Wondering how to choose the right translator for your business? With hundreds of options out there, it can be an overwhelming decision.
From huge multilingual agencies to independent freelancers, there’s a wide range of different types of translation providers to choose from, all offering a unique set of skills and services.
In this article, let’s go through:
- The different types of translators out there
- How to choose between a freelancer and an agency
- How to get the most out of whoever you choose
The basics: different types of translators
Before you can even consider which type of provider to work with, it’s important to understand the range of translators that exist. Just as there are different types of writers, there are many different types of translators, all of whom will have distinct specialisations and skillsets to provide you with the best service possible.
Here are some of the ways translators will specialise –
- By language. This one might seem obvious, but a translator will only translate into their native language. Be clear about what dialect or variant you need.
- By service. Translators will offer specific services that relate to the style of translation they carry out. The usual categories are: creative or marketing translation, literary translation, technical translation, legal translation and audiovisual translation.
- By industry sector. Translators might be specialised in a few industries, which helps them accurately translate niche or complicated texts. This can range from finance to outdoor sports. If your brand works in a specific industry, finding a translator with this knowledge will benefit you.
Clarifying the type of translation requirements you have will help you select the right translator for your business.
Here’s an example of this in practice:
A French running brand needs its app content translated for a global English audience.
To get the best results, they might use a translator who…
– Can translate from French into international English
– Has experience in marketing or app localisation
– Is a runner
And another example:
A Spanish interior design brand with branches in France is expanding into the UK & so needs its SEO blog content translated into British English.
To get the best results, they want a translator who…
– Translates from French into British English, with working knowledge of Spanish
– Knows about interior design
– Is trained in SEO
– Has a background in marketing
So, before looking for a translation provider, think about the content you need translated.
- Is it a specific style of writing? (Marketing, legal, technical, etc.)
- Does it contain niche industry information?
- What audience will the translated version target?
By clarifying the type of content you have, you can specify the type of translator you need. This immediately reduces the pool of translators to choose from, leaving you with a group of highly specialised professionals that can give you high quality translations.
BTW, both of those examples were real-life clients of mine. If you’re a French/Spanish-speaking lifestyle brand needing help with marketing content, get in touch.
Choosing a translation provider: freelance or agency
There are pros and cons to choosing both a freelancer or an agency, and a wide range of options within each category. A global multilingual marketing agency will feel quite different to collaborating with a small, boutique agency.
There are a few things you can think about to help you determine which type of service provider to go for:
- Volume of work
A singular freelancer can only do so much in a set amount of time. If you have a vast volume of work to translate, such as an e-commerce website, a translation agency (working with multiple translators) will be able to get your translations done quicker.
- Price
Taking out the middleman and working directly with a freelancer will be cheaper, although often an agency will offer a ‘human-in-the-loop’ machine translation service to cut costs. An MTPE service involves using machine translation to translate the text and paying a translator to edit the output. This will make the price more competitive, but also impact quality. Make sure you weigh up the decision!
- Quality
There is no straight answer to whether the quality will be better coming from an agency or a freelancer – it, of course, depends on the quality of the service provider. In both circumstances, I recommend taking a close look at any available portfolios and testimonials that relate to the type of tasks you need help with.
- Systems
If your brand is translating into more than one language at once, the systems you have in place will affect what type of translation provider you choose. An agency will have project managers that can oversee multiple translators for you, whilst working with multiple freelancers will require having your own systems or management in place to oversee production.
How to get the most out of whichever translation provider you choose
Once you’ve chosen your translation partner, follow these tips to get the most out of your collaboration:
Share as much context as possible
A translator needs to know who the text is for, the intended impact or purpose of the text, and where the text will end up. Style guides, existing glossaries, and any policies around tone of voice, company values and ICPs will be useful. Remember that a translator is trying their best to replicate your brand’s voice, so the more information, the better.
Be clear about project expectations
Getting clear on workload, volume and timelines is going to make it easier for you to pick the right provider, and then for the provider to work with you. Keep timelines reasonable and expectations clear.
Think about translation from the get-go
Treating translators as part of your team will help you avoid localisation mistakes or time wasted translating things that are irrelevant to the target market. Thinking ahead and writing in plain language will help your translator complete the work faster, as will creating glossaries and lists of commonly used terms in both languages.
In summary, my tips for choosing a translation provider:
- Get clear on your needs.
- Narrow down your search by pinpointing the cross-sector of skills you would like your translator to have (language, document type, industry).
- Think about how you already work, and the type of partner that could complement that.
- Verify your choices by looking at providers’ education and work backgrounds, portfolios and testimonials.
Wondering if I might be the right translator for you? Find out more about my services here.