Fully Automated Multimedia Translation
When technology historians look back, they will see the last decade as when social media began to show the full scope of its power. Additionally, many incredibly commonplace technologies, such as the modern smartphone, began to take off. It was also during this time that Yahoo! suggested that rival Google had overpaid for YouTube.
As we all know, YouTube remains a worldwide phenomenon and a significant money-maker for its parent company. This speaks to the power of multimedia, and video in particular, in our lives. Today, video is everywhere, and so is the need for video translation services. The reality is that without translation services, many videos would ultimately be of less value to the public, which may not have understood them as originally intended.
Why Translation Matters
Business, particularly online business, is global. To not serve an international market is to fall behind your competition. Most companies recognize this and want to do everything they can to reach as large an audience as possible. This certainly means making sure that all multimedia and marketing content is available to prospective customers in their native tongue.
Many people believe that to create a fully translated multimedia advertisement, they simply have to run the current ad copy through a translation program and call it a day. However, that opens up a whole different set of issues. Mistranslations are common via some of the most popular translation services, which can create meanings that were never intended in certain pieces of copy. Instead of taking a risk like this, advertisers are urged to consider using a translation management system for their multimedia.
What is a Translation Management System (TMS)?
Phrase.com offers the following definition of a translation management system:
A translation management system is a software that facilitates translation and localization processes from start to finish through smart automation. It eliminates manual and repetitive tasks and improves the efficiency of teams across the globe.
This simply means that one who uses this system can trust that it will take their current advertising materials and translate them into something useful for specific and localized markets worldwide. The system processes entire workflows so that every piece of material can be processed in a manner that is useful in any given language.
What is interesting about a TMS system is that it is not simply helpful in translating ad copy. That is just one of the multitude of functions that it performs. These systems often also provide the following attributes:
Vendor management
Billing and invoicing
Integration with other software tools
Automatic importing and exporting of content
Progress tracker for various projects
Translation memory
This means that a company that uses a TMS system can apply it to almost any task that they want to get done. They can feel more comfortable and confident in taking care of a wide range of potential projects.
Why Localization Matters in Translation
It is easy to get the concepts of translation and localization confused. For many people, the ideas sound the same. However, that needs to be more accurate. Localization is a different process from simple translation.
Localization involves producing content that speaks specifically to a localized group of people. Offering a translation of specific marketing material is one thing, but more is needed to reach the broad audience you need to reach. Localization speaks directly to people in a way that they are accustomed to talking to one another. A few of the aspects of localization include the following:
Dubbing
Subtitling
Audio and video production techniques
Production of animations
Localized references in the content
Voice-overs
Any combination of these approaches may be used by a company wishing to localize content.
What Kind of Content Needs Localization?
No shortage of content requires localization to be as effective as possible. When done correctly, localization adds layers to the content that you produce. It makes that content more digestible for people in the local area, and it means that those individuals are more likely to respond positively to the content they see.
Website Content
Localizing website content for each geographic region you intend to reach is recommended. When a user from another country views your material, they should see content that is specifically written not only in their native language but also in the kind of style that is familiar to them.
Bounce rates are one of the most significant indicators of a website's success or failure. Those bounce rates will be extraordinarily high if one isn't diligent about localizing their content to the best of their ability.
Using a VPN to identify where a specific user is logging in from and which version of your website should present itself to them is a great way to ensure you will get all potential website viewers.
Social Media Content
Creating social media content is a must for any modern business. Most people around the globe use social media and want to see content from their favorite companies on there. Therefore, it is vital to have content that makes sense for every geographic area that you intend to target. Desygner.com explains how this can be done:
Many companies that use social media to target different regions or countries set up multiple social media accounts. That's because relevant content in one country or region may not be suitable in another!
Keep in mind that managing multiple social media accounts can be tedious. This is why many companies have called upon the expert help of social media managers to help them get the assistance they need when creating content for the various social media accounts they have created.
E-mail Campaigns
Finally, remember a localized approach to your e-mail campaigns. People worldwide use e-mail, but many e-mails need to be opened and read. This often has to do with how the e-mail is presented in the first place. Those struggling with e-mail open rates should consider whether their localization approach genuinely works for them. It might be time to fine-tune that approach to make it more useful for the specific objectives that the company has for itself.
Overall, there is no doubt that localization is an essential part of creating helpful multimedia projects. Nearly everything done in business today relies on powerful media tools, meaning that one must act right now to translate their media into something more useful and valuable. For the latest on how to make this happen, please contact us and let our team know which information is most helpful to you.