How Much Does a Swedish Translation Cost? Pricing Swedish Translations
What goes into pricing a Swedish translation? This article covers how to determine the price of professional translations.
What goes into pricing a Swedish translation? This article covers how to determine the price of professional translations.
iSEO is becoming increasingly important if you want to succeed in the Swedish market. It’s not enough to “translate your digital marketing content to Swedish anymore. Anyone wanting to reach customers in Sweden needs to “transcreate” their digital marketing and focus on iSEO. That means ranking well requires both a real understanding of what goes into Google’s algorithm and some knowledge of the cultural differences that influence how the Swedish live and shop online.
Before you dive into the SEO work, it’s essential to understand what Google is trying to do when it ranks websites. A lot of SEOs chase after the current algorithm. This leads to the development of short-sighted, low-effort strategies that become ineffective when search engines catch on. At the end of the day, Google wants one thing: happy customers. This is why they regularly update their formulas and use smart technologies to reflect the human decision-making process better.
Above all else, search engines want to reward sites that showcase expertise with well-written content that answers potential clients’ questions. Anything done to avoid providing real solutions, such as opting for straight translation or skipping the research stage, is likely to dampen your results. This is true no matter where you operate—including Sweden.
I’ve run into clients that thought they already had an SEO strategy for the Swedish market. Some of them had already spent on a subpar translation and a .se domain. But when I looked under the hood, the content was not up to par. They were using terms in ways that no Swedish speaker ever would. Or, trying to rely on fluffy, flowery language to make a sale—something that doesn’t work well in a country known for being upfront and moderate.
To help make things easier, I’ve broken down some key things you need to keep in mind when attempting Swedish iSEO:
Though both the US and Sweden are technologically forward countries with a high mobile adoption rate, you won’t succeed in the latter if you cut corners and rely on cheap translation or localization. You need to take the time to analyze the market and find the perfect keywords for your target persona. With my certificates in “SEO Fundamentals” and “Mobile, International, and Local SEO” from SEMrush, I’m qualified to help you do both. I can also take things a step further and provide transcreated Swedish content that aligns with your marketing goals.
To discuss this further or get a quote for your Swedish iSEO solution, please reach out to me by email.
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What English takes a sentence to say, other languages can manage in a word. Recently, I’ve seen several blog posts pointing out these gaps in the English lexicon. Famous examples include bokusetto, a Japanese term for the act of gazing vacantly into the distance, and backpfeifengesicht, a German word describing a face in need of a punch. Sadly, many these lists seem to be sleeping on the richness and diversity of the Swedish language. As someone who prides themselves on their English-to-Swedish translation skills, I’d be remiss if I didn’t stand up for my mother tongue and show off some of its more unique phrases.
Word | Definition | Example Uses in English |
Fika | Near and dear to Swedes everywhere, this word is used to describe the action of “going for coffee.” Though people might think it’s easier to use the word coffee break, this phrase is a lot more culturally loaded than that—something those trying to translate from English to Swedish must be aware of. And, don’t try to tell Swedish people to use the term “elevenses” or “coffee” instead; they might throw their kanelbulle at you. | “It’s been ages since we talked! Let’s meet up Saturday for a fika.” |
Hinna | This common Swedish word can be interpreted as “having the time to do something” or “being on time.” It’s sometimes used as a helping verb or a quick hand way to express doubt of on-time arrival. Like many Swedish words, this one hails from Old Norse. | “I can’t go to the moves tomorrow. I don’t hinna.” |
Fulparkerare | Best translated as “ugly parker,” this phrase denotes someone who parks his or her car sloppily or selfishly. Many people use it for those who take up handicap spots or stray outside the lines. | “That is not a parking spot! What a “fulparkerare” he is. |
Mysa | One of my favorite Swedish words, this verb embodies the act of relaxing and having a good time. Many Swedish families, looking to recharge after a long work week, schedule mys every Friday. This is so common that a separate term was created to describe it: “fredagsmys.” | “I am finally done with this Swedish translation, just in time for the weekend. Now I am just going to “mysa” in front of the fire, while it is snowing outside. |
Farfar/Farmor/Morfar/Mormor | In Swedish, there are specific words for each of your grandparents. Note that “mor” means mother and “far” means father. So, a morfar is your mother’s dad, while a farfar is your father’s dad. | “My farfar was amazing! He fought in World War II. I’ve never met my morfar, though.” |
Kilkompis/Tjejkompis | In America, you always have to clarify whether someone is a boyfriend or your friend that’s a boy. In Swedish, the latter is called a Kilkompis or Tjejkompis . Your paramour, meanwhile, is referred to as a “pojkvän” or “flickvän”. | “I went to the movies with Billy yesterday! And, no, it wasn’t a date. He’s just a killkompis.” |
