What is Website Translation?
网站翻译是一种将网站内容从源语言（通常逐字）改编为其他语言，以便海外客户访问和使用的过程。
网站的可翻译内容包括从网站静态文本到图片、视频和PDF等多媒体内容的方方面面。此外还包括：
- 只有搜索引擎和社交媒体平台能看到的“隐形”元数据文本
- 来自应用的动态加载内容
- 错误消息和确认电邮等用户体验通知
这些都可以而且应该翻译，以确保所有客户都能获得沉浸式的语言体验。
翻译分为不同等级，其中包括传统翻译、本地化、音译和创译。每种方法都独一无二，适合不同的翻译需求。Learn more details about the different types of translation.
Is Website Localization The Same as Website Translation?
Although website translation and localization are commonly confused, both are related methods of creating multilingual websites. Website localization goes beyond the linguistic word-for-word conversion of conventional translation to create an online experience that resonates within specific markets. 网站本地化涉及五大关键要素：
- 语言和地方色彩：措辞选择经过量身定制，能向当地客户准确、地道地展示品牌形象。这包括仅在特定国家或地区使用的短语。
- 文化元素：体现对当地日期和时间格式、度量单位、节假日和价值观的理解可让用户有宾至如归的感觉。
- 交易元素：为确保准确性并赢得客户的信任，货币、支付选项、地址和字符集等元素必须与当地客户相关。
- 沟通和信任元素：当地电话号码、地址、同语言客户支持服务、法律声明和安全横幅均是赢得当地客户信赖的关键。它还有助于使市场内的销售和营销团队掌握服务客户所需的信息。
- 导航和探索：用户必须能够选择自己需要的语言，并立即开始以地道的语言与您的网站进行互动。
利用本地化激发更多客户的兴趣，并吸引他们。Learn more about website localization, including how to execute it in persuasive ways.
How to Translate Your Website
对您的网站进行翻译和本地化从根本上来说是一个技术问题，必须采用自动化技术和软件来管理不同的工作流和流程。一般而言，可采用三种不同技术处理这些工作流：
- A proxy-based localization solution
- CMS连接器
- 应用程序接口（API）
继续阅读，了解这些方法的详情。如要了解更多详情，请查看我们的翻译技术 电子书。
Using a Translation Proxy for Website Translation
With the proxy localization approach to website translation, technologies are used to leverage the content and structured code of your flagship website. 这可助您轻松翻译、部署并运营多语言网站。这种完全一站式的翻译方法让客户几乎不必为启用或维护本地化网站或管理工作流耗费任何精力。
A proxy-based system is layered on top of your website to dynamically translate content in real time so that end users worldwide can view your website in their local language. Essentially, it's like a mirror is being held up to your site, and the reflections are fully translated versions. Proxies are intermediary servers that retrieve content from your server (also known as a client server), translate it in real-time either through machine translation or by taking from a set of previously approved translations, and then display the translated content to end users on your website.
由于本地化网站采用主要网站的内容和代码构建而成，因此所有网站的用户体验和功能都将保持一致。这种连贯性还能确保迅速、自动地检测、翻译和发布新增内容。
Advantages:
- Proxy-based translation simplifies the translation process, and eliminates the complexity and effort that traditionally goes with website translation.
- Translation proxies are easy to implement, making them a less expensive way to test a new international market strategy before deciding on a more complex translation method.
Using CMS Connectors for Website Translation
For companies that prefer to store and control translated content internally (rather than with a translation vendor), it’s possible to translate a website with a CMS connector. 这种连接器可将内容发送给翻译服务提供商，然后重新上传至CMS以供发布。
A CMS (content management system) is an application used to publish and manage content on your website intuitively. Examples of platforms include WordPress (WPML), Drupal, and Adobe Experience Manager. Using a CMS simplifies maintaining site content for the site administrator or content manager, especially for large websites with multiple sub-pages. In addition, CMS plug-ins allow for efficient and straightforward management of a website's various language versions directly from the content management system.
