![]() ![]() Some websites try to get around the cost by using machine translation. Yes, there is a cost involved, but if you’re going to do business globally, that’s part of the price of doing business that needs to be factored in. ![]() The major objection I hear when I recommend hiring people to translate content is the cost. Recommendation: Hire native or near-native translators to translate your copy It’s quite another writing marketing copy for a widget you’re looking to sell in Europe. It’s one thing to make your intentions known if you’re ordering in a restaurant, talking about a hockey game, or asking where the restrooms are. I am fairly proficient in two languages other than English, but I know my limitations and would not publish translated text for a website in either one. One error I sometimes see involves translations by people who are not native-equivalent in the target language. Errors in wording, grammar and idiomatic expressions can hurt a site’s chance to rank well and kill conversions. However, this kind of translation miscommunication is not funny and does not help a business succeed internationally. While everyone had a good laugh at my expense, it broke the ice between the two groups and helped make the trip successful. I was nervous, and the other language’s words for the two utterances sounded quite alike. One of my most embarrassing career moments happened when I confused the phrase “to your health” with “train station” in another language while interpreting during a toast among an international group. This combined experience has allowed me to see common areas of concern to avoid in international SEO, falling into two major categories: ![]() and Canada, while others were global enterprises. Some have been smaller, operating only in the U.S. Since I left that path and started working on websites, I’ve worked on many websites for international businesses in my SEO career. ![]() Before I started in digital marketing, my career involved quite a bit of foreign language translation work. ![]()
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