Back translation – what is it and when is it needed?

A back translation, which is sometimes also referred to as reverse translation, is the translation of previously translated content back into its original (source) language. Back translation is carried out by a native speaker of the target language who has not been involved in the project’s execution until this point and has no reference materials or original text available. 

This translation quality assurance method is commonly requested by the most demanding clients with the purpose of verifying the level of accuracy of the original translation. Back translations may differ stylistically, and some words may be replaced by their synonyms, but the final text should definitively show the meaning of the original document as closely as possible. Please note that for the best results, the translator handling this work must be aware that the job concerns a back translation. This means that the translator will stick to the source text a little more closely than usual. It is especially important that small errors or weak sentences in the text are not improved or adapted which is something that the translator would normally do.

A back translation can show the quality of translated text as an equivalent to its original meaning. The process could also be called translation validation. 

Due to its high cost, back translation is not among the most frequently requested services for the purchaser of normal translation services, but it is highly recommended for high risk document translations such as life science documents, clinical trials, market research, herbal recipes, and others. 

However, if highly qualified and experienced linguists are used for the original translation, the second party editing, and the third party review, the back translation phase can be skipped.

Summary:

• A back translation is the validation of a previously translated document against the source text. The main objective is to find any shortcomings in the original translation, and highlight all errors that are discovered.
• The cost of a back translation is similar to that of an original translation that is carried out from scratch. Therefore, this service should be used when 100% precision is required.
• A back translation is primarily requested by the medical, science, and market research industries.
• Ask your Language Service Providers (LSP) if their quality assurance process includes back translation for important documents.

NB: The back translation of MT is also called a round-trip translation. More information on frequently used terms in the translation industry can be found here: Glossary of industry terms.

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www.rixtrans.com

About the author

RixTrans (www.rixtrans.com) – rapidly growing translation agency providing innovative language solutions.

My New Generation Translation Agency

Translation Memory and Translation Memory Tools

What is a translation memory?

A translation memory or TM is a database that stores previously translated source and target words, sentences and paragraphs into an electronic file. This memory allows us to reduce costs for future translation, speed up translation work and keep consistant terminology throughout all documents.

The source text (original) and target text (translation) is stored in TM. Usually, translation memory is created from scratch and updated by the translator with each translation or revision. Looking for a term or sentence in translation memory is searching for repetitions in a previously created individual term base. What it means for a translator is that the same sentence will never have to be translated again. Moreover, translation memories also allow fuzzy matching which shows the translation of a similar segment, even if the 100% match cannot be found. Such fuzzy translation can then be modified by the translator to match the source segment perfectly. The more that translation memories are built up, the faster translators can work, thus accelerating the delivery of translation projects and increasing revenue.

Benefits of using translation memory

1. Terminology. The main advantage of using TMs is the consistency of terminology within all language projects.
2. Ensuring that the document is completely translated. It is immediately clear which parts of the text must be translated.
3. Dividing the project among various translators. Different translation teams can be assigned to your projects if the translation memory is made available. The terminology will remain consistent throughout all projects as new translators can use the pre-translated terms with less effort.
4. Saves time and increases productivity especially when a text is repetitive. 
5. Enabling translators to translate documents in a wide variety of formats, such as .indd, .xml, .html, .rtf, .ppt and many more.
6. Saves money. TM helps clients to save money as the cost of repetitive text is considerably lower.

