Specialist marketing translationMarketing translation that sells. In every language.
Your campaign works in German. Does it also work in French, Japanese or Brazilian Portuguese? Our marketing translators are copywriters who know the culture and the search engines. They adapt your claims, landing pages and campaigns so the effect lands in the target market. Request a quote for your specialist marketing translation now.
Audited and certified four times overTranslation partner to companies with high standards
- What we cover: from marketing translation and search-optimised website localisation to transcreation of campaigns, claims and slogans.
- Multilingual SEO: keyword research for each target country, localisation of meta tags, URL structures and Google Ads campaigns.
- Cost: specialist translation from €0.05/word, transcreation from €0.12/word or by the hour (claims and slogans). Express in 24 hours available.
Translation, localisation, transcreation
Three levels, one decisive difference
The most common mistake when taking marketing content international is treating it all the same way. A product description for an online shop needs a different approach than a campaign slogan, and both need something different again from a press release. tolingo offers all three levels under one roof, with a clear recommendation on which level suits which type of content.
| Level | What happens | Suited to | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist translation | Faithful transfer of the content with the correct terminology. Close to the source text. | Product descriptions, data sheets, terms and conditions, investor relations | €0.05/word |
| Localisation | Translation plus adaptation to cultural conventions: units of measure, date formats, currencies, forms of address, SEO keywords. | Websites, online shops, newsletters, helpdesk text, software UI | €0.09/word |
| Transcreation | Creative rewriting in the target language. The effect stays the same even when the wording changes. Often with a back-translation. | Campaigns, claims, slogans, ad copy, social media, audio guides | €0.12/word or by the hour |
| Copywriting | No source text. Our native speakers write directly in the target language, for Google Ads campaigns or social posts for instance. | Ads written for one market, landing pages, social content, PR copy | By the hour |
Rule of thumb: does the text shape how your brand is seen? Is it meant to stir emotion or prompt an action? Then transcreation is the right choice. Is it about facts, specifications or legal text? Then a professional specialist translation is enough. Our project managers advise on every job which level is the most cost-efficient for your particular content.
What we translate for marketing teams
From the landing page to the press release
International marketing communication takes many forms. As a translation agency we cover the whole range: from a short social post to a 200-page company brochure.
Website translation optimised for search, with keyword research per market, hreflang tagging and CMS integration (WordPress, TYPO3, Shopify).
Multilingual SEO: keyword research per target market, localisation of meta tags, title tags and ad copy. Market-specific, never a literal transfer.
Transcreation of claims, slogans, ad copy and social posts. With a back-translation so you can check the brand message.
Translation directly in InDesign (IDML). We fit the text length to the layout, with layout adaptation and a DTP service.
Press releases, annual reports, investor presentations and crisis communication. Fast, precise and sure of the tone.
Product descriptions, category pages and checkout text for international online shops. Optimised for search and for conversion.
Multilingual SEO
Why translating your keywords is not enough
An example: the German keyword “Übersetzungsbüro” has a search volume of roughly 14,800 a month. Its literal English rendering, “translation office”, is barely searched at all. British users google “translation agency” or “translation services” instead. Translating keywords straight across burns budget and gives away visibility.
That is why our SEO translation goes three steps further: we research the keywords people actually search in each target market, analyse search behaviour (Google, Bing, Yandex, Baidu) and work the localised terms into your content, your meta tags and your URL structure. For multilingual websites we also check the hreflang implementation and advise on the best URL structure (subdirectory, subdomain or ccTLD).
The same goes for international Google Ads: ad copy that converts in German can fall flat in French or Japanese, because search intent and cultural expectations differ. Our translators are trained to adapt ads so that click-through rate and quality score hold up in the target market.
Your marketing translation project
From the brief to the market rollout
- Brief and content analysis
We look at your content type and recommend the right level: translation, localisation, transcreation or copywriting. We also take in your brand guidelines, tone of voice and target market requirements.
