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eCommerce Website Translation: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

The ability to expand your business globally is an incredible feat. What was usually a privilege for enterprise owners and millionaires is now accessible to all eCommerce websites, no matter their size. But if you want to reach a broader audience, you’ll need to invest in translation.

How to Avoid Translation Mistakes on Your eCommerce Site

While investing in translation is a good idea, you need to make sure that the service you’re using can translate language nuances, like slang, accents, and regional changes.

Mistake 1: Using Google Translate or Other Free Services

Google Translate has come a long way since its initial release, but it’s far from perfect. Instead of accurately translating a sentence, Google Translate will offer a literal translation, usually with awkward syntax. This trend is pretty consistent across other free translation apps and services.

If you’re serious about translating your eCommerce site, we recommend hiring an eCommerce website translation agency. Not only will professional service be able to accurately translate your store for an international audience, but they’ll be able to finish the task quickly and easily.

Mistake 2: Not Considering Localization and Language Differences

Although English is widely used, Americans use a different kind of English than the UK. Canadians and Australians also have variations in their English grammar and syntax. Most notably, Americans drop the “u” in words like “favorite,” and “boot” means “hood” in the UK.

If you aren’t aware of these localization differences, you may even come off as inappropriate or crude, which is the last thing a business wants. To avoid confusing or losing international customers, always consider dialect and word usage when translating your website.

Mistake 3: Neglecting Search Engine Optimization and Marketing

When translating a sentence, clarity shouldn’t be your only concern. You also need to think about how your keywords crawl on search engines based on location and language used.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is still important on a global scale, and you may lose your position in the algorithm if you neglect it. If you’re using a translating service, make sure they are also trained in SEO or websites specifically, so you can market effectively overseas.

Keep in mind that SEO works exactly the same in another language, so you won’t need to learn new marketing tricks to get noticed. Just do what you’d normally do, and you’ll see results.

Mistake 4: Translating Every Language to Attract More Visitors

Casting a wide net is usually a bad idea when it comes to marketing, and translation is no exception. However, translating your website to multiple different languages isn’t a problem in itself; it’s the quality of the translation. Don’t translate to every language if you can’t afford to.

Remember that you have to keep your site updated, audited, and filled with content, but is that possible to do with the employees you have or your current cash flow? It’s better to focus on one expertly translated language rather than settling for many sub-par translations.

Mistake 5: Only Translating Specific Parts of Your Website

If you stumbled upon a website that was partially translated, how would that make you feel? If you liked the content or their products or services, you’d likely feel frustrated that you can’t explore the rest of the website. If you’re thinking that way, then your consumers are too.

When your website is fully translated, you’re giving your customers the chance to completely immerse themselves into the experience. Since your customers have access to all the info they need to make an informed purchase, they’re more likely to buy your products and services.