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Translation memory and related standards

• TMX 
  Translation Memory eXchange (TMX) is a standard that enables the interchange of translation memories between translation suppliers. TMX has been adopted by the translation community as the best way of importing and exporting translation memories. 
• TBX 
  TermBase eXchange. This LISA standard, which was revised and republished as ISO 30042, allows for the interchange of terminology data including detailed lexical information. The framework for TBX is provided by three ISO standards: ISO 12620, ISO 12200 and ISO 16642. ISO 12620 provides an inventory of well-defined “data categories” with standardised names that function as data element types or as predefined values. 
• UTX 
  Universal Terminology eXchange (UTX) format is a standard specifically designed to be used for user dictionaries of machine translation, but it can be used for general, human-readable glossaries. The purpose of UTX is to accelerate dictionary sharing and reuse by its extremely simple and practical specification.
• SRX 
  Segmentation Rules eXchange (SRX) is intended to enhance the TMX standard so that translation memory data that is exchanged between applications can be used more effectively.
• GMX
  GILT Metrics. GILT stands for (Globalisation, Internationalisation, Localisation, and Translation). The GILT Metrics standard comprises three parts: GMX-V for volume metrics, GMX-C for complexity metrics and GMX-Q for quality metrics.
• OLIF 
  Open Lexicon Interchange Format. OLIF is an open, XML-compliant standard for the exchange of terminological and lexical data. 
• XLIFF
  XML Localisation Interchange File Format (XLIFF) is intended to provide a single interchange file format that can be understood by any localisation provider. XLIFF is the preferred way of exchanging data in XML format in the translation industry.
• TransWS
  Translation Web Services. TransWS specifies the calls needed to use web services for the submission and retrieval of files and messages relating to localisation projects. 
• xml:tm
  The xml:tm (XML-based Text Memory) approach to translation memory is based on the concept of text memory which comprises author and translation memory.
• PO
  Gettext Portable Object format. Though often not regarded as a translation memory format, Gettext PO files are bilingual files that are also used in translation memory processes in the same way translation memories are used.

The most popular CAT tools

• SDL Trados 
• Wordfast
• SDLX
• Across 
• STAR Transit
• Idiom 
• Swordfish
• Déjà Vu
• etc.

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www.rixtrans.com

About the author

RixTrans (www.rixtrans.com) – rapidly growing translation agency providing innovative language solutions.

Test Translations – Trial Period for a Freelance Translator

There's an opinion within the translation and localization industry that PERFECT TRANSLATION is not a measure of quality – it’s a lie! It's one I'm inclined to agree with, because nowadays our client requirements are so different that it’s almost impossible to guess precisely every single preferred word and style. I'm using the term 'guess' because translation is not simply changing words from one language into their equivalents in another language. Quality translation involves knowing the context and cultural background of the words in the original text, and then choosing those words and phrases of the target language which will best convey the idea and meaning of the original in a new and different cultural context. However, there can be at least one hundred ways of translating each document, all of which may seem correct from a language point of view, but there’s always a little something extra you can add or change to make it sound even better.

So how can translation agencies prove their ability to deliver quality translations? And how can translation agencies recruit appropriate linguists for the job? Normally there’s only one answer – ask for a test translation. Competition among freelance translators and translation agencies is constantly growing: therefore, an unpaid test translation is becoming commonplace. This may not be the ideal situation for the translator but usually - it’s all or nothing! Either you go from working free of charge to receiving paid assignments in the future if you pass the test, or someone else will get the job instead of you. Of course, there are some clients who agree to pay for tests, but this tends to be more of an exception than regular practice.

RixTrans has been offering quality translation and localization services for some time now and we've collected many interesting cases, some of which I'd like to share with you now. For example, an excellent translator who had received only positive feedback from random clients on his website and marketing text translations was rejected by one of our prospects. He even claimed that our translation was done using machine translation software, although it was not. After long negotiations, we finally came to realize that our client was actually in need of transcreation, not translation services. So we swopped our qualified translator for a third-year university student, who did an excellent job of creating a new marketing text for our client. Can we call it a 'perfect translation' though? Well, it certainly was perfect for this client, but it could just as equally be unacceptable for someone else.

Just a few weeks ago, we received a rather strange request from a large and well-known company who asked us for a free test translation of about 50 pages. Of course, it's up to you if you want to accept such conditions, but in my opinion, unpaid tests shouldn’t exceed 500 words.

So, what is worth considering?

