Translated experiences on websites are not just for the global business but also come for compliance or domestic use cases. In Canada, for example, French Canadian is supported by Bill 96. In the United States, the population is growing at a high rate for Spanish speaking citizens. Translated experiences on web sites are difficult. The options range from use of technology to connect your CMS vs using APIs or Connectors with your CMS. For platforms that complement your CMS, one could utilize dedicated framework JavaScript plugins or general JavaScript browser-based proxy. To improve quality of the experience and search engine optimization, a brand could also use server-based proxy which is typically managed as a service or known as a “concierge proxy.” If supporting translation via an API or Connector, it is mindful that the technology is more cost effective, but the resources are expensive. This requires internal web development, quality assurance, project management with language service providers or linguist and additional support. These resources need to be employed as dedicated resources and, at times, may distract from the marketing of your brand online. Translation quality also needs to come into play with respect to not only the quality of the translated words but also the coverage of the words to verify they are picked up by translation. Finally, the speed of translation is important – making sure the origin site is coordinated with the translation experience. With all this information and viable options for website translation, make sure to learn your options before deciding.
