What Do You Need To Know About Website Localization On Squarespace?

“Website localization is a must if you want to successfully enter a new market.” We bet you have heard this sentence a couple of times (if not hundreds of times) when planning to go into a new market. It has almost become a cliche now. So to prove to you the importance of website localization, let’s take a look at some important figures:

• • 71.4 per cent of internet users spend the majority of their time on websites written in their mother tongue;
  • 65 per cent prefer content in their native language;
  • 40 per cent will not buy in another language;

Now that’s you know the essentials of website localization, let’s dig deep into how to perform this task effectively. In the scope of this post, we will give you instructions on how to localize your website on Squarespace – one of the most popular website builders, with 2.5+ million websites built on it.

If your website is built on WordPress, check out our guide here.

#1. UI Content Extraction

To extract content from a Squarespace website, simply follow the 4 straightforward steps below:

Step 1: Go to Settings -> Advanced -> Import/Export.

Image source: Squarespace

Step 2: When you click on the Export button, there will be a WordPress icon showing up. Click on this icon.

Step 3: Only one Blog Page can be exported at a time. If your site has more than one Blog Page, a Select Primary Blog message will appear. Select Primary Blog and then click Export.

Image source: Squarespace

Step 4: After the export is complete, the Download button will appear. You can save your file in XML format to your computer.

Image source: Squarespace

#2. Import Content to Localization Platforms or Tools

The next step is to import the content you have exported from your website into localization platforms or CAT Tools for translation. You have two options: manually send the content to your translators who will later import it to CAT Tools or automatically send the content to your linguists through localization platforms (e.g. Crowdin or Lokalise) or plugins.

You can follow our detailed guild here.

#3. Import Resources for Website Localization

In this step, your translation partner will upload the localization resources you have prepared, such as the Translation Memory (TM) and Glossary into the CAT Tool or localization platform. This is a straightforward procedure that any professional agency can carry out.

#4. Localize Content and Linguistic Quality Check

If you decided to use a CAT Tool for translation, your translation partners will begin translating, editing, and proofreading the content directly on the tool. They will also perform all necessary linguistic quality checks for your translated content.

If you use a localization platform, you need to perform another step before your linguists can start working on this website localization project. You must invite project members to work on the platform you chose. On Crowdin, simply navigate to Resources -> Vendors and select the name of your Crowdin-integrated translation vendor.

Image source: Crowdin

#5. Import Translations to Your Website

After receiving the translation, it’s time to import the newly translated content into your website. If you use CAT Tools and receive files in the XML file, follow the detailed instruction here to import them to your Squarespace website.

In case you use Crowdin, follow the steps below:

• • Your translations are automatically incorporated into the website as an API or CLI to retrieve the translated content.
  • Alternatively, you can manually download translations and import them into your website builder as described above. Go to the Home -> Build & Download to configure your export rules.

Image source: Crowdin

#6. In-Context Review

In this step, all visual elements such as layout, fonts, figures, images, headings, and so on are thoroughly reviewed from the perspective of users in order to improve their experience when reading and using your website.

The following is a checklist of key elements to consider:

• • Grammar errors;
  • Spelling mistakes;
  • Word choice;
  • Punctuation;
  • Culturally-inappropriate texts;
  • Readability of message;
  • The appeal of web designs;
  • Untranslated strings.

#7. Functional Review

The goal of functional testing is to eliminate any bugs or errors that interfere with the proper display of content on your website. The functional step should be assigned to your website developers as well as your linguists and project managers to make sure that both linguistic and technical issues of the new version of your website are well handled.

• • Image appropriateness;
  • Names, measurements, currency, etc.;
  • Shopping Basket;
  • Form functionality;
  • Page speed;
  • Hyperlinks;
  • Encryption algorithms;
  • Entry fields are some of the functional elements that must be tested.

Sum Up

It is undeniable that the website localization process requires a quite investment from you (both time and money).  However, the advantages of website localization make it worthwhile. We hope that with the guide above, you have gained some useful knowledge to translate and localize your Squarespace website content into new languages.

Check out our free whitepaper for instructions if you use other website builders such as WordPress and Wix.

Look no further than GTE Localize if you need a professional and experienced website localization agency. We offer full-process website localization services for all website builders, including WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and more. We are also official partners of various localization platforms such as Lokalise and Crowdin, allowing us to provide you with the best workflow and continuous localization solutions.

Contact our team and get your website localization project kicked off today!