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.

Digital Marketing and iSEO: Targeting the Swedish Market

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.

What Google Wants to See from Your iSEO

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.

To ensure a successful digital marketing strategy in Sweden, you need to:

  • Do Your Keyword Research: Keyword usage varies from location to location, even in areas where people speak the same language. Individuals in the southwestern United States, for example, sometimes look for “heater repair” when they’re trying to get their furnace fixed. See what terms work in your new market and see if your translator can accommodate them. With almost a quarter of Sweden’s population coming from outside the country, there are many cultural nuances to consider. An iSEO expert with cultural knowledge and linguistic skills can also help you with this.
  • Look at Your Competitors: While no one wants to be a copycat, it’s a good idea to examine your competition’s SEO performance in your target market. Are they doing well? How much traffic are they getting? What phrases are they ranking for? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you develop a strategy for entering new markets.
  • Hire a Professional Transcreator: When it comes to iSEO, simple translations are rarely enough. Just because a term works well in your home country doesn’t mean it will work abroad. For example, Americans are more likely to use the word “running shoes” for athletic footwear, while the British would be searching for “trainers.” This difference becomes starker when you cross the language barrier.

Things to Consider When It Comes to Sweden and iSEO

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:

  • High Internet Adoption Rates: The Swedish people, known for their technological openness, took to the internet like ducks to water. An article from 2019 found that 98% of Swedish have access to the internet, and 95% use it regularly. Furthermore, half of the Swedish population uses a digital mailbox since it leads to quicker tax payments. This has allowed the government to reap efficiency gains and reduce paper consumption. It also makes things like spam mail less effective. So, you can’t afford to skimp on virtual marketing when it comes to capturing their wallets.
  • Sweden’s SEO Industry Is Now Beginning to Fracture: Like the US, Sweden has had companies working with iSEO since the beginning. These juggernauts of digital marketing still make their voices heard, but their grasp on the market is slowly loosening. Many website companies are now including SEO in their digital marketing packages. But it’s important to note that not all of them do it well—especially when the content has to be translated. It’s often best to hire a transcreator with knowledge of iSEO instead of first doing the translation and then reach out for web services after the content is done.
  • Flowery Messages Aren’t Effective: Swedes tend to prefer factual information to marketing fluff and banter. We don’t care about the useless buzzwords that clutter your content and aren’t convinced by pretty, contrived slogans. Instead, we emphasize practical information like battery capacity, measuring size, and verified studies.
  • Their Profile Is Worth Looking At: The average Swede spends about 150 euros a month on online shopping, according to Delante. Before making a purchase, 53% of Swedes carefully analyze the information permitted to them. Almost one-fifth of them go so far as to visit a brick and mortar store. When investigating, they value transparency and demand high-quality products. Things hidden behind a paywall or demo aren’t likely to entice them.
  • They Google First: Almost 97% of Swedes use the Google.se website to conduct searches. While Bing and Yahoo do have a presence, it’s minimal at best. So, to keep yourself from being too scattered, it’s often best to focus solely on Google and its algorithm. The work you put into Bing and other smaller search engines is usually not worth the return.
  • Mobile First: Even before mobile phones became extensions of our arms, the Swedes used them to make regular purchases. That means that sites should not only be optimized for mobile but designed with it in mind. Enable AMP and speed test regularly to ensure your products are visible on slower connections. With how many Swedes have access to fiber-optic internet, this is likely to become less of a concern.
  • Unique Demographics: While you might go to Sweden looking to capture the attention of natives, around a quarter of the population is from outside the country. Additionally, residents of Norway and other Nordic states often visit Sweden to find great sales offers. This means that you must take a locational approach to iSEO in Sweden—not just a language-based one.

Are You Looking for an English-to-Swedish Transcreator to help you with transcreation and iSEO for the Swedish market?

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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Fun Swedish Words Absent from the English Language

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.

17 Swedish Terms with No English Equivalent

WordDefinitionExample 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.”
HinnaThis 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.”
FulparkerareBest 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.
MysaOne 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/MormorIn 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/TjejkompisIn 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.”
SamboIf 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.”
LagomRemember 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.”
NomofobAdapted 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.”
OgooglebarA 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!
OrkaSimilar 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?”
DuktigAnyone 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!”
SolkattAn 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.”
MångataThese 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.

