We know AI is here to stay, so there’s no need to incur any costs for translations anymore – right?
Yet, your organization pays for marketers, including several individuals in that department, from copywriters, to editors, and publicists. So what’s the difference? Don’t you speak English? Can’t you write in English? Why pay someone to write for you in English if this is your native tongue?
Of course, we know that writing, and creative writing at that, IS a skill.
Guess what? Translating IS a skill too, just like creative writing. In fact, it actually requires more expertise because one must know both the source and intended languages, as well as familiarity with the industry of the content. Along with having dexterity in the objective of the text, be it marketing, scientific, legal, etc.
Hence the need to engage professional and certified translation services. Especially in the U.S., where the Latino population is exploding. According to the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, this demographic reached 62.5 million people in 2021, or 19% of the population, and is projected to reach 28%, or 111 million people, by 2060.
Latinos wield $1.72 trillion in purchasing power, a number that is expected to reach $2.6 trillion by 2025. But 76% of online shoppers prefer to “buy products with information in their native language,” and 40% state they will never buy from websites in other languages. Additionally, many Latinos either choose not to speak English at home or don’t speak English at all.
This is quite the conundrum. A huge ready-made market, active online, that prefers to shop and engage in their native language.
The takeaway? Developing Spanish-first content that is accurate and resonant is a must. This is where an actual professional service comes into play. Where the vendor providing the translation services is actually equipped, and CERTIFIED to deliver on the requested task to ensure your content is accurate. Just like your marketing team is equipped to represent you and your brand across all media and social platforms.
The American Translators Association (ATA) is one such certifying body for the Language Services Industry – individuals and organizations must pass rigorous examinations to earn the ATA Certification. Said certifications are required by governments the world-over for translated documents involving visa applications, driver’s licenses, adoptions, divorces, etc.
But you aren’t preparing legal briefs, nor issuing driver’s licenses. You are just communicating the product benefits and features, service instructions, sales pitches, job posts…oh wait, your messages are JUST AS IMPORTANT! And the importance of ensuring that YOUR message is delivered accurately and appropriately to non-English speakers cannot be overstated.
Types of Translation Services
Translation services also vary – from the basic, almost literal, yet proofed and logical translation to localization, which includes the incorporation of regional idioms and literacy level of your target audience to transcreation, where the original English text is effectively creatively rewritten to relay your original intent, not your literal phrasing.
The more complex the request, the higher the cost and the longer the time to complete the service. Not every document needs to be a transcreation – typically those are reserved for taglines or very creative and nuanced messages. Legal documents and medical briefs are best served with translations and a native proofer, while social content can be well served with a localized translation.
Benefits: Risk Management, Accuracy, Intention, & Cost Savings
As mentioned previously, certified translation services are essential for accuracy, quality, and legal compliance, ultimately resulting in cost savings in the long term. You wouldn’t let your high-school student write your press releases, correct? So don’t let your employee with “I took Spanish in high school” level expertise translate your legal briefs, social content, or manuals, please! Trust us. And just because someone is bilingual does not mean they are skilled at reading and writing in a professional manner, for public consumption.
The importance of accurate translations goes beyond mere grammar and vocabulary. It’s about capturing cultural distinctions and idioms/expressions that can easily be lost in translations executed by inexperienced people or automated tools. Even the smallest mistakes can have dire consequences, including offending or alienating potential customers, misinforming, or even causing injuries resulting in very costly legal claims. Here are some examples to give you an idea of the unintended consequences mistranslations can have:
Translations are typically billed per word, and therefore translations are technically not expensive. Do note that low-cost translations or machine-generated translations do not include proofing, so without a native speaker or secondary party to review the document, you run the risk of publishing a low-quality document.
Keep in mind that hiring a document proofer/translator AFTER the fact does get costly, since those are billed per hour. So when organizations attempt to cut corners by using machine-generated translations or unskilled individuals to translate important documents, the remediation process tends to be painfully expensive, since the professional translator now has to review the English source document and the poor translation, to revise and correct the document, which takes longer. You would have been better served hiring the professional translator, with the higher per-word rate, from the get-go for a higher quality document and lower risk.
Cool & Associates, LLC offers high-quality translations, localization, and transcreations that will meet the specific needs of your organization and brand. Our ATA-certified agency has the staff, expertise, and experience to effectively communicate with Latinos, helping you expand your customer base and avoid costly mistakes. In today’s world, consumers want to feel represented by brands, and using their native language is vital. Cool can help you translate your messaging to effectively resonate with your target audience. In essence, let us be you, in Spanish.
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