Localisation without SEO expertise? Do not make that mistake!

Whenever your company or organisation introduces a brand, product or content in another language, you are changing your target audience and introducing yourself to potential new customers, with new behaviours, within in a different cultural context. And that must be taken into account.

This is when the first doubts about the differences between regular localisation and SEO localisation arise. Let's be clear: having your website translated into the languages of your target audiences is not enough.

If foreigners use a different term to describe a product or service, that is the word you need to include in your content to reach a high-level result. Translating a word to the letter is irrelevant if users do not think about searching it. As highlighted in this article, this can happen within the same language as well as in cases where the same object has different local definitions.

Climbing the ranks of search engines

You must be wondering: "what do I need then?" Our answer is short and simple: SEO localisation. Have no doubt, your website will climb positions in search engine results, it will improve your organic positioning, thus it will be easier to find on the Internet. And this is what we all want, right?

Do not rush into it, yet. SEO localisation is not a mere and literal translation of content and textual elements, as it is common in any SEO intervention focused on metadata. That would not be enough since it does not take into account the cultural and behavioural factors at the time of the search in the a search engine.

Identifying relevant terms in the respective foreign languages is a specialised area, a job often carried out only by translators, without the help of SEO experts. That is a big mistake.

A mistake that you cannot make. This is why you should turn to a language services company which has translators and content localisation experts working together, to ensure the final version of your content will rank high in the organic positioning of the search results abroad or even in another region of your country.

Tips for a good SEO localisation

• Monthly search rates must be examined and together with the competition analysis.
• Eliminating negative keywords will gradually make any campaign more focused and more profitable.
• Conduct keyword searches in all the target languages before the original content is written.
• Identify issues related to brand names or key terms in foreign languages. This is important to recognise cultural differences and to prevent embarrassment or offence.
• Algorithm-based software does not recognise cultural differences, while the native speakers will understand these nuances.
• Machine translation is easily considered as spam by search engines.

Three Q&A about localisation

Are you about to work on the multilingual SEO of your website? Find for a partner specialised in on-site optimisation, one who's able to localise correctly the content of your website, always taking into account the market you targeted.

SEO localisation is about adapting the content to the needs of different target audiences from different cultures, aiming at increasing engagement and conversion rates.

At AP Portugal Tech Language Solutions, we provide this service according to the principle that the localisation job must be done by professional translators with the input of SEO experts.

1. What is localisation?

Here is the answer: content localisation refers to translating and adapting content, reflecting the target audience and the linguistic, social, cultural specifications of the market to which it is directed. In other words, it is not just a linguistic translation.

A content localisation job conveys the message as accurately as possible, always bearing in mind its recipient. At the end of the day, it takes into account all relevant factors such as the recipient's cultural, historical background (among others) or the place where the message is conveyed, so that it is received as accurately as it can possibly be.

The localisation process is related to the internationalisation process of a company.

It is essential for any company or brand aiming at conquering a new market.

3. Why should you turn to a language and technology services company?

A language and technology services company has a vast network of partners to meet your needs for all the markets you want.

Furthermore, a language partner who works with the appropriate tools enables a viable and optimised multilingual content management process.

We know that it takes significant and meaningful efforts and resources to attract new audiences. We know how frustrating it can be if, at the end of the day, it fails to generate significant online traffic. However, this type of wasted effort is a recurring subject within companies - and it is often due to the lack of a crucial element: This job is often done only by translators without the input of SEO experts, a mistake we do not make here at AP Portugal Tech Language Solutions.

Learn more about Localisation

Multilingual SEO and website localisation: together they're stronger

The internationalisation journey as a website localisation ride

Travel & Tourism: localisation made for every target audience

This text was not written by a native English speaker, but by a language lover. However, all our language services are always provided by native speakers.

ABOUT US

AP PORTUGAL - Tech Language Solutions is a Portuguese translation company certified by the ISO 17100 International Quality Standard. The company offers a wide range of language services, which include translation (TEP), post-editing machine translation (PEMT), transcription, desktop publishing and subtitling, voice talent, software and website localisation technology, SEO and consulting. It invests enthusiastically in the development of partnerships and cooperation anywhere in the world where your organization may need a partner for the African, Brazilian and European Portuguese language.