When it comes to SEO, we all know that content is king. But what happens when that great content you have written needs to be translated? Unfortunately, relying solely on machine or automated translation just won’t cut it. Sure, it’s fast and convenient, but have you ever tried reading one of those Google-translated menus at a foreign restaurant? It’s like trying to decipher hieroglyphics. That’s why human translation in SEO is a must-have.
Let’s face it, even the most advanced AI can’t replace the human touch regarding translation. While helpful in some cases, machine translation is not as good at grasping context and cultural nuances as a human translator. It’s like trying to ask Siri to tell you a joke. Sure she might come up with something, but it’s not going to be as good as something a human comedian would come up with.
Think about it, when you’re trying to attract customers in a foreign market, you want to ensure your message is clear and culturally relevant. You don’t want to be the brand known for mistranslating its slogans and making a fool of itself. Trust us. It’s not a good look.
But don’t worry. There’s hope for those who aren’t fluent in every language under the sun. In the next part of this blog post, we’ll delve deeper into the benefits of human translation for SEO and give tips on choosing the right translator for your business.
As you can see, using human translation is crucial for SEO, it not only ensures the correct meaning is conveyed, and the cultural nuances are captured. With the help of a human translator, you can avoid embarrassment and ensure your message is clear and relatable.
The Limitations of Machine Translation
So, what are the main limitations of machine translation? We all know it’s quick and convenient, but let’s not forget that it’s not always accurate.
To illustrate the limitations, let’s look at how machine translation works.
Essentially, it uses different algorithms to match words and phrases in one language to their equals in the output language. Sounds simple enough, right? But here’s the catch, it doesn’t consider context or cultural nuances.
So, machine translations might be able to translate “The cat sat on the mat” to Spanish, but it’s not going to be able to translate idioms or conversational phrases such as “raining cats and dogs”.
But it’s not just the errors that are the issue. It’s the fact that machine translation can’t always capture the subtleties and nuances of language.
For SEOs, This is especially important. Especially in a business domain when you’re trying to connect with specific audience and convey a particular message. Imagine trying to sell a luxury car to a foreign market, but the translation makes it sound like you’re selling something completely different. It’s not exactly going to drive sales. And you can be sure that people aren’t searching for these terms.
The Benefits of Human Translation in SEO
Now that we’ve covered the limitations of machine translation let’s talk about the benefits of human translation in SEO. We’ll look at all the reasons you would choose this method and why it’s better for SEO.
Human translation can significantly improve the accuracy and relevance of your translated content. A human translator or great human translating service can understand the context and cultural nuances of the language, which means they can correctly translate idioms, everyday phrases and industry-specific jargon. This ensures that your message is clear and relevant to the target audience. And let’s be honest, relevance is critical in the world of SEO.
When doing technical SEO talks such as keyword research in international SEO, it’s crucial to have a human translator available. This is because you want to target the terms people are searching for. An incorrect machine translation will cause you to miss out on potential clicks.
But the benefits of human translation don’t stop there. When it comes to local SEO, human translation can be a game-changer.
A human translator who is a native speaker of the target language and familiar with the culture can ensure that your content is tailored to the area you are targeting. This can help to boost your visibility in local search results and make your content more relatable to the target audience.
Human translation is particularly important in industries that rely heavily on SEO, such as e-commerce, legal, and medical. In e-commerce, for example, it’s essential to ensure that product descriptions and reviews are accurately translated to avoid customer confusion or dissatisfaction.
Whenever my agency takes on a new client in e-commerce that operates in multiple territories, one of the first questions we ask them is about their translation stack.
In the legal and medical fields, accurate translations are crucial to ensure compliance and avoid miscommunication that could lead to severe SEO headaches.
For example, Google currently places a lot of emphasis on EAT – the trustworthiness of your site. This is a ranking factor, so it’s crucial to get it right. Drug names are different in different languages. A machine translation might translate the terms. This could cause Google to flag your site as untrustworthy, which will bring a decline in rankings and traffic from the SERPs.
Best Practices for Human Translation in SEO
So, we’ve covered the importance of human translation in SEO and the benefits it can bring to your business. But how do you actually go about implementing human translation into your SEO strategy?
It starts when choosing a translator, make sure they are reputable and experienced. But don’t just take their word for it. Ask for concrete examples of how their translations have positively impacted a website’s SEO. Ask about ranking growth into new territories (one of the main goals after implementing an international SEO strategy).
Once you’ve found your translator, you must ensure they know the SEO elements necessary for your website. Communicate your keyword research and any other SEO best practices to the translator. When you change your strategy, bring your translators into the loop.
But unfortunately, the job is done once the translation is complete. With Google algorithm updates happening all the time, it’s essential to keep an eye on best practices and make updates and make changes to your translation as necessary. So, work with your translator to keep your translated content up-to-date and in line with current SEO best practices.
Author bio
James Ewen is one of the UK’s leading SEO experts. I tweet regularly on all things SEO and run a weekly newsletter where I do a deep dive into an SEO topic. You can work with me directly as a consultant at SEOtagg.