• First, consider whether it’s really necessary to evaluate your potential linguist. Sometimes it can be enough to call on a few references to evaluate whether the candidate can handle the job or not.
• Divide all tests into specific subject matters – marketing, medicine, history, finances, etc.
• Determine which language pairs you might need additional help with in advance.
• Plan the budget. Test translation and vendor evaluation is a major part of the translation business, so it's essential you factor in resources, providers, salaries, office rent and marketing activities.
• Create a plan for linguist evaluation – who will be responsible for this? It's better to keep linguist evaluation in-house as far as it's possible.
• Use test results to rank your potential providers. Client feedback is of course the most important measure of quality, but you still need to start somewhere.
• Test translation doesn’t have to be long. Sometimes three tricky sentences can be enough to determine if the potential candidate can handle the job or not. 
• Think of how much are you are ready to invest in a test translation? At RixTrans we usually don’t take test translations above 500 words. However, every rule has an exception. Coca-Cola once asked for a free test translation of around 3000 words, which we took without a hesitation.

Here at RixTrans, the following criteria is considered before we assign any job to a new vendor:

1. Vendor's qualifications (copies of diploma, previous work experience)
2. Test sample in each category (medical, technical, marketing, IT, law, finances)
3. References

I have a strong belief that there’s no perfect translation in this world, and there’s no single translator that can deliver perfect work for everyone. But considering our vast experience and know-how there’s a great chance that among our team of carefully selected international linguists we will find that perfect one for everybody

What if the costs of the required translation exceed your limit?

1. Don’t give up on a client – making that first contact  means that your potential client is interested in your services. You can either suggest selecting a couple of paragraphs you will translate free of charge to prove your expertise, or offer them a special test translation rate.
2. It’s important to determine actual costs versus potential benefits before you accept any work you are not getting paid for. Always try to think long term (if this is a perspective client who could possibly order from you on a regular basis).
3. Think of each test translation as a learning opportunity. Every passed or failed test translation will give you some lesson you can use in the future. For example, start asking questions and receive quality expectations from the client up-front, asking the client to give feedback on the work, etc.

To be honest, I think that test translations should be looked at as you would a trial period in a new job. Even if you are a qualified employee and fit in perfectly in your new working environment, there’s always a period when you have to accept a lower salary with an option to be fired without prior notice. It's the same story with translations – our clients test, double check, measure and audit our work. Service providers have to either accept it or let the client go.

But the common goal remains the same for both translation agencies and freelance translators – to resolve client language problems and receive an adequate remuneration for the work. Only by working together towards this goal will we succeed.

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www.rixtrans.com

About the author

RixTrans (www.rixtrans.com) – rapidly growing translation agency providing innovative language solutions.

Freelance or In-house Translator?

Over the past few years, we have received a constant flow of e-mails from both new and potential providers asking about freelance versus in-house vacancies. What is the difference between them and which one should we as a translation agency use? What are the pros and cons for each of them? Although there seems to be no precise answer, the interest has made me eager to investigate this question in more depth.

There are many benefits of working as both staff and freelance translator. But before going into more detail about the pros and cons of working with the two kinds of translators, I would first like to explain the difference between each of them.

Note that the term "in-house" does not normally describe a translator who works from home and on a “from time-to time” basis.

• An in-house translator is a translator who works for a specific company as an employee on a full-time basis, usually at the company office.
  Some of the advantages include a regular workflow and set schedule as well as a salary, often with additional benefits such as healthcare and paid vacations.
• A freelance translator is a translator who works as an independent contractor from home or a private office with a variety of clients and with no binding agreements to accept all tasks.
  One of the advantages to being freelance is a more flexible schedule.