Looking for Someone to Translate Your English Marketing for the Swedish Market? Even If You Don’t Know the “Lagom” Words?

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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Why You Should Translate Your Digital Marketing Content

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 Content Boosts Brand Trust

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:

  • Tailor the website translation to the standard data, time, and currency format of a specific language.
  • Localize constant information for regional support teams.
  • Translate any legal requirements as well as payments and shipping policies.
  • Make the translation region-neutral and easy to understand.
  • Recognize local celebrations and holidays.
  • Put up locally-exclusive marketing campaigns and promotions.

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.

Digital Translation as a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategy

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.

It Increases Your Conversion Rate

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.

What Is a Certified Translator, and Does It Matter?

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.”

What Does It Mean to Be 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.

What Does It Take to Be a Certified Translator in the United States?

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:

  • The smoothness and flow of the submitted piece
  • Number of mechanical errors including grammar, punctuation, and spelling
  • The degree to which the target text reflects the information supplied in the source material
  • How well idioms are adapted to meet the needs of the target market
  • How closely aligned the newly written piece is with the target language’s syntax
  • The appropriateness of vocabulary chosen for the requested audience and market

Does That Mean Certified Translators Better Than Uncertified Ones?

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.  

Should I Only Hire Certified Translators?

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.

Ready to Get Started?

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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The Real Costs of Using Employees as Translators

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.

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Let Your Swedish Employees Do Your Company’s Translations

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:

1. Being Bilingual Doesn’t Make You a Translator

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.

2. The Productivity Costs

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.

3. It Doesn’t Save You Money

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.

4. A Lack of Tools

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.

5. Cultural Sensitivity Issues

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.

Ready to Let Anna Get Back to Marketing?

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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9 Benefits of Hiring a Freelance Translator Directly

When global companies need documents translated, they usually turn to a large agency. For organizations looking for a lot of content in a lot of languages, this can be your best bet. In almost every other circumstance, however, hiring a freelance translator directly has a lot of benefits. We’ll explore why in detail below.

9 Ways Hiring a Freelance Translator Directly Is Advantageous

Here are a few unique benefits to choosing a freelance translator directly over a largescale translation agency.

1. More Straightforward Communication Means Fewer Misunderstandings

Agency workflows make communication more indirect. Your project manager passes your request onto someone else who ultimately hands it over to a translator. This multi-person process increases the likelihood of miscommunication. With a freelancer, nothing stops you from reaching out directly. It is easier to clarify your needs and wishes directly with the translator, and make sure you both understand each other correctly.

2. Hiring a Freelance Translator Directly Is Almost Always Cheaper

Translation agencies are middlemen in the language services industry. When you hire them, you’re paying for things like administrative staff and project management. The person doing the work often receives a pittance of what’s on the invoice. Hiring a freelance translator directly saves you money, compensates the translator adequately while less money is wasted on administration.

3. One Point of Contact

There can be thousands of different translators working for an agency at any one time. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that you’ll end up with a good one, or the same one each time. And, even if you do, you have no way of checking their credentials. That’s not the case with a handpicked translator. To help close sales, they usually put their certifications and portfolios front and center. You can pick the person best suited to your project, and work with the same person during the whole project.

4. You Can Create Long-Term, Personal Relationships

The Swedish translator who worked on your agency project might not be available next time you come calling. This means that someone new will have to take time to learn your company, to study your content, and to understand your goals. Hiring a freelance translator directly can develop an in-depth understanding of your preferences and your target market. Why waste time retraining if you don’t have to?

5. You Can Make Sure Translations Get Done by Professional Humans – Not Machines

While machine translators have their place, they’re the crutch supporting many translation juggernauts. With all grammatical inconsistencies and unnatural phrasing, machine translation can seriously hurt your marketing message. Proper multilingual SEO requires professional human translation. With a freelance translator, you can make sure you get a human translator every time.