- Keyword research and terminology
For content that has to perform in search, we research the keywords for each target country. In parallel we match your corporate language against our termbase.
- Transcreation in the original format
Translation or transcreation happens directly in the source format (HTML, XML, InDesign, Word). Native-speaker marketing translators with copywriting experience adapt your content for the target market.
- Review and brand voice check
A second subject specialist checks under ISO 17100: is the tone right? Are the keywords worked in correctly? Is the brand message consistent? For transcreation we supply a back-translation on request.
- Delivery and rollout support
Delivery in the format you want. Standard: three to six working days. For campaign launches and press conferences we offer express in 24 hours. On multilingual websites we support the technical rollout.
“What stands out is the flexibility on unusual projects. tolingo is open to creative solutions. We have commissioned length-matched and lip-synced translations several times and have always been delighted with the quality, whatever the language.”
Campaign ready, translation still missing?
Tell us about your project. We will advise which level is right for your content.
Free · No obligation · Reply in ~10 minutes (within business hours)Brand voice and corporate language
Consistency across every market
One of the hardest parts of going international: your brand should sound the same in 12 languages without sounding identical in each one. German humour does not work in Japanese. A British understated tone does not suit the Brazilian market. The brand identity still has to be recognisable.
So we work with your house style and build a multilingual termbase. The effect: your product names, claims, department names and core terms are translated consistently in every language, whoever handles the next project. And where a segment matches your translation memory 100%, it is discounted by 60% to 70%.
Planning an international brand launch, but worried your product name lands badly in certain markets? Our naming check tests your product names for sound, meaning, associations and the competitive field in the markets you are targeting, before you put money into the campaign.
Cost and delivery times
Transparent prices for every project level
Marketing translation is priced differently from technical translation. A product specification is charged per word, while slogans and claims often call for transcreation by the hour, because a single sentence can need several creative variants and back-translations.
| Service | Price model | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing specialist translation | From €0.05/word (German to English) | Product copy, newsletters, annual reports, terms and conditions |
| SEO translation including keyword research | From €0.09/word plus keyword research | Landing pages, blog articles, online shops, meta tags |
| Transcreation | From €0.12/word or by the hour | Campaign copy, social media, ads, audio guides |
| Copywriting (written for one market) | By the hour | Google Ads copy, social posts, claims and slogans |
| Express translation | Surcharge on the base price | Press releases, launch deadlines, event material |
Standard delivery is three to six working days. For campaign launches, trade fair deadlines or press conferences we deliver by express in 24 hours. Where recurring text sits in your translation memory as a 100% match, product descriptions, email templates or footer text for instance, that segment is discounted by 60% to 70%.
International visibility starts with the right translation.
Tell us about your project. Our advice is free and comes with no obligation.
Certified to ISO 17100 and ISO 27001 · In business since 2007Glossary: marketing translation
Terms from transcreation and multilingual SEO
- Transcreation
- Creative rewriting of a marketing text in the target language. Unlike translation, what counts is not literal fidelity but the same effect on the target audience. Standard practice for claims, slogans and campaign copy.
- Localisation
- Adapting content to the cultural, linguistic and technical conventions of a target market. It goes beyond translation: units of measure, date formats, currencies, colour associations and forms of address are all adjusted.
- Multilingual SEO
- Search engine optimisation for multilingual websites. It covers keyword research per market, localisation of meta tags and URLs, hreflang implementation and adaptation to local search engines (Google, Bing, Yandex, Baidu).
- Multilingual content strategy
- A plan setting out which content goes into which languages, for which markets and through which channels. It accounts for SEO priorities, audience segments and budget allocation per market.
- Back-translation
- An independent linguist translates the transcreated text blind back into the source language. That lets you check the brand message came through, without speaking the target language yourself.
- Website localisation
- The linguistic and technical adaptation of a website for a new target market. It covers translation, SEO, layout adaptation (right-to-left for Arabic, for instance), image localisation and CMS integration.