Thinking about launching a foreign language version of your website? The following few rules can help the new foreign face of your website have a more successful launch. First, it's key to consult professional translation services, someone familiar with local conditions and customs of countries you've selected. Next, a site's content will often need localization services, on top of simple language translation. Third, you must be involved in the process of translation, and lastly, plan for continuing customer service support, both on and offline. A few simple tips which will make your site's foreign language version go off without a hitch.

For starters, don't underestimate the importance of working with a professional translator for your site's translation work. If the only thing you needed to translate into a foreign language, was the ability to read or write in that language, why would anyone need a professional? Speakers of the most popular languages worldwide can have great ranges in their grammar skills, vocabulary, and reading comprehension of the work being translated. Your site can only be as good in the chosen language as is the language skills of the person translating it. Professionals, on the other hand, are trained for this type of work – they use correct grammar, more appropriately translate ideas when direct translation doesn't convey the intended meaning – better matching tone and other nuanced ideas a non-professional would miss. Using an experienced translation agency or translator insures your results won't appear as amateur and poorly written.

Localization services helps fit your specific content to local conditions and customs, fitting your site to the overseas target market beyond just the wording. Countries, provinces or cultures may have a common language, but content might not apply across each of the different areas. Legal rules, social norms, and buying motives are just some of the different considerations made when localizing a site for local conditions. Consider having your content localized for your target market in addition to regular language translation.

Next, make reasonable efforts to work WITH your translator. Figure in regular sessions to be available to answer questions about intent, confusion sections, or anything else. Experienced online professional translation companies may want to have access to the “subject matter expert” of your content – you (or a member of your team). Set a specific time you'll touch base and answer questions, explain industry jargon, or whatever else is needed. You've chosen to work with an expert on your chosen language, give them access to your expertise on the subject they're translating.

Lastly, plan now for the success of your translation efforts – how to handle customer and sales support. Ok - so we've reworded the annual report into the dialect of a small nomadic tribe. Now how to deal with the calls, inquiries or sales that you're bound to receive? Will you have a specific email address for these new customers? Who will answer the phone or will you deal online only? A good professional translation company can work with you to support the business after the initial translation work.

In conclusion, give yourself a shot at a smooth foreign language launch: work with a specialist in business website and document translation, go beyond simple translation and localize your content, be available for your translator, and create a plan for long term support of your foreign customers.

About the author:
Armando Riquier is a freelance writer and expert translator collaborating with Tectrad, a company providing high-fidelity professional website translation services and localizations into french, german, italian, spanish, dutch and english at http://www.101businesstranslation.com/website-translation.htm