How To Find Professional Marketing Translation Services

When your business attains a particular level of growth, the necessity for professional marketing translations becomes indispensable. This necessity is particularly pronounced in creative domains like advertising, marketing, and communications. Once you commence engaging in international business, you inevitably encounter the hurdle of language differences. Yet, the question remains: How can you identify a suitable agency to translate your marketing materials?

This piece aims to facilitate the acquisition of optimal translations by guiding you in locating a dependable and skilled marketing translation agency to collaborate with. Presented below are some crucial factors to review before engaging a marketing translation provider for your project.

Consider Your Marketing Translation Needs

What’s the extent of your translation requirements? Are you translating occasional emails to your German business partners, or do you produce at least one social media post daily? Are you dispatching numerous marketing emails monthly to various countries? If your needs lean towards specific and technical aspects – like a handful of straightforward emails in a particular language pairing, without time constraints – collaborating with an individual translator could be the optimal route.

As your business grows more international, diverse, and creative, the significance of reaching out to an agency amplifies, given their expansive network of marketing translation providers across the globe.

Make a Shortlist of Professional Marketing Translation Companies

Conducting a swift Google search yields a plethora of outcomes for freelance marketing translators and marketing translation agencies. An additional trustworthy avenue for sourcing adept translation collaborators involves tapping into your personal network. It’s possible that someone within your social circles possesses knowledge of or prior engagement with a marketing translation partner. Connecting with them and gathering insights on their encounters and assessments can significantly benefit your company, saving a substantial amount of time.

During this phase, it’s essential to focus on the subsequent details in order to sift through irrelevant or unsuitable partners:

• Language Pair Offerings: If your content requires translation into only one or two languages, prioritize local or regional agencies over global ones that promise coverage of all languages. To make an informed decision, it’s wise to explore whether aligning with a regional or global translation agency is more suitable. Refer to this blog post for further guidance.
• Service Range: Do their services encompass all your needs? Partnering with an entity capable of addressing all your requisites aids in cost-effective coordination.
• Company Portfolio: These references showcase their actual proficiency within the localization sector, as well as their track record in localizing content within your specific industries. Those boasting extensive relevant experiences are inclined to exhibit fewer errors in the process and deliver higher overall quality.

Upon completing your research, you should have a concise list of 5-7 potential marketing translation partners that align with your upcoming marketing translation projects.

Compare Their Competences

Once you have a list of potential professional marketing translation vendors, it’s time to assess their competencies on multiple fronts. Here are the key factors you should consider:

1. Rate & Quality

Although price should not be the exclusive deciding factor, evaluating pricing models and the efficiency of marketing translation services is crucial. Obtain comprehensive quotes from various agencies, taking into account aspects such as word count, content complexity, and any supplementary services needed. Bear in mind that while premium marketing translation services might appear more costly upfront, addressing the repercussions of inadequately translated content, in the long run, can prove significantly more expensive.

2. Client Reviews

The experiences of past clients can provide valuable insights into a vendor’s reliability, professionalism, and capabilities. Dive into the world of online reviews and testimonials to gauge the overall satisfaction level of their customers. Look for consistency in positive feedback and pay particular attention to any recurring issues or concerns that might have been raised. If possible, reach out to former clients directly to gather more in-depth perspectives. 

To access customer reviews, reputable review platforms like GoodFirms.co or Clutch.co are excellent options. For instance, you can refer to GTE Localize’s profiles on GoodFirms and Clutch.co as exemplars of agencies with positive feedback.

You have the option to explore dedicated platforms for translators, such as ProZ, to access translator reviews. It’s widely regarded as an unspoken norm that every reputable and professional marketing translation company globally should maintain a presence on ProZ. The absence of such a profile might raise concerns, suggesting potential issues like fraudulent activities or other reasons for exclusion from ProZ. To illustrate, you can refer to GTE Localize’s ProZ profile as a point of reference.

3. Translator Team

Effective communication with your clients, regardless of their language, is paramount. Hence, your quest should be to identify a professional marketing translation agency capable of delivering precise and top-tier marketing translations. This assurance is best attained through collaboration with proficient and seasoned translators. Your chosen translator should possess a minimum of five years of experience and must demonstrate their aptitude in handling marketing translations via a proficiency test. Additionally, professional linguists ought to hold a translation degree.

