How to Stay Ahead of the Curve With CMS Translation Services

Three illustrative screens with one page translated into multiple languages.

Have you ever wondered how your favourite websites seamlessly speak your language, even if they originate from the far corners of the world? It’s almost like they have a secret code to connect with audiences across different cultures and languages. Well, that’s not magic (or is it?): It’s the power of CMS Translation Services.

In this fast-paced world, in which everything seems to change quicker than we could realise, the ability to break language barriers has become a key strength for businesses and professionals alike.

Whether you’re a small blog owner or work in a multinational company, embracing website translation can open the doors to a vast global audience. It’s somewhat like having a master key, ready to be used anywhere, anytime.

Ready to propel your online presence? Then just read on.

What are CMS Translation Services?

In its essence, CMS translation is the approach of transforming website content, be it articles, product descriptions, or entire web pages, from one language into another. All of this while preserving the original meaning and intent, of course.

That is, for people from new markets, who speak other languages, to experience the same as native speakers of the original version.

It’s like a bridge that connects diverse cultures and allows information to flow seamlessly across linguistic borders.

And, in the current landscape, where the internet knows no bounds, translation and localisation have become key solutions for the wanderers who are seeking to extend their reach and go after the world.

#OptimationalTip: Imagine having a captivating website that speaks to potential customers in their language, regardless of where they are. It’s like offering them a warm welcome, inviting them to explore and engage with your content effortlessly.

Is Machine Translation Enough?

In the quest for faster translations, some may turn to machine translation tools, such as Google Translate or DeepL.

While these tools have come a long way in terms of accuracy, they still lack the nuances and cultural understanding that human translators bring to the table. For casual, non-critical texts, machine translation can be a good idea.

However, for business-related content, relying solely on machines may lead to misunderstanding and convey the wrong message. Or even lead to issues at more complex levels than just the purely linguistic; trust us, you don’t want that to happen to your content.

In short: The value of the human touch in CMS translation services goes beyond language skills. A global eCommerce, for example, can benefit greatly from content localisation that enables its website to describe the products in a way that appeals to local customs.

Moreover, the checkout experience (once the users are in the shopping cart) remains simple and seamless and doesn’t hamper an almost-done deal.

A professional and accurate translation ensures that your content addresses cultural sensitivities, idiomatic expressions, and local nuances. This ensures that messages are effectively conveyed and received by a global audience, however varied it may be.

#OptimationalTip: AI translation software can be a helpful asset, you just need to understand when and how to use it. Learn more about how good machine translation is.

Why Translating a Web Page Matters

As globalisation continues to weave its threads into every aspect of our lives, CMS translation services emerge as a fundamental tool for communication and expansion. Here are a few key reasons why it matters:

Unlocking global audiences: With multilingual translation, your content becomes accessible to a diverse international audience. You can seize new business opportunities in markets that were previously untapped or where you might be lacking a competitive edge.

Cultural relevance: As we tried to depict, translating content goes beyond mere word conversion; it involves cultural adaptation. By tailoring your message to resonate with different norms, preferences, and habits, you create a deeper and more authentic connection with your audience. And CMS translation services aim exactly at that.

Enhancing UX: This may be pretty obvious, but worth the mention. A well-translated multilingual website enhances the user experience, making visitors feel valued and understood. Being able to read and interact with content that’s in our mother tongue, as users, makes us perceive a certain empathy with the brand. And this leads to greater loyalty, higher engagement, and best word of mouth. All of this to boost the chances of conversion.

Building trust and credibility: Offering content in multiple languages instils a sense of reliability in your brand. Users are more likely to perceive your company as professional and reputable when you cater to their language preferences. But there’s more: When the translation is done well and error-free.

SEO perks: Search engines favour websites with multilingual content. This means you can improve your ranking positioning for multiple regions and, with it, your online visibility. So now you know: If you have European content, i.e. for several countries in the old continent, remember that SEO in English isn’t the only way.

CMS Translation Services in Use: Supported Platforms

Certainly, there’s no shortage of platforms and tools available to cater to your multilingual needs. And regarding CMS, there’s a wide range of options for you to pick from, although you probably have already made your choice, right?

Whether they offer seamless integration, user-friendly interfaces, or a range of specific features, what’s crucial is that the one you use is the one that fits your needs.

These are some popular CMS platforms that support multilingual content:

Custom CMS Solutions

For businesses with unique requirements, custom-built solutions offer tailor-made multilingual capabilities.