Working as in-house or freelance translator

In-house

Freelance

No need to worry about new clients.* You do not have to be 2 (or more) in 1. Which means you do not have to be equally good at translation and key account management. You do not have to spend time on finding new customers. All you have to do is to translate and to satisfy the linguistic needs of pre-existing customers! No need to  worry about Customer Relations Management. You stay behind the scenes and do not have to invest time in CRM. This sets you free to do your main job – translate. No need to worry about finding the workplace, PC and software needed for job. Latest CAT (computer-aided technology) softwares don't come cheap, and that might be an issue for freelancers. But not for an in-house linguist: all equipment, as well as a workplace, is usually provided by your employer. Constant source of income, annual leave and insurance. This is the greatest advantage for in-house translators. Freelancers may be able to work whenever they want, but finding time for a vacation can be a big headache. You can be promoted. True, this does not happen that often, but working in-house could always open new doors in your professional life. Become an expert of specific field. Working for one company could improve your knowledge in specific subject, which allows you to translate faster and deliver translations of better quality, as you don't have to spend time searching for specific terms and expressions. Freelancers sometimes don't have any other choice than to accept everything that comes their way. Your talents will be used solely for translation. As described before, freelancers have to take on many different tasks, including invoicing, basic project management, key accounting and other business related activities, but in-house translators can focus on translation only.

Work whenever you want The biggest advantage for a freelancer is that he/she does not have to wake up and go to work every morning, sit on the train or in traffic jams; simply does not have to waste time and money on the "9 to 5 grind". A Freelancer is the leader of his/her own life. Note, however, that this may often mean taking on tasks that requires working overnight or on weekends: it all depends on how you plan your schedule. The ability to choose what and for whom to translate/ to choose the most profitable and best jobs for you. A freelancer can always decide if he/she would like to take a project on or not. If the project appears too difficult or the deadline is too tight, a freelancer can always turn it down with a perfect excuse — sorry, I'm working on another project at the moment, or by explaining that it would be possible to take up the task if the deadline and/or rate was more flexible. You can refuse any job you don't like. This may not sound very positive, but freelancers sometimes refuse jobs from clients that do not pay on time, have low levels of communication etc. Flexible working time. A freelancer can decide when, where and for how long to work. A freelancer can also translate for different industries (not obligatory). Many freelancers work for different clients in various industries. This enables them to learn new skills and apply them to other projects, too.

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* Note that in-house translators (if stated in their employment agreement) may be able to take some freelance jobs from other clients, while freelancers do not normally get the chance to try being in-house linguists, even occasionally.

There is therefore no precise answer to the question of whether it is better to be an in-house or freelance translator. The most important question is, what are your own priorities? Freedom and flexible hours or stable income and insurance? Freelancers are like small businessmen with their own clients, CRM system and quality control, but this can be an unstable lifestyle to maintain.

A US survey has found that very few translators ever go in-house. Moreover, the vast majority continue to work as freelancers for the duration of their careers. This system is more common in US-based companies and less in Europe.

Having all your team based in-house limits a company to less specialized language combinations than can be offered using a larger stable of freelancers: offering services in 150 language combinations would result in extreme office expenses!! An in-house team for a “one-stop” translation agency is almost impossible.

In-house translation can however be a solution for companies that are not related to the language business. For instance, a manufacturing company may find it more convenient to have an in-house team for the translation of their marketing materials or instruction manuals, as they know which countries they export to and can predict both expenses and workload.

As a language service company, we combine the best of both worlds and work with both freelance and in-house translators. Only in this way can we offer the best quality service. Our project managers are specialists (linguists) in most common language combinations, and allow us to fulfil the last step in our quality control - the project manager gives the last check before sending the translated and proofread translation project to the client.

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www.rixtrans.com

About the author

RixTrans (www.rixtrans.com) – rapidly growing translation agency providing innovative language solutions.

Tips to choose the right, rather than 'best' Language Service Provider

There are several thousands of Language Service Providers (LSPs) around the world, all specialising in particular language combinations or subject fields or in working with customers that represent particular industries.  This makes selecting the most appropriate LSP for your needs essential.