Sambo | If you live with your significant other but haven’t tied the knot, you can use the word “sambo” to describe them. In a country where this arrangement is common, this word was a lexiconic necessity. | “We’re moving in together tomorrow! It’ll be nice to go from girlfriend to sambo.” |
Lagom | Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears? This word is the equivalent of that story’s “just right.” As Swedes tend to live in a state of moderation, this phrase is often seen as the country’s unofficial motto. | “This apartment is just “lagom” for a student. Or, “Lagom” is best.” |
Nomofob | Adapted from the much clunkier English phrase (“no mobile phone phobia), this is how Swedes describe a person who is hopelessly addicted to their cell phone. | “I can never let my phone sit and charge! I’m a total nomofob.” |
Ogooglebar | A more recent addition to the Swedish language, this adjective is best translated as “ungoogleable.” It’s often used to refer to someone with little to no online history. | I met this cute guy at the store, but I’m scared to meet him. He’s totally ogooglebar! |
Orka | Similar in use to hinna, this verb is best understood as “having the energy to do something.” Though it may sound like it, it has nothing to do with The Lord of the Rings. Some people (like moody teenagers) use the term in a sarcastic sense. | “Do you orka to pick up the dry cleaning after work?” |
Duktig | Anyone trying to learn Swedish will probably have this word thrown at them. Though hard to describe succinctly in English, it’s a term that combines working well with working hard. It’s often used condescendingly. | “The speed of your Swedish translation services astounds me. You must be very duktig!” |
Solkatt | An amalgamation of the Swedish word for “cat” and “sun,” this term is used to describe the blinding light that glints off small pieces of glass. | “That’s where that reflection was coming from! It was just a “solkatt” from your watch.” |
Mångata | These is is one of my favorite words. It refers to the road-like reflection of the moon in the water, literally “a moon street”. | “Look at that beautiful “mångata” across the lake tonight.” |
*For a full list of Swedish words with no English counterpart, check out this thread from Eunoia.
As our mini vocab lesson shows, English and Swedish are distinct languages shaped by culture and history. This can make it hard for US-based businesses to hit it big in the Nordic markets without the use of a English-to-Swedish specialist translator and transcreator. Transcreation can be the difference between a text that misses its mark and one that makes customers act.. Because, while 90% of Swedes speak fluent English, most of them prefer content to be delivered in their mother tongue. While the languages are closely related, it takes a true maestro to bridge the differences between them.
If you need a marketing expert to help you find the right words for your online content or ad, contact me to schedule a no-obligation consultation.
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This is a guest post by Emma Collins.
In order to scale your business, you have to expand the way you’re reaching out to your audience. Aside from the local market, there is a vast opportunity that awaits in the international scene. Hence, you have to keep in mind that English is not the only language that businesses use. This where the importance of digital marketing content translation comes in.
Translating your online content enables businesses to connect not only with foreign partners but also to prospective overseas consumers. It is an effective strategy to grow your brand and expand your digital content. With that, here are the top reasons why it’s a good idea to translate your digital marketing content:
Localizing your digital marketing content is an effective way to engage more customers. It makes your brand sound more genuine and authentic, which ultimately improves brand trust. A vital first step for this strategy is by translating your website to your mainstream customers. By doing so, you’re also allowing them to become more familiarized with your product or service. It boosts user experience by letting them have a smooth transaction with an informed purchase as well.
Here are some tips to consider when localizing your website content:
Paying close attention to these tiny details can help widen your engagement metrics. Aside from your web content, you can also expand your translation on other forms of digital content. This includes video content, eBooks, articles, social media posts, customer support, etc.
Translating your digital marketing content is also an excellent avenue for search engine optimization (SEO). By ranking up in the search engine results pages (SERP), you can get more organic traffic. One surefire way of doing this is by incorporating keywords in different languages that rank high in SERP. By doing so, your website can rank high across other countries and languages, which, in turn, can boost your marketing strategy.
By translating your website content, you can convert more traffic into customers. In a nutshell, the more people can access your content, the higher the potential of converting more prospective customers. This is because some studies have shown that consumers are more likely to purchase a product containing information in their language. Some consumers also put more weight in language accessibility than the price of the product.
Translating your digital marketing content can help you reach your highest potential in the global market. The best way to do this is with the help of global language service providers (LSP). This method will ensure that you’re tailoring your content with your target audience and not just merely translating it.
