❓13 questions to ask yourself before ordering a marketing translation: a marketing translation checklist
Okay, so you’re running your lovely, values driven company. And you’re killing it. But you know more people would love what you’re doing and you want to offer it to them. It’s time to grab your passport and go international! This is exciting. You’ve done your research. You know you need a marketing translator. But you also want to feel like your investment will be worth it. That the time and money you spend on this project will really make an impact. And not because you’ve been caught out by a translation fail. So how do you set yourself up for a win? It’s worth thinking through these 13 questions before you give your marketing translator the go ahead. We’ll look at questions you need to ask about your company, your text and the practicalities. Let’s go 👇
💼 Questions about your company
Questions like…
💭 What are my brand values?
💭 Who’s my dream client?
💭 What tone of voice do I normally communicate in?
💭 How would I explain what I do to a child?
💭 What are your goals as a company?
Why does it matter?
So, you’re looking to hire someone and I’m making you think about you. Seems a bit odd right? But the key to great content (in any language) is understanding exactly who you are, who you serve and what makes you different from other people. Still not convinced? I’ve got the receipts to show how important brand voice, consistency and authenticity are to customers.
How do you do it?
Start with what you know about yourself. Do you have brand voice guidelines in your native language? Any non-negotiables that must be followed at all costs? Take a note of them.
Then look at your existing content. Whether you know it or not, you’ll already have started to develop a brand voice organically. How do you communicate on your website, client facing comms and social media? What’s the same across all platforms? What would do you love and what do you want to change?
Create a portrait of your ideal client. Get as detailed as you possibly can. The more specific you can be, the more a translator can target their message and make sure it resonates with your audience.
👉 Psst. I’ve got more tips about speaking to your dream clients that you might find helpful.
What does your translator do with the info?
Your marketing translator uses this information to make sure your messaging is consistent in the language they’re working in. This means you can be confident that the core elements that make people work with you and not just someone like you are fundamental in every piece of content, in every language.
A marketing translator can also use all this info to help them make informed decisions as they work. They can get inside your head and use it to write like you. If your target audience is a 19-year-old female student who loves Taylor Swift and TikTok, the translation will have a different tone and register versus if your dream client is a 60-year-old male executive who’s into CrossFit and playing the stock market.
Finally, your marketing translator can also use this information to add emotion into your text. Emotional marketing is a powerful tool which can inspire your audience to act, make you memorable and create an impact. In a world where you have between just a tenth of a second and seven seconds to make a first impression, you need to use every tool you can to stand out.
Struggling to nail your brand voice? Give me a shout if you need some outside help. As a copywriter, I’m used to helping brand’s discover what really matters to them and how to nail it every time.
📄Questions about your text
Questions like…
💭 What’s the purpose of your text?
💭 How do you want your audience to feel?
💭 Where will it be used?
💭 What format should the finished document be in?
Why does it matter?
Ask any translator a straightforward question like “how do you say…” and they’ll probably tell you it depends on the context. They’re not just saying that to annoy you (honest!) but because it is actually true. Let me show you what I mean…
In Spanish padre means father. Padres must mean fathers, right? Yes. But it can also be translated as parents. So you’d need to know whether a marketing campaign was targeting dads or all parents.
If you’re a French speaker, you’ll know this is also true when you translate “to visit” into French. You would use “visiter” for a place but “rendre visiter à” if you’re visiting a person.
This question of context also applies to where a translation is used. A translation might be treated differently depending on if it’s for a billboard, an Instagram post or a white paper. In the same way, knowing a text is designed to educate the audience, make them laugh, sell them a product or reflect on their work process will influence the translator’s decisions.
How do you do it?
Give the translator a clear brief with as much information as possible. Let them know why you need this content, where it’ll be used and the format you need it in. It can also be really helpful for a translator to see context a translation will be used in. For example, if you’re getting your website translated, it’s helpful to see the original. That way, the translator can clearly see what’s a heading, what’s a call to action, where the images will sit… you get the idea. In fact, when the translator sees the original, they might highlight some things you’ve not noticed. Things like beautiful graphic that explains your whole process should also be translated. Or that your lovely intro video could be subtitled so your English speakers can still enjoy it. Or that readers will expect prices to be in their currency.
What does your translator do with the info?
