International content marketing
Just a short time to win over the world – how skilled content can also galvanize on a global scale
6 tips to make your messages persuasive in any language
Motivate buyers, stir the emotions of your followers in social media, retain clients, win over visitors to the website, inspire users... the list of requirements and tasks for a successful content marketing strategy is long. All the better when the strategy comes off and those polished messages galvanize your target group into action.
But will your digital content also have the same effect in other languages?
The answer is yes. And no.
Assuming your subject matter, your product or your service has, by its very nature, a chance of success in international markets, the answer is Yes. Provided the translation is good. When the translation is merely accurate, the answer is No.
What? An accurate translation is not always the right solution? Correct. There are indeed some types of text, such as operating manuals, where a content-related and linguistically accurate translation is enough to fulfil the brief; however, translations generally need to convey more than just the subject, verb and object.
The music happens between the lines
The marketing content created by communication specialists not only conveys the information in the main body of the text but also – and very often most notably – between the lines! Texts like these are blended with a sound that will touch you in a way that a word on its own cannot. This is where striking the right tone is extremely important – and that applies as forcefully to the detailed description of your services as it does to crisp headlines, creative product names, and a catchy list of advantages.
Understanding, feeling and adapting content
If you need your content to be not just understood but actually felt, a literal translation is not enough. A stylistically polished translation will be much more appealing. But even this won’t go far enough if you want the text to be fully effective. Ultimately, we are talking about content that should touch people from other cultures. For this to happen, the subject matter must be understood and felt at a deep level – and the translation of the text needs to be adapted not only to sound similar in another language but to be credible in the other culture too.
Different countries, different feelings
Experts in international content marketing have known for a long time that target groups like to be addressed in their native language. It’s the only way for companies to really connect with their clients. Anyone who still thinks English – as THE language of international business – is all that is needed to succeed abroad is being short-sighted. Different countries, different customs, different feelings. If you really want to strike a chord and take cultural differences into account, you need translators with linguistic and cultural skills – and, on occasion, editorial skills too.
A good translation works
By making these adaptations, truly well translated content may actually differ rather starkly from the original text. The more linguistic and creative freedom translators are given, the easier it will be for you, as the client, to achieve your international marketing goals – and the more your click figures will soar, call to actions will grow, conversions will increase, cancellations at the check-out will drop, and emotional connections will grow... By addressing your clients effectively, your marketing content now has the potential to help you succeed internationally.
Good content marketing deserves a good translation
Even if at the end of a long process of getting your content marketing produced you don’t have much time to get the translation done, you should pay particular attention to one point at the very least, and right from the outset: when actually choosing or briefing your translation service.
