Why Should You Translate Your Website?

Have you ever thought about the real value of your company’s website?

Think about it.

Your webpage is the portion of real estate you own within the World Wide Web. The one piece you possess and control. Your website is your biggest brand advocate. It’s like having a PR team working for you 24/7, plus, a super effective group of sales experts and customer service professionals. All rolled into one.

In a nutshell, your website is your biggest asset. Now, thanks to that piece of internet real state, you have higher potential to drive sales, engage with your customers, and communicate your brand’s values and objectives in a very efficient and cost-effective way.

The Internet opened the global market to (almost) everyone, so, wouldn’t it be fantastic to really take advantage of that? But what would happen if one of those potential customers lands on the website, and they can’t understand a word of it? All that great value, all those potential sales and engaging opportunities go down the drain.

In today’s world, you have to think globally. The new question you should ask yourself is: How can I put my brand in front of the whole world?

Do you start seeing all the opportunities you’re missing?

Having your website translated and localized is not only for multibillion corporations, or those with branches in all the major cities in the world. That’s a huge misconception we often see in this industry. Localization and translation is also available for local and/or small companies as well.  By deciding to translate your website, your company will increase sales and visibility, no matter how big or how small, and whether it serves a local or global market.

If you translate your website, you’re not following a new marketing trend that may or may not work. It’s been proven that companies increase their revenue just by having their website translated.

But, just for the sake of conversation, let’s address a couple of arguments many people may have:

“My company is a local business. I don’t need to transfer my website.”

Having your website translated to different languages does a couple of things:

• It shows respect for your clients or potential clients who speak other languages rather than the one used on your website. Your company will come across as an inclusive business, because you’re considering your customers’ needs and preferences, not setting them apart from the rest of the human kind.
• It expands your reach. We live in a global era, the world is now more connected than ever, and maybe someone on the other side of the globe needs your products or services, provided or delivered right where you are. You cannot pass on those opportunities.
• It gives you credibility. By translating your website, your company is perceived as modern, up to date with the latest trends, and capable to adjust to the market changes and the needs of its customers. Those are some very valuable attributes to have.

“Instead of translating my website, I’ll just write it in English. Everybody speaks English!”

Sorry to break the news for you, but only about 1/3 of the total Internet users speak English. Plus, when people run searches on search engines, they usually look up products or services in their own language, not English, or any other language.

Even if your target market can speak and/or understand your website’s language, people are a lot more likely to buy from a company that “speaks” their own native language. So, in the unlikely chance of your potential clients finding you, and then understanding what you have to tell them, they won’t feel connected or identified enough to purchase your products, or request your services.

Having your website translated will also make you a pioneer, or at least will give you a competitive edge over other companies that have yet to translate their websites to other languages. Translating your website is an easy way to get ahead of your competition.

“Translating my website won’t make any difference.”

Let’s talk about some other benefits of translating your website:

1. By having your website translated, your visitors will stay longer on your page, reading about what your company has to offer. This will create a long-lasting imprint on your visitors’ minds, which will make your brand a lot easier to remember.
2. Translating your website will give you the opportunity to reach a much wider audience, which will help your company grow a lot faster.
3. If you use your target audience’s native language on your website, you’ll have the chance to communicate with them in a more personal and deeper level, placing your company front and center in your prospects’ This will increase your company’s credibility, and will make you the go-to solution whenever they need your products or services.

So, there you have the answer to the question “Should I transfer my website?”

If you want to increase your revenue, gain credibility, connect with your target market, and make your company more successful, then, yes, you should definitely translate your website.

Now it’s your turn: Have you ever considered translating your company’s website? If you have already translated your website, what other benefits has your company experienced? Share it in the comments section below.