Emma Collins is Translingua’s creative thinking content creator who specializes in blogging and copywriting.
You’d think finding a translator would be easy. You head over to Google and type something like “English to Swedish translator.” Then, you’d pick somebody whose site landed in the top three. But you’ll quickly find it’s not that simple. Finding a competent, professional translator that meets your needs feels more like wading through the aisles at a health food store. However, instead of buzz words like “organic” and “fat-free,” you’re wading through pages littered with industry-specific acronyms and accreditations. In this scenario, it won’t take long for you to stumble on a translator bandying about the word “certified.”
A certified translator is one that has passed a test demonstrating his or her skills in a specific language. The structure and content of the exams required vary widely by country and vertical. In acquiring one of these certifications, a translator affirms that he or she has the skills needed to translate professionally.
Though commonly confused, there is a difference between a certified translator and a certified translation. A certified translator has passed a quality test to prove their skills. In contrast, a certified translation is a translated document accompanied by a signed statement from the translator attesting to the completeness and accuracy of the translation. A notary public can also notarize the statement. Once a translation is certified, it becomes a legal record. Many certified translators provide certified translations.
To be considered certified, American translators must pass an exam proctored by the American Translators Association (ATA). It was first given in 1973 and serves as the only generalized translation certification in the United States. But you’d be amiss to equate generalized with easy. The exam is designed for mid-level professionals with several years of experience, and the test’s failure rate ranges from 91 to 71 percent depending on the language.
The ATA exam is an open-book, proctored test that takes roughly three hours to complete. Once completed, skilled translators review the submissions and grade them based on:
As someone who’s certified by the ATA, I have an insider’s perspective on how it works. First, I do believe the test is valuable. It gives translators a way to differentiate themselves in industries where other credentials, such as OSHA certifications or medical degrees, are not required. It also shows clients that the chosen language professional is dedicated to their craft. In an uncertain world full of charlatans and wannabe translators, certifications offer peace of mind. Furthermore, many professional agencies and organizations make certification a pre-requisite for entry.
But, as ATA testing is only available in 27 languages, it isn’t something every translator can get. It’s also not a foolproof indicator that one translator is better than another. After all, nothing about my skillset changed just because I passed the ATA’s exam for English into Swedish certification. Certification is not a magic wand nor a boot camp—just a way to testify to your existing skillset. Many experienced translators have flourishing businesses, and provide quality translations, without a certification.
Certification is something you’ll want to consider when hiring a freelance translator. It’s proof that they can translate passages accurately and possess ample experience in their field. But know that their experience, portfolio, and record of customer service is far more critical. So, I’d look at those first and use certifications to break ties between otherwise equivalent translators, To learn more about the qualities you should look for in a good translator, click here.
Now that you know the difference between a translator who is certified and one who is not, you are better equipped to choose your next translator. By focusing on their skillset and ignoring the buzzwords, you’ll have an easier time spotting true professionals—ATA certification or not. If you’re in the market for a Swedish translator and want someone who’s certified, click here to contact me.
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In a world where physical location has lost its meaning, chances are you can find a Swedish speaker in a large company. When documents like contracts or press releases need to be translated, many businesses might be tempted to rely on their multilingual employees as translators. On the surface, this makes sense. Not only do they know your product inside and out, but they also won’t need to get paid any extra for the work.
So, if it saves you time and money, what’s the harm in leaning on Anna in Marketing for that English to Swedish translation? Here are some good reasons not to use your employees as translators.
In most cases, letting existing staff handle your translations does more harm than good. It can not only damage your company’s reputation but also lengthen the globalization timeline and erode employee relationships. There are several reasons not to do this, including:
Contrary to what people think, there’s more to translation than swapping one word for another. There are idioms, metaphors, nuance, and gendered language to consider. Being able to speak another language isn’t the be-all, end-all it’s a prerequisite. Becoming a certified translator takes years of practice and ample education.
While you might be impressed with Anna’s Swedish, that’s not why you hired her. Likely, you were impressed by her love of marketing knowledge and strategic skills. The stellar references and 10 years of marketing experience just sealed the deal. Let her do what she is good at, marketing, not translation and linguistics. Furthermore, the time she spends translating must come from somewhere. This means less time spent creating marketing campaigns.
Even if the document isn’t something that can open you up to legal repercussions, attempts to cut translation costs often end up doing the opposite. Frederick Douglass once said, “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Though translated documents aren’t children, the same principle holds. Getting things right the first time is easier than constantly fixing shoddy work. Hiring a professional Swedish translator is often the more affordable option.