Considerable growth in globalization has led to increased demand for external language services. This offers the ability to free up resources and to translate bigger volumes within the same turnaround times, which pulls you ahead of your competitors. Growth of demand in translation services has also increased business process outsourcing in such low-cost areas as Asia and Eastern Europe. Basing LSPs  in the areas mentioned enables you to receive equal or even better service and quality at costs half  or less of the price you would pay for the same service when assigning an LSP from other areas. That is why the client should select the most appropriate LSP that suits all their requirements - budget, service and quality, along with many other factors described below.

Key aspects to consider when selecting your LSP

1. Word of Mouth

Ask your friends, colleagues or business partners for advice. There is no better or more reliable information than that provided by  a person you trust and can rely on. This way, you can find a provider that is worth your offer of cooperation - or one that you shouldn't bother with. Last, but not least - this kind of advice doesn't cost you a penny!

2. Consult field experts and read studies

Many companies working in the translation industry have joined localization and globalization associations, for example, GALA - Globalization and Localization Association, ELIA - European Language Industry Association, ATA - American Translators Association and many more. If your provider is a member of one or more of these organizations, then this is partial proof of their professionalism and devotion.
More information about the criteria that must be met in order to join these types of professional organizations can usually be found on their own websites, along with a list of members, their contact information and other useful information that may help you to select the appropriate resources.

Multilingual Computing is a leading information source for the language industry. Find out more about the latest trends in the  language industry and various LSPs on its informative website.

Another information source worth noting is the language market research company Common Sense Advisory. Each year it publishes a list of “The Top 100 Language Service Providers”.

3. Set criteria for selecting your language service provider

Going through several selection criteria will help you to find the most appropriate language service provider; one that will provide you with the best quality services with short turnarounds and reasonable rates. Compile a list of your requirements and consider the importance of each of them:

• Are you looking for an individual freelancer or a translation agency?
• What kind of service is required - translation, interpretation or other online/phone interpretation/translation?
• What language combination(s) is required?
• Where will the translation be used - internally or externally?
• Is proofreading and/or editing necessary?
• What is the subject field? Is it technical, legal, medical, marketing text or another subject?
• Is it necessary for your provider to speak your own native language or can you communicate in another foreign language (e.g. French, Russian, Chinese etc.) in order to set up the project?
• Is the location (virtual and/or actual office) of your LSP important?
• Do you require an educational diploma or degree from your translator?
• How much extensive experience is necessary?
• Do you have reference materials and translation memories available?
• Does your provider need to use certain software (e.g CAT tools or presentation software)?
• Is post-translation DTP necessary?
• Is back-translation necessary? And who will be doing this?

4. Translation turnaround - Price - Quality

In business, it is common practice for all deadlines to be met yesterday, for budgets to be limited and top-quality requested! This practice has been applied by many translation agencies around the world. They agree to take on any kind of translation projects, meet impossible deadlines and offer competitive rates. They often succeed in squeezing all this together, but if we look at what they really offer, these projects are often ordered one time only, by clients who do not ultimately provide payment due to bad translation quality.

Companies that follow certain policies will agree that it is better to occasionally turn down an offer when it is necessary rather than lose the client, and the company’s reputation, at the same time. As a language service provider - we suggest you prioritize and emphasize two out or three pre-conditions:

• Low cost + good quality, but extended deadline
• Low cost + tight deadline, but get by without proofreading or editing
• Tight deadline + good quality, but with an additional surcharge for speedy delivery

5. Get to know your LSP for long-term cooperation

It is essential to treat each project individually, but it's also equally important to establish a long-term cooperation with your LSP. Long-term cooperation will allow you to save money by using translation memories and build up a relationship with the same translators, who will quickly become familiar with your requirements, and by having the same point of contact (Project Manager), you can maintain your desired service level. How do you do that? Easy: just get to know your LSP better:

• Look at your LSP’s client package - this way, you can find an LSP that cooperates with representatives of your industry and understands the specific terminology.
• Check your LSP’s financial standing - it's important to know if a language service provider can continue to meet their commitments if they were to lose their biggest client. Note that this can also affect your own inquiries.
• How does your LSP work - check your LSP working methods. What methods do they use, what kind of QA (quality assurance) policy they have, what selection procedure they use to hire translators and proofreaders. Do not hesitate to ask about every single detail that interests you.
• Talk all this through before the first project has been started - meet with your LSP and talk through all the cooperation issues and details before confirming the first project (from A to Z, from placing an order to invoicing).