Your translator is using all if this information to make informed decisions and see the big picture. Knowing where this text fits in your wider content strategy will help your translator incorporate this into the translation. For example, if I’m translating a blog post into English, it’s helpful to know:
💫 Where this piece of content sits in your content strategy or sales funnel?
💫 If there any images? Do they need to be adapted to a British audience?
💫 Are there keywords that need to be included? Has the SEO research been done or not?
💫 If there are internal links: has the linked content been translated?
💫 If there are external links: is the content in English? Do you need me to find a piece of English content that proves the same point?
💫 Is the call to action the same? If it’s to send an email, will they receive customer support in English?
A translator may also use some of these factors to decide how much they charge you. If something requires more skill or more time (like additional research, keyword research) it’s going to cost more. Here’s a few quick tips if you want to save a bit of money:
💡 Reduce your word count. Prioritise what’s relevant to your target audience.
💡 Prepare a clean document. Lay it out so the purpose of each section is clear.
Example of web copy
prepped for translation
💡 Think about the format you want a document returned in. A Google Doc is going to be cheaper than the translator uploading everything to your website.
💡 Prepare what you can in house. If you’ve got someone sourcing links, images, keyword research that’s great. Let your translator know the results so your investment goes further.
Your translator will also be able to give you tailored advice depending on where you’re planning to use the text. If it’s a highly visible, key piece of content, they’re going to recommend using an external proofreader (or include it in their quote) as any tiny slip could damage your brand. Two heads and four eyes are better than one. But, if it’s a document which will only ever be used internally or you just need the gist of it, an extra proofreading step won’t be needed.
🔎 Questions about practicalities
Questions like…
💭 Do you already have materials translated into this language?
💭 What’s your timescale?
💭 Do you have any non-negotiables?
💭 How can you be contacted?
Why does it matter?
Getting the practicalities right help make sure that everyone is on the same page, saving you time and money in the long run. Translation is ultimately a collaborative process and both sides need to be able to communicate with each other to get the best results. (I always include two rounds of revision in every job so I can hear your feedback and tweak it so it’s just what you need.) We’ve already spoken about how brand voice and consistency in all languages will help build consumer trust. As a company, you may also have golden rules that you follow during the content creation process. Communicating what they are and why helps avoid you spending hours using search and replace to update a document. For example, one client I work with never capitalises their company name. They’re filo. Not Filo. So every time I write for them, I make sure I apply that and point out any instances where it’s slipped through in their content.
How do you do it?
You guessed it. Add it into the brief. If you have a style guide or materials already translated into this language, pass it on. The more information your translator has, the more they can make sure they’re building a consistent content strategy for you.
Not entirely sure what I mean by a style guide? Here are some of the sorts of things it should cover:
It’s also helpful to be as clear on your timeline and expectations as possible. This means everyone is clear on the goals and both sides can make sure that they’re manageable and realistic. In the same way, make it clear how you want to communicate and when. Are you looking for a weekly update? When and how can the translator ask questions? How quickly will you respond? Sorting this out early reduces frustration and prevents the project stalling.
What does your translator do with the info?
One of the key things this practical information helps a translator do is make sure you’ve got what you need, when you need it. If they’re not meeting deadlines and there’s no communication or explanation, that’s a serious 🚩 freelancer red flag. 🚩 If there are genuine non-negotiables that you can’t budge on for whatever reason, just let your translator know. Let’s say you’ve got a super tight budget and you can’t go over £1000. That’s fine. But the translator may have to adjust the project scope to meet that requirement. Adjustments could include:
⚡A longer deadline
⚡Translating less content
⚡Returning it in a different format (a plain word doc rather than fully uploaded on your website)
⚡Not creating a glossary/style guide in that language
⚡Staggering payments so you’re spending the money over several months, quarters or years rather than all at once.
I know you’re probably bored of me saying this but having access to this information is essential to maintain a consistent marketing presence where you sound like the same company every single time, showing customers that they can trust you. It also helps you protect your company values, image and avoid any missteps as you expand into a new market. Often when your translator is asking you questions it’s so they can clarify exactly what you mean or dig deeper so that your voice and values come through clearly. If you don’t have all this detail or it feels a bit vague, let your marketing translator know. They can help you distil your brand voice, create a style guide and glossary to ensure consistency and advise you on what will make cultural sense to your new audience.