6. Freelancer Translators Can Offer a Personalized Service

On a given day, an agency might be juggling hundreds of projects in dozens of different languages. To stop it all from blending into one big mess, they have strict protocols and well-defined product offerings. No one customer justifies a process change. To a freelancer, meanwhile, you’re not just another number and can get the personalized service you deserve.

7. You Can Get Translators With Deep Expertise and Specialization

While a translation agency might have a translator that specializes in medical or legal translations, you’d struggle to find anything more granular than that. Most agencies profit off of being generalists. They cast a wide net to catch the most fish.

Freelance translators, on the other hand, are more targeted in their approach. You can get first hand information about his/her credentials, publications and expertise. That means it’s a lot easier to find one with the exact expertise you’re looking for, and that understands your product or service completely.

8. Consistency Is Better – You Always Get the Same Translator

Agencies often have five or more translators working on a given project—even more if it’s large or urgent. The overabundance of cooks in the kitchen can produce a patchwork effect. Word choice and tone will vary more from section to section than if one specific translator edited the whole thing. Though the editing process helps equalize the two, the switch in providers if still often evident to the keen-eyed.

9. Increased Confidentiality

Professional freelance translators take confidentiality seriously and have a confidentiality clause in their contracts. We are also used to signing and following Non-Disclosure Agreements. One individual freelance translator reduces the risk of leaking confidential information, no additional employees or translators get access to your information.

Hiring a Freelance Translator Directly: Next Steps

Now that you know why hiring a freelance translator directly is often the best choice, it’s time to hire one! To make the experience as smooth as possible, here are also tips for working efficiently with a freelance translator.

If you need Swedish marketing translations, transcreations, or localizations, I would love to help out. I can also refer you to professional colleagues working with other languages. You can fill out my contact form for a quote or visit my online biography to learn more about my qualifications.

14 Common Translation Pitfalls

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:

1. FAILING TO PINPOINT THE SOURCE OF VALUE CREATION

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.

2. BEING TOO TIGHT LIPPED

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.

3. LAUNCHING WITH AN UNCLEAR TARGET MARKET

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.

4. FAILING TO CONSIDER YOUR COMPETITION

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.

5. DEMANDING FULL TRANSLATION OR NONE

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.

6. DEMANDING UNNECESSARY EQUIVALENCES

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.

7. FOCUSING SOLELY ON YOUR WEBSITE

Go beyond the website and work to provide your international customers the complete brand experience. For mobile markets, you should prioritize application localization.

8. PICKING AN OPAQUE TRANSALATOR

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.

9. NOT HAVING THE NUMBERS

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.

10. NOT HAVING A COLLABORATIVE SPACE

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.

11. POOR TRANSLATOR-CLIENT COMMUNICATION

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.

12. A LACK OF VISUAL CONTEXT

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.

13. WORKING WITHOUT TRANSLATION MEMORY

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.

14. BECOMING COMPLACENT

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.

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10 SEO Tips for Web Localization for Global Markets

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:

1. DON’T EQUATE LOCALIZATION TO TRANSLATION

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.

2. DO YOUR KEYWORD DILIGENCE

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.

3. KEEP YOU WEBSITE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT IN MIND

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.

4. CREATE A GLOBAL GLOSSARY

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.

5. DON’T FORGET ALL YOUR WEBSITE ELEMENTS

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.

6. PROMOTE LOCAL CONTENT

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.

7. MAKE CERTAIN SERVER LOCATION WON’T HURT YOU

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.

8. BE SMART ABOUT YOUR LANGUAGE MARKERS

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.

9. DON’T FORGET THE COMPLEMENTARY CONTENT

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.

10. REMEMBER YOUR SITEMAP

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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6 Fundamental Tips for Website Localization to Reach Global Markets

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:

1. GET TO KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKET

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.

2. PICK THE RIGHT TRANSLATION COMPANY

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.

3. CHOOSE PAIN-FREE CONTENT MANAGEMENT

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.

4. MAKE LANGUAGE SELECTION A BREEZE

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.

5. KEEP THE IMAGES IN MIND

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.

6. DON’T LET A LANGUAGE CHANGE RUIN THE USER EXPERIENCE

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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