6. Ask for a test translation

Most translation agencies offer a test translation no longer than one page. Normally, these are provided free of charge and allow you to evaluate the translation quality provided by the LSP. They also help to show that the LSP is interested and willing to establish a new and long-term cooperation.

Summary

To find the right LSP for your first project as you browse through so many well-presented, colourful websites  is not easy.  We have tried to help you through our own experience, so that you can succesfully make  the right decision by choosing a respectable, highly experienced, good quality language service provider that will meet your needs in short turnaround times and at a reasonable price. 
Don't be content to find the so-called 'best' language service provider. Set your priorities so that you can assign the right LSP.

To sum up, I would like to quote a saying that is very important in this business - always choose the golden mean:

"Not all LSPs that charge high prices offer high quality services and not all LSPs that charge low prices deliver low quality services - the best suppliers charge mid-range prices!"

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www.rixtrans.com

About the author

RixTrans (www.rixtrans.com) – rapidly growing translation agency providing innovative language solutions.

SEO tips for website localization (localisation)

According to data from the Internet World Stats, English is the most popular language on the internet, but let’s not forget that there are approximately 6,899 other languages in the world whose users can become your next biggest clients.

By checking out the Common Sense Advisory market survey "Language Services Market: 2012" we can see that 49.38% of the entire translation market takes place wholly in Europe, which can be explained by the large market and vast amount of different official languages. These figures also show the current business market trends, and that speaking your clients' languages and localising your website, products and advertisements into the target culture opens up much higher market potential.

How to kill two birds with one stone

A recent Forbes study shows that only 18% of Americans report speaking a language other than English, while 53% of Europeans (and increasing numbers in other parts of the world) can converse in a second language. This means that product and website localisation in any of the most popular European languages can help you to increase your international business potential by up to 47%. It sounds simple, but you have to remember that only correct website localisation, according to SEO requirements, will give you the expected results. Otherwise, this can become a waste of time and money and lost opportunity. I'll now briefly share some basic information on website localisation and give you a few tips for creating a website that can increase your sales (please remember that this article is not about the technical side of website creation, but about the rules to follow when localising it into another language!)

Website localisation service should include

• CMS (Content management system) localisation
• Website URL localisation
• Website Title localisation
• Website Description localisation
• Website Keyword translation
• File name, according to SEO, and most used keywords translation
• Website text translation, according to SEO requirements
• Google AdWords Places and other service localisation

Website localization plan

During our many years of experience in the field of SEO translations, we have faced different problems, mainly caused by an incorrectly prepared localisation plan and inappropriately set goals. Here are a few tips for your website's localisation planning:

1. Local market research

Before you start working on web page localisation, you have to do some basic market research. This will help you to understand the local market needs, culture and traditions, as well as giving you a competitive advantage over your competitors. We recommend outlining your company's unique values on the web site's landing page right away.

2. Glossary creation, style guide, TM and keyword localisation

Consistency is the key factor for high quality website translations. There are three tools that help maintain consistency in web page localisation – glossaries, a style guide, and a translation memory. Glossaries help maintain consistency at the term level, and translation memories do this at the sentence level, but style guides help fill in the gaps by maintaining consistency in style, tone, phrasing, and more.
Once this preparation work is done, you have to choose and localise the keywords you want potential clients to find you with. The more precisely you define your keywords, the better SEO results and targeted sales you will have.

