company needs to put itself in the shoes of your target audience during the localization process. They need to understand how your target audience would view certain content, what they would appreciate and what would be viewed negatively.
By having high levels of empathy, your localizers will be able to advise you on the right ways to approach your new audience.
Engage 4.2 Billion Internet Users with Multimedia Localization Services!
Don’t sell your business short by targeting just a fraction of the internet population. Thanks to multimedia localization services, you can share your ideas, products, and services with those who need them most.
Improve your reach, conversions, and engagement by having your multimedia content localized by a professional company like Day Translations. Our multimedia localization process is backed by industry0leading translation tools and experts with years of experience in multimedia translation and localization.
Call us today on 1-800-969-6853. We’ll help you start your journey with localization services!