To do translation well, you need preferred glossaries, external proofreaders, and a computer assisted translation software. Most businesses won’t invest in these for one-off projects. Professional Swedish translators already have these things in their toolbelts and incorporate their use into their rates. Hiring them allows you to reap the benefits of these tools without the budget battles.
Just speaking Swedish doesn’t mean Julie has a true understanding of Sweden’s culture. Even if she grew up there, things change. What was once acceptable, and trendy may now be wrong. Since translators make a living connecting with audiences in their target language, they often obsess with staying up to date on current options.
Now that you know better than to hand off your Swedish translations to the first bilingual person you come across, it’s time to find a qualified translator! Instead of using employees as translators, you need to find someone who’s experienced and strives to stay up to date on the latest language developments. It also wouldn’t hurt to hire someone knowledgeable in marketing and transcreation.
If you need Swedish marketing translations, transcreations, or localizations, I’d love to help out. Looking to expand outside of the Baltic countries? My wide network of linguists and translators means I can help you find a colleague in that field. To get started, fill out my contact form or visit my About page for more information about my qualifications.
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We all know the horror stories that come from “hiring” Google Translate to do your translations or relying on low cost firms to get the job done. That could be why Pepsi once became a tool of necromancy in China and Schwepps advertised itself as “toilet water” in Italy. Such mistakes can frighten off thousands of customers and drastically reduce sales in the process. Today, we’ll be looking at 14 other common translation pitfalls, mostly internal, that can stagnate your company’s global growth and reduce translation efficiency:
Once all the costs have been sorted, you will be asked the most important question: Why? While not pausing to consider your end goal may get you translating quickly, it will result in a localization plan that’s disjointed, aimless, and lacking demonstrable results. Present, maintain, and adhere to a goal driven plan.
While security is important, it’s vital that information be shared with other stake holders: sponsors, project managers, software designers, and web designers. To promote greater engagement, ensure each person understands his or her role in the translation process. This will ensure you avoid some of the most common translation pitfalls.
Designing a marketing plan based solely on language and country of origin would result in something overly broad, disjointed, and irrelevant. As a result, audience engagement would suffer. Make certain that your localization plan includes plans for market penetration and accounts for your target audience’s customs, trends, and values.
You’re not the only business going global. Benchmark yourself against the competition and adjust your marketing positioning strategy accordingly. Doing so after you’ve entered a market wastes resources and may leave you unprepared to face the competition.
Don’t think of website translation as an all or nothing approach. Doing so will either force your company to absorb a large upfront expense or delay your launch until resources appear. Consider providing your multilingual audience, at first, with a scaled back version of your content. As time goes on, you can add features, web pages, and services.
Don’t treat all markets the same. For some markets, your Mexico-centric press release means nothing. Allocate your workflows to prioritize the most important pieces, for the most vital markets. In doing so, you’ll lessen the workload and better justify your company’s investment.
Go beyond the website and work to provide your international customers the complete brand experience. For mobile markets, you should prioritize application localization.
The translation industry is not known for its clarity. When starting your hunt for a translator, it’s advisable to add “translation transparency” to your search criteria. This will give you a clearer understanding of fee structures and just who you’re working with and help you avoid common translation pitfalls.
You need to create a team that focuses on managing, measuring, and improving, your translation results. You should be able to quantify your average turnaround time and failure rate. Data grants you a subjective window into how your project is progressing from month to month.
Don’t even try to run a translation project out of your inbox! Find a modern collaboration space you, and the translator like, and stick to it. This will cut down on translation time and make it easier to stay on track. Additionally, as you can easily keep track of project milestones, you’ll be able to see where jobs are getting stuck and quickly determine the source of any delays.
A lack of meaningful dialogue is at the core of many unsuccessful translation projects. Provide your translation team a clear process for relating questions and suggestions to your team.
Don’t let your translation team work blind. If the company permits it, supply your vendor with a mock-up of your website beforehand. Granting them visual perspective helps to limit judgment calls regarding page formatting and semantics.
If set up with the proper technology and software in place, localized content could be something that earns your company compound returns. Select a translator that offers a translation memory tool. That way, you’ll never have to translate the same page twice.
Translation is not a project; it’s a process. Listen to your analytics and follow the tides of the evolving media. Never let your localization work become mundane and dry. Never stop experimenting.
For professional translations into Swedish, please contact Swedish Translation Services.