This alternative allows you to design a translation workflow that aligns precisely with your content management needs and your target audience. All while having the basic needs of your website covered, naturally.

#OptimationalTip: WordPress is one of the most widely used platforms globally. Since it has a vibrant ecosystem of plugins and themes, it’s an excellent choice for multilingual websites. If this is your chosen CMS, rest assured that WordPress translation is truly doable.

Ways to Translate a Webpage Content

We have just covered the platforms on which CMS translation services are possible, now let’s have a look at the how.

Here are the main options to make your multilingual content a reality.

#1 Manual Extraction and Translation

For smaller websites or occasional translations, manual extraction and translation might be a feasible option.

This process involves exporting the content from your CMS and translating it offline using tools like spreadsheets or document editors.

Then, you would have to reimport the translated content back into your CMS. While this method can work for simple sites, it becomes cumbersome and error-prone as your website grows or when dealing with frequent updates.

#2 Utilising Plugins for CMS Translation Services

Many popular CMS platforms offer plugins that integrate directly with your website, simplifying the translation workflow.

These plugins provide a user-friendly interface to manage multilingual content and can connect you with professional translators or translation services.

Another advantage of using these tools is that they streamline the process, allowing you to handle translations directly within your CMS.

#3 Computer-Assisted Translation Tools

CAT tools are specialised software designed to assist professional linguists (yes, humans) in the translation process. Their advantage? They can store previously translated segments, terminology databases, and translation memories to ensure consistency across the content.

This is why we love them; they make our work easier, help us deal with repetitive tasks and, at the same time, ensure higher accuracy and high-quality outcome.

Imagine you need a multilingual version of all your blogs, which together add up to more than 50,000 words. And you require that ASAP. A translation agency would, most probably, divide its content between a few translators to speed up the process.

But, there might be many words that are repeated throughout the text, and admit multiple renderings. How can you ensure there won’t be any confusion or multiple options being used?

Well, CAT tools are the ones that enable that smooth consistency.

#4 Hybrid Approach

In some cases, a combination of these methods might work best.

For instance, you can use a plugin for the initial WordPress translation. Then, your translation partner will employ CAT tools to fine-tune and optimise the translated content.

This hybrid approach can help you leverage AI translation capabilities and enhance productivity, all while maintaining linguistic coherence throughout your website and compliance with the best QA standards.

#OptimationalTip: Want to know more? Gain insight with our free webinar, What is a CAT Tool?

A Special Highlight: CMS Translation Services Are Key to Mind Your SEO

There are several challenges in website translation, but today we’re going to focus on one in particular: Multilingual SEO.

We won’t go over the obvious… or perhaps we should: In the online world, attracting organic traffic is essential.

So, when it comes to translating a web page, it’s crucial not to overlook the core SEO elements. You need them to be localised by a professional native linguist, who has the right expertise in SEO and how search engines behave.

Here are those 101 elements:

Meta tags and descriptions: Localise these snippets while incorporating relevant keywords and preserving content essence within character limits.

URLs and permalinks: Translate these items for a consistent user experience and ensure they remain descriptive (while SEO-friendly.)

Keywords: Localise your key phrases to match with language variants and target regions. It may sound silly, but not all Spanish speakers, i.e., use the same terms.

Image Alt text: Accurately translate this element, while also incorporating the localised main keyword. This boosts SEO, but also accessibility.

Hreflang tags: Implement them to signal language variations to search engines. This way, you avoid being punished for duplicated content.

Structured data markup: This is crucial to achieving better search engine understanding.

Localising content for each market: Well, we mentioned this enough. But basically, make sure to adapt content to resonate with specific local markets.

#OptimationalTip: Here’s a checklist in case you need some tips on how to perform multilingual keyword research.

Bottom Line: Looking for the Right Approach for CMS Translation Services

We’ve outlined your options for translating the website, whether it’s a global eCommerce, a professional services site, or the online shopfront of an international corporation.

However, there’s one more thing to say. Here it goes: The success in CMS translation doesn’t end with a one-time effort.

To truly stay ahead of the curve, you must adopt a proactive approach to keep your multilingual content up to date. For that, automation, collaboration, and regular reviews are the keys to ensuring a fresh and engaging experience for your diverse audience.

But fear not: You don’t have to do that all by yourself. A seasoned language partner can help you track changes, ensure quality, and engage with a diverse and wide-ranging audience.

Ready to embrace the linguistic journey and make your CMS stand out? Contact us today, we can help you figure out what’s the best approach for your site’s content.