3. Country-specific domains

Think of the most appropriate domain name. It’s not a secret that along with server location, also webpage domain name can play a huge role in your website’s visibility on the search engines. 
Local domains (.ru, .se, .fi, .au, etc) are very effective for the local search engines therefore we suggest you registering your website in the target country if possible (www.example.se).
In case you don’t want to register new domain name, you can also choose one of the following options:

1. Divide your web page language pages using sub-domains: se.example.com, ru.example.com
2. Divide languages into directories (the most popular solution): www.example.com/se/, www.example.com/ru/

4. CMS (Content management system) localization

If possible, you should translate your website CMS system into the target language. This enables you to pass all the responsibility for website management onto employees in the target country.

5. Code – Unicode and UTF-8 and International character set support

Make sure that your website supports the target language and its special characters!

The Unicode Standard is a character coding system designed to support the worldwide interchange, processing, and display of the written texts of the diverse languages and technical disciplines of the modern world.

UTF-8 (UCS Transformation Format—8-bit) is a variable-width encoding that can represent every character in the Unicode character set. UTF-8 was designed to replace the ASCII system. By choosing one of these encoding systems, you can ensure that the target language will display properly to all website visitors.

6. Website design localization

Remember that some languages may look different on the screen due to varying word lengths and special characters. For example, localised text in Finnish will always be longer than in English, and that can ruin the whole webpage layout. We recommend you plan ahead and reserve more space for webpage navigation buttons, built-in forms and other webpage elements.

7. Language menu

It may sound funny, but there are a lot of well localised websites on the internet that cannot be found on search engines due to incorrectly localised language menus. In actual fact, there are just three correct ways to allocate website language:

1.    Language flag banner

2.    Language name

3.    Language ISO code

From an SEO perspective, there is no perfect solution to choose, as long as you select one of these three solutions. For better visibility, you can even combine two of three solutions on your webpage.

8. Website check with free SEO online tools

After text creation, we recommend you check your web page using the following free of charge SEO online tools:

• SEO Site Checkup
• Keyword Density Checker - Keyword Cloud
• SEO Tool Set

These free online tools will automatically allow you to check keyword density (must be in a range of 2-4%), SEO friendly Title, Description and Keyword length, keyword and key phrases in headings, body text, ATL tags and other information.
Remember that the best SEO result can only be achieved if your website meets as much criteria as possible. 

9. Geolocation

You should pay particular attention to your website server location, as has been highlighted in recent announcements by Google and other search engine operators. Websites with a server IP address in a particular country will almost always rank higher than localised websites from other locations.

Solutions:

1. Include different website languages under one server
2. Create one main webpage, and localise only the most important information into other languages by registering separate domain names in all countries. This is a more expensive solution, but it can pay off if visibility on search engines is a key factor for your business. 

Possible issues: You could lose your existing website page ranking for a while, since localised languages will disappear from your current server.

10. Website registration in local search enginges

To improve website recognition in particular countries, you will need to register your website on different local search engines, which will then redirect traffic to your website. In most cases this registration is free of charge.

11. Social media as the sales channel

Social media can be the fastest and easiest way to inform potential clients about your product or service, but you have to speak their language to achieve good results.

12. Building back links to your web page

It's very important to get as many back links to your web page as possible. This will help build traffic to your web page, and search engines will rank it higher accordingly.

Summary

www.rixtrans.com

If you're planning on doing it right, website localisation is more than just translating your existing website into another language. Listed above are just a few basic rules we recommend you follow for the best return on your investment: it's also worth remembering that nowadays, a website is the public face of company, which is why you are strongly encouraged to spare no resources on localisation services, which should be viewed as a long-term investment.

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 About the author

RixTrans (www.rixtrans.com) – rapidly growing translation agency providing innovative language solutions to companies and organisations that are operating in IT, legal, marketing, medical, technical, telecommunications, finance and other industries.