Entering a market with different language requirements necessitates a well-developed SEO strategy designed to fully exploit market opportunities. A 2014 study by the Common Sense Advisory, 85.3-percent of respondents the availability of pre-purchase information in their own language as a critical factor when it comes to buying items or services. Regardless of if you call it multilingual search engine optimization, or geolocational targeting, mindful SEO localization can alter both site structure and design. Please see our 10 web localization SEO tips on how to maximize the results of your localization project:
While similar, it’s a mistake to think of the as equals. straight translation of your text typically brings a lower ROI than a translated, and localized, version of your web content. To make your content truly attractive to non-English speakers, you’ll need to bring an SEO expert on board that can make your new content attractive to both potential clients and foreign search engines.
Create a keyword list for all the pages you’d like to translate and have them translated separately. When that’s done, ask an SEO expert to localize the list for you. The result will be a highly-targeted version of your keyword list that will perform exceptionally well in your given market. Once you have the list, you can optimize to your heart’s content.
Be careful in selecting pages you wish to translate. Some of your content may be outdated and inappropriate for a successful localization strategy. Additionally, to avoid duplication issues with search engines, avoid copying original language pages to the local website; use links or redirects instead.
Create a global glossary for your keywords and specific terminology. Share this document with all of your offices, and stakeholders, so that appropriate, language-specific versions of these words can be found.
While some website elements may be hidden from visitors, such as META and TITLE tags), it’s important to also adjust these items to local requirements. You should also take the time to consider whether you wish to localize your URLs, or create a sub-domain of your original website. Many companies choose to indicate language changes in the URLs text.
Train your local teams on using the resulting website and encourage them to create up-to-date local content. Develop a brief editorial guideline to ensure all resulting pieces reflect your organization’s morals and culture. This will help to boost your SEO ratings.
The location of your company’s servers gives search engines a good idea of your location. In the age of the cloud, this typically becomes a non-issue. Consult with a local SEO expert to ensure that’s the case.
The best way to show language choices on your site is a simple, localized dropdown. Using flags, as some companies might, can result in confusion for polylingual nations. Detecting the browser’s language, and automatically selecting a localized version of your site, presents its own pitfalls. Regardless of your chosen method, make it simple to choose and switch between languages.
Localize everything you can; this includes your applications, data feeds, and social media content. Also, be sure to register for all local directories and services.
Update your sitemap to include the localized version. Consider creating a new, local version for anything being run locally. You should also consider creating a new footer to hold links to all your international websites.
By following the web localization seo tips above, you’ll help your business to stand out in search engine results and make a smoother transition into new markets. Tess Whitty and Swedish Translation Services can help you localize your website for the Swedish market.
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Successful web localization efforts require careful planning and execution. If done correctly, your investment will result in a notable ROI and boost your organization’s global image. In this piece, we’ll look at six fundamental website localization tips that make it easier for both you and your chosen translator to get the job done:
Before you begin shopping for a quality translation and localization specialist, you need to get to know just who your audience will be. If your site’s typically visited by Swedish speakers, for example, you’d add little value by choosing to translate your website into Japanese. To gain better insight into the countries and languages you should focus on, make use of statistics’ tools like Google Analytics or Alexa.
Poorly translated content can create bad impressions and foster customer confusion. While utilizing automated tools like Google Translate can save money, the resulting piece will reflect the price tag. Choosing a reputable, human-based translation company, such as Swedish Translation Services, will give you your best chance at localization success.
Don’t rely on e-mails, or clunky manual processes, to get the job done. Find a company that can give you the cutting edge in efficiency. Any efforts to create a collaborative space, or simplify data transfer, will pay off in the end. Also, consider selecting a translation vendor that offers up-to-date memory tools. By doing so, you’ll avoid translating the same content, into the same language, multiple times.
A user should not have to be Sherlock Holmes to uncover the translated version of your website. Make it easy to determine and switch between the languages you offer.
A picture can be worth a 1000 words. Therefore, not localizing your images to match your new website can be worth dozens of lost customers. Make certain all images have appropriate translations and that they have been adapted to fit the needs of the end user. Additionally, make certain that links, headers, and titles don’t break when users switch between languages.
No matter what language a customer chooses, they should be offered the same user experience. Make certain that all interfaces account for changes in the length of certain words and phrases. By ensuring your foreign customer has a great experience, you’ll be telling them one thing: you care.
By adhering to the above website localization tips, you’ll give your company a better chance at higher profits, more overseas customers, and an obstacle-free translation process If you’re looking to break into the Swedish market, and need a translator who checks all the above boxes, contact Tess Witty at Swedish Translation Services.
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