The Role of Website Translation in Content Marketing

Introduction

In the fast-paced realm of the digital era, content marketing has become a critical strategy for businesses aiming to connect with multilingual audiences. Unlike traditional marketing, content marketing focuses on creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience.  

A business's website often serves as the first point of interaction with potential customers from different parts of the world. The ability of a website to communicate effectively with a new audience becomes paramount.  

Content Marketing for Businesses 

A global content marketing strategy is focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.  

Unlike traditional marketing, which often interrupts the audience to get noticed, content marketing aims to deliver information that makes the consumer more intelligent. The essence of this strategy is the belief that if businesses deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward the company with their loyalty and business. 

What Content Needs to be Translated? 

Your business likely puts out many different types of content for your audience. You may not realize how much of it could require content localization to reach more customers: 

• Business Website: Your website is your most crucial customer touch point. Don't neglect the 75% of users who prefer to use websites in their language. 
• Social Media Posts: Translating posts can help in reaching a wider audience and engaging with them in a more personal manner. 
• Marketing Materials: Brochures, flyers, email campaigns, and digital ads in multiple languages can target a broader demographic. 
• Product Descriptions: For e-commerce businesses, translating product descriptions and reviews can significantly impact purchasing decisions of non-English speaking customers. 
• Customer Support Materials: FAQs, guides, and support documents in multiple languages enhance customer experience and satisfaction. 

Key Benefits of Content Marketing  

The primary objective of content marketing is to drive profitable customer action. Translating your website, though, has some crucial added benefits. Website translation and localization can increase search traffic by 47%, boost website visits by 70%, and increase conversion rates by 20%. 

Further, it encompasses several other goals, such as: 

• Building Brand Awareness: By creating content that resonates with the target audience, businesses can increase their visibility and establish a recognizable brand identity. 
• Engagement: High-quality content can engage readers, encouraging them to interact more with the brand, whether through sharing content or participating in discussions. 
• Customer Education: Informative content helps educate potential and existing customers about products or services, aiding their decision-making process. 
• Trust and Credibility Building: Providing valuable content helps establish a business as a thought leader in its industry, fostering trust among its audience. 
• SEO Benefits: Regularly updated, quality content is favored by search engines, improving a website’s SEO and driving organic traffic. 

What to Consider in Content Creation 

The effectiveness of a business’s website in content marketing is significantly influenced by its design, usability, and content: 

• Design: A visually appealing design can capture the attention of visitors, but it needs to be aligned with the brand’s identity and message. 
• Usability: A user-friendly website with intuitive navigation and a clear structure keeps visitors engaged and makes it easy for them to find what they are looking for. 
• Quality Content: High-quality, relevant content is essential for engaging the audience. It should be tailored to the target audience's interests and needs. 
• Mobile Optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive website is critical for reaching a broader audience. 

Examples of Successful Content Marketing Strategies 

Thermon 

Thermon, a heating equipment manufacturer, needed to offer its website and technical documents in local languages to better serve its global customer base. 

MotionPoint accurately translated Thermon's large number of technical documents and used a systematic process and toolset that enabled Thermon's field teams to easily participate in the translation review. MotionPoint also launched the company's website in four languages within 90 days. Following a phased approach, that Thermon requested, MotionPoint delivered websites in nine additional languages. 

Urban Outfitters 

In Spring 2010, Urban Outfitters re-evaluated its European strategy. The company had been selling in Europe for more than 15 years, but the region's accelerating growth demanded a new approach. 

Through content marketing, Urban Outfitters developed a strong online European presence, driving web sales, boosting brand awareness and increasing in-store traffic. 

These companies demonstrate how a well-designed website, coupled with a strategic approach to content and user experience, can significantly amplify a brand’s content marketing efforts. 

The Role of Website Translation in Content Marketing 

Companies that have invested in website translation report a significant increase in market reach and a corresponding rise in customer base. For example, a report by CSA Research noted that Fortune 500 companies that increased their translation budget were 1.5 times more likely to experience an increase in revenue. 

A business website is not just a digital brochure; it's a central hub for a brand's online presence and content marketing strategy. In many ways, a website acts as the cornerstone of content marketing efforts for several reasons: 

1. It’s the primary content platform where businesses can publish and showcase their brand– be it blog posts, white papers, case studies, or videos. 
2. A website is often the first impression for potential customers and establishes a brand’s identity, its values, and its offerings. 
3. A well-structured website with quality content is pivotal for SEO, helping brands to be found by potential customers through search engines. 
4. Websites serve as the primary point for lead generation and conversion, through calls-to-action (CTAs), contact forms, and other interactive elements. 

Increase User Engagement and Widen Brand Reach 

When visitors see content in their native language, they are more likely to spend more time on the site, understand the offered products or services better, and feel a connection with the brand. 

Providing content in a user's native language can build trust and credibility. Users often feel more confident in their interactions with a website if they know the company has tried to cater to their language preferences. A CSA study found that 72.4% of consumers said they would be more likely to buy a product with information in their own language. 

Professional Translation Services vs. Free Translation Tools 

While automated translation tools like Google Translate have become sophisticated, they still fall short in many aspects compared to professional translation services, like understanding cultural nuances, context, tone, brand voice, and technical and legal content. 

Depending on your business' needs, you may be able to manually translate some marketing and web content yourself. However, when your company requires great quality, accuracy, and efficiency, "good enough" will not be good enough! 

While translating and localizing content presents its challenges, they can be effectively managed through a combination of professional expertise, cultural understanding, and strategic planning. Learn about MotionPoint's expertise when it comes to website translation and content marketing. Reach out to us today.