You understand that the heart of marketing lies in customer engagement. Yet, does your selected professional marketing translation agency grasp this vital aspect? Prioritize investment in professional translations executed by industry experts who adeptly localize or transcreate your content. This methodology, distinct from literal translation, guarantees that you can communicate lucidly and fluidly with your clients, fostering a deeper rapport and resonating with them emotionally.

4. Certification & Membership

Certifications and memberships in professional marketing translation associations demonstrate a commitment to quality and ongoing professional development. Verify whether the vendor’s translators hold certifications from recognized bodies such as the American Translators Association (ATA) or the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). Membership in associations like the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) also speaks volumes about their dedication to the translation industry. Such affiliations indicate that the vendor stays updated with best practices and industry trends. 

When engaging with marketing translation agencies, it’s strongly advisable to collaborate with those that hold ISO certification. This certification underscores their dedication to adhering to universally acknowledged standards. It’s prudent to explore professional marketing translation agencies holding ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems and/or ISO 17100:2015 for Requirements in Translation Services.

5. Other Factors

As you scrutinize potential vendors, consider any additional services or offerings they provide. Some companies may offer services beyond professional marketing translation, such as marketing localization, content adaptation, and assistance with cultural nuances. These value-added services can significantly contribute to the success of your marketing efforts, ensuring that your message not only translates accurately but also resonates authentically with your target audience.

Sign the NDA

Before you share sensitive marketing materials with potential vendors, it’s imperative to establish a foundation of trust. This is where a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) comes into play. An NDA safeguards your proprietary information and prevents the marketing translation service from sharing or using your content for purposes other than the intended translation. By setting this legal framework, you ensure the confidentiality of your intellectual property.

Request a Professional Marketing Translation Test

To truly assess a professional marketing translation service’s capabilities, request a small translation test. This could involve providing a sample piece of marketing content that you consider representative of your brand’s voice and messaging. Distribute this sample to each vendor on your shortlist and assess their translations for accuracy, fluency, and cultural relevance. Evaluating the quality of their work on a real-life sample allows you to make an informed decision about their suitability for your project.

Inquire with the agency about performing a sample marketing translation. A reputable and professional marketing translation agency should offer this service free of charge, typically as part of a bid or proposal. For your trial run, select one or several concise texts (with a maximum of 200-300 words). Determine the types of texts that you frequently require translation for. 

Preferably, the test reviewer should be a native member of your internal team, capable of assessing both marketing translation precision and the alignment of style and tone. Kindly emphasize to your internal reviewer that the intent is marketing translation and localization, not a complete rewording of content in the target language. We’re highlighting this point as occasionally, the internal reviewer might anticipate the test candidates to deviate extensively from the source text. Accuracy remains a significant criterion in a marketing translation test.

For more details, read this post: How To Test Your Translation Partners?

Begin the Marketing Translation Project

Once you’ve selected a vendor that aligns with your requirements and passes the test phase, it’s time to kick off the professional marketing translation project. Clear communication at this stage is paramount. Provide the translation team with comprehensive guidelines that encompass your goals, target audience, brand identity, and any specific nuances that need to be considered during the translation process. Regular communication throughout the project ensures that any questions or concerns are addressed promptly, maintaining a collaborative and productive partnership.

Have a Backup Plan

While you’ve done your due diligence in selecting a professional marketing translation service, it’s always wise to have a backup plan. Unforeseen challenges, changes in circumstances, or unexpected delays can occur in any project. Having an alternative vendor in mind can help you navigate such situations without disrupting your marketing timeline. It’s a strategic approach that provides you with the flexibility to address any unexpected hurdles while ensuring your marketing efforts stay on track. 

Partner With The Professional Marketing Agency

Effectively entering new global markets necessitates the meticulous choice of a professional marketing translation agency that comprehends your requirements and possesses the proficiency to provide top-notch, brand-consistent, and culturally tailored translations.

If you’re seeking professional marketing translations, your search ends here. Welcome to GTE Localize, the marketing translation agency you’ve been seeking. Our extensive network of over 1.200 qualified translators stands ready to swiftly and accurately translate your marketing materials. We understand the significance of your marketing content and pledge to prioritize both you and your business.

Our commitment to quality, coupled with our competitive rates, has propelled us to collaborate with numerous local and global clients. Renowned companies like Meta, Abbott, TikTok, Google, etc. have entrusted us with their marketing translation needs.

For further insights into GTE Localize’s professional marketing translation services and our strategy in collaborating with brands to secure their triumph in fresh markets, kindly peruse our website or reach out to our team.