Translation and Localization of Websites

Today almost all companies who plan to enter the international market, try to make their websites multilingual. A localized website in a foreign language becomes effective means for attraction of the clients and partners.

The most spread language in the Internet is English. It is the first language for about 565 million Internet users in different parts of the world. The second place belongs to Chinese (510 mln users), the third – to Spanish (almost 165 mln) and Japanese (99 mln). The Russian language is native for 59.7 mln users. Website translation into ten most popular languages opens access to about 80% of the Internet users.

Website localization for foreign environment is a complex process which presupposes cooperation of a translator and a webmaster. Among the features of website localization we can single out the following:

• necessity to take into account social, cultural and psychological features, as well as contemporary tastes, wishes and expectations of foreign visitors of websites;
• necessity to optimize texts for foreign Internet environment, which means possible rewriting, restyling, saturation with key words, etc.;
• complexity of a web page, which consists of text blocks, interface elements: menu buttons, pull-down boxes, graphic elements, backgrounds, logotypes, etc.;
• cooperation of a translator, who specializes in Website translation, and a webmaster (programmer or specialist on website promotion), etc.

Stages of a website translation and localization in EKA-Perevodchik include the following:

1. Collection and sorting of the material for translation, its extraction and saving in text format. This stage can be performed by the customer or by our company’s editor.
2. Translation of the text.
3. Translation of interface elements.
4. Coordination of the translated material with the customer, texts saturation with key words, editing, verification of the translated text by a native speaker (additional service).
5. Implementation of the localized materials into the website structure, formatting. This stage can be performed by the customer himself or by our Internet specialist.
6. Testing of the localized website (additional service).

The cost of website localization is defined for each case individually. EKA-Perevodchik company renders services on the translation of website contents, particular webpages, as well as complex website localization for foreign environment.