3 methods of website localization

Localisation, Technology

Three options for locating a website

Today we will try to deep into the options available to us for translating and localizing websites. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages for each option.

There are three options for localizing a website:

  1. Translating directly into the client’s Content Management System (CMS): translators perform the translation directly into the CMS back-end, in WordPress for example.
  1. Using content connectors: the client’s developers extract the original content from the website and send it to the translation agency. The agency delivers the translated content back into the CMS.
  1. Using a translation proxy: When a non-English user enters our website, the translation is produced in real time from a previously configured translation memory. The term proxy can also be translated as a communications interface.

Translating directly into the client’s CMS

Procedure

Not all CMSs are ready to provide multilingual content. WordPress is one of them, but we’ll talk about it in another post. Normally the possibility of creating multilingual websites is not incorporated into the same CMS but are functionalities that are achieved through plugins or extensions.

Advantages

  • No other technology is needed, just the CMS
  • Translation appear immediately
  • Translations are stored in the client’s CMS

Drawbacks

  • The client must give translators access to the back-end of their CMS
  • Translators must trained on the CMS in which they will work
  • There is a risk that translators will modify or delete the original content
  • Translation is done out of context
  • CMSs do not usually have translation support tools (translation memories, terminology, automatic translation of repetitions, etc.) Therefore, more time is required and professional translators who are experts in CMS are needed.
  • It is not possible to estimate the work to be performed by the translation agency
  • It is difficult to update changes in each language
  • When creating new content, there is a risk that customers will see the copy in more than one language on the same page.
  • Updates or changes in the CMS put translations at risk
  • If we hire new translators because the regular ones are not available, we will have to retrain the new translators.

Costs

  • Translation costs
  • Train the translator to know the CMS platform

Use content connectors

Procedure

The client’s web developers extract the source segments from the CMS and send them to the translation agency. The translation agency manages the files in its own environment and uses its own memories and translation support tools. When translations are completed, the webmaster receives the translated files and put them back into the CMS.

 Advantages

  • Agencies can use their own translation tools, memories and platforms
  • Translations are stored in the client’s CMS

 Drawbacks

  • A configurable content connector requires a great deal of IT knowledge, time and cost
  • If you make the change to another CMS you will need to develop another content connector
  • Translations do not appear instantly on the web
  • Translation is done out of context

 Costs

  • Translation costs
  • Development of a specific content connector

Use a translation proxy

Procedure

On the surface of the original website, what the client sees is a layer with the real-time translation (which is what we call a translation proxy). Whenever a non-English speaking customer comes to our site, all that traffic goes through the translation proxy. The translation proxy captures the original content from the server, in the source language in which it is configured, and then instantly translates all the segments by going to the translation memory we have loaded and which the translation agency has already translated.  Once the translation proxy has translated all the segments of the page, these will be shown to the customer.

Advantages

  • Agencies can use their own tools, memories and platforms.
  • The translation is carried out in the original context
  • Neither the client nor the agency needs in-depth computer knowledge
  • The translation appears immediately.
  • Works with any CMS, whether it is WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.
  • It is very easy to add new languages

 Drawbacks

  • The translation is not stored in the client’s CMS

 Costs

  • Translation costs
  • Online storage of translation memory with source and target language segments
  • A translation proxy service

Apart from these three approaches, we can also find mixed solutions, for example using a content connector with a proxy to perform in-context translations.