There are many key factors that define a “great website.” For starters, the content must be related to what the company stands for. Another factor is that the website must be easy to navigate and open on various platforms. What many tend to forget though is that websites need to be accessible by people worldwide.
Making a website accessible means that it should be understandable and manageable by people from all walks of life. That being said, you should definitely consider translating your website’s content into other languages so that more people are able to use it. However, having a translated website means more than just that.
It Increases Your Reach
The baseline benefit of having your website translated into other languages is that it helps you increase your reach. If your website is only seen in the English language, you’re creating a barrier between yourself and possibly billions of other people worldwide. You need to understand – not everyone speaks and reads English. Moreover, some people prefer reading in their own language.
As per Statista, there are 1.27 billion people worldwide that speak English either as a primary or a secondary language. This leaves billions more than don’t.
People who aren’t fluent in English might also get discouraged from visiting your website. Due to their lack of complete knowledge of the language, they might feel overwhelmed when reading important texts such as the Terms of Agreement. Instead of blindly saying they agree to your terms, they’ll prefer to visit other websites as well.
By increasing your reach, you are potentially maximizing your profits as well. Whether it’s a blog or a business you’re running, more people to reach out to means more people to convert from visitors to consumers. Today’s top websites often support various languages for the sole purpose of reaching out to others.
Everyone Else is Doing It
On the topic of your competitors, you need to keep in mind that others are doing it as well. Your competitors are already seeing the merits of getting their website translated and you should too.
In this day and age, it’s tougher to compete with others, let alone standout amongst the endless wave of websites out there. Some of which are your direct competitors. It’s not just about reaching out to a larger market, it’s also about ensuring that you don’t lag behind the competition.
This can easily be achieved during your web designing phase. The people behind Something Design explained that you should use the same template for all the languages you will use. As a result, visitors will see the same layout, branding, and design elements whatever language they choose.
You Have Fans Abroad Already
You can easily see via trackers if you already have fans abroad. Once you do, then it is a must that you have your website translated already. It will only be a matter of time before people from other countries begin recognizing your website.
Let’s say you are running a business through your website. E-commerce is all about reaching out to every potential customer via the internet. Your products and services will be more enticing and easy to approach if it is presented in a language that other nationalities understand. Just put yourself in their shoes. Would you buy a product if you aren’t able to fully comprehend what’s written in the description?
Some Laws Demand It
Translating a website isn’t just about marketing or user experience. Sometimes the law would require you to translate your content and legal agreements, as per Termsfeed. Some parts of the world require translations for websites. Failing to meet such a requirement could result in hefty fines or worse, it could cause your business to close.
The good news is that you won’t be going to jail for breaking such laws. However, there are other consequences that you might want to consider. If you are going to ignore these laws, then your website might get blocked in other regions. It’s a small step towards making sure your website is accessible everywhere.
Translated Websites Have Better SEO
Believe it or not, a translated website could also help your page appear on top of the results page. SEO plays a huge role, especially in e-commerce sites. It can help your website look more credible, improve user experience, and more. However, it’s not always enough to have content in one language.
A multilingual website, however, can increase your website’s visibility online, especially now that Google has location services where websites can be ranked depending on their content and location.
Translated Websites Mean World-Class Service
The primary goal of every company and website should be to provide world-class service. Most of today’s top websites support multiple languages already. What this means is that they are willing to give world-class service to their customers.
Helps Gain Trust
Trust also plays a role in a website’s success. Whether you’re running a business-related website or a blog, translation helps a lot in gaining your target market’s trust. Customers need to understand what you’re trying to sell first before making a decision to purchase from you or not.
Through website translation, it’s easier for users to understand what you’re trying to say or sell, helping them have a better user experience. In return, you can gain their trust, and they will surely come back to your website to browse your content more. For any website, establishing trust between the user and you are crucial.
Strengthens Brand
They say that first impressions last. This doesn’t only apply in real life but on the web too. With a translated website, you can easily appeal to your target market or audience. Your content will easily adapt to the users’ culture. This leads to a better perception of your website.
Branding is one of the key aspects that you need to improve on if you are a newcomer. By turning your website into one that supports multiple languages, you’ll be able to show world-class branding immediately.
A translated website will do wonders for your profits. There are no downsides to doing so as well. It’s an important investment on your part for your website. Once you get the initial investment done, you don’t have to worry about anything else as people worldwide will be more capable of visiting and understanding the contents of your website.
Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.