5 easy steps to get your project translation-ready

7 Nov

The stress-free way to get your content translated

You’ve decided to take the plunge and get your website, blog or academic thesis translated into another language. Nice work!

You’ve also decided against the route of “whack it all in Google Translate and get someone to check it for you”. Again, great work!

I know you’re excited and raring to go, but before you start contacting professional translators and asking for a quote, follow these 5 easy steps to guarantee you and your translator will have a happy, productive, and stress-free experience.

Sounds good, right? Let’s take a look.

Professional organising their content before contacting a language service provider

Is it finished?

This may seem obvious, but sending a text to be translated before the end version is finalised can increase the cost and cause unnecessary headaches. Now, when I worked in-house, this was par for the course. To get a head start on longer pieces, I’d start translating on the first revision and sometimes there would be version 6, version 7, even version 12. This was a pain in the ass but it was fine: I knew the content, I was specialised in the brand’s style, and let’s not forget, I was paid a salary.

If a freelance translator needs to review and make adjustments, they will charge you extra for their time. And if you do have to make changes? Pro tip: make sure edits are clearly marked.

2. Do you require extra revisions or services?

Perhaps you’re already aware that your content is not finalised, or maybe you prefer to review the translated content and collaborate with the translator. This is particularly useful when translating brand content or advertising: language style is highly subjective!

In this case, a contract that includes further revisions or is paid on a per-project basis is mutually beneficial. I personally love discussing language options and having a dialogue with people from different disciplines and professions, as long as I’m warned beforehand. Being freelance can feel a bit lonely sometimes, so feedback is always welcome.

**3. Do you need more than just translation?**

Nope, I’m not referring to a back massage, free coffee and a spot on the guest list.

Do you require a more specialised service and set of skills? For example, if you want to translate your website, do you need SEO optimisation or implementation of meta-tags?

Would you like feedback on your company’s copy and branding?

Many translators are specialised in these fields and will happily provide these services, as long as it is clearly stipulated.

4. Does it need formatting?

I rejoice every time I receive a document in a straightforward, old-school Word document. Hallelujah! Easy to assess the length and word count, simple to import into my CAT software, and everyone knows where they stand.

Nevertheless, sometimes this isn’t possible and that’s fine too. But be warned, translators usually charge extra for the task of exporting and converting documents. Save them the trouble—and save yourself extra cost—by using a straightforward format when you can.

5. Is there any additional information you can give the translator?

This can include: in-house style guides, supporting documents, visual aids for campaigns, even previous translations. It’s not cheating, it’s incredibly helpful and helps maintain brand consistency.

Likewise, if you have a lot of images or graphs in your content, do these need to be translated? Can they be edited?

What language variation do you need? British English, US, or somewhere in between?

The more information you can give,

the smoother the process will be.

There you have it!