For example, a CMS eliminates the need to alter the underlying HTML code of a website when changing content; instead, new content and images can easily be entered and edited through a protected area called the "back end." Customers would send content ready for translation to the language service provider (LSP) in the given source language through the back end. The finished translations are sent back to the CMS, where the website administrator or content manager checks them before publication.
Advantages:
- CMS gives greater flexibility with translation, including tone of voice, layouts, color changes, style, and glossaries that should be used during the translation process. In addition, the client is able to revise the content as needed on their server both before and after a website goes live.
- A CMS solution ensures that businesses can keep their websites current with the most updated technology, including new video and file formats, functionality, and apps.
Disadvantages:
- CMS connectors can struggle to communicate properly with the CMS interface, which can lead to usability issues. Connectors are standardized and pre-configured, meaning they may not work exactly as advertised given your specific CMS.
- Modifications are required to bridge connectors with content platforms. These modifications are time- and effort-intensive. Even with a well-set system, connectors are fragile and often break after CMS software or security upgrades. This can cause delays to translation workflows.
Using an API for Website Translation
A translation application programming interface (API) is typically provided by a translation provider and has a broader scope than a CMS connector. It allows companies to create workflows for any type of content requiring translation, not just content stored in a CMS.
A translation API is a way to pass content between two computer systems (content that needs to be translated and the content that has been translated). It's a software interface that developers can use to add machine translation capabilities to their products or programmatically translate texts and content that their product displays in localized versions.
APIs can be valuable tools to facilitate continuous localization needed for multilingual site updates. Tasks such as monitoring source materials for updates, creating projects, assigning translators, and downloading and uploading files are administrative time sinks that can use up a lot of the project manager's attention, but this is where an API functionality shines. It's a precursor to accessing features that will automate tasks.
Advantages:
- Translation APIs are often easier to tailor than a CMS connector, and are compatible with a range of formats, including HTML, XML and even JSON.
- Proxy-API hybrid solutions can combine the flexibility of the API with the ease of the turn-key solution for an ideal omnichannel translation approach.
Disadvantages:
- Translation API implementation can take some time and requires careful planning and preparation. The structure and storage of the content must be well-organized, or the API won't function consistently.
- A developer is required to programmatically configure and support translation requests that will be serviced via the Translation API, which can add cost to a project.
Human vs. Machine Website Translation
In addition to the translation technology methods outlined above, you’ll also need to consider whether to pursue human or machine translation when translating your website.
Human translation involves the translation of content by professional linguists fluent in their international customers' industries, brands, languages, and cultures. Studies show that human translation generates superior engagement, conversions, and credibility among multilingual customers because human translation ensures superior translation accuracy and quality assurance due to human editorial oversight and multi-step review processes. In addition, website content can be easily customized for regionally preferred dialects and phrases.
Machine translation uses computer software to translate text from one language to another. Content is fed to machine translation software, which automatically translates content into the target language without human involvement. Machine translation allows businesses to use "machines" such as Google Translate to translate content at scale. Machine translation is often an integrated feature within localization platforms and is used by companies looking to lower their translation costs. It's effective for content that does not require translation precision and extensive copywriting.
Neural machine translation (NMT) uses deep learning techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the source sentence and find patterns to create a suitable translation in the destination language. This technology is based on deep neural networks, an interconnected series of "nodes" modeled after the human brain. Before translating, NMT software will be given training data such as different examples of translations for a certain text. The software is then "trained" to produce the most accurate translation.
Translation proxy systems, CMS, or API translation systems all utilize machine translation to translate website content. However, a hybrid approach to translation is generally recommended. For example, Google Translate can easily translate content and then it can be reviewed again by editorial and quality assurance teams for accuracy and relevance. This can come in handy for content like product descriptions or other straightforward content that doesn't need a lot of emotional nuances or cultural localization context.
2 Examples of Successful Website Translation
Aventa Credit Union
Aventa Credit Union is located in the Colorado Springs area and is expanded into more southern Colorado counties, resulting in member growth from Spanish-speaking communities. Aventa wanted to ensure all their members had access to financial resources in their preferred language, so they decided to translate their website into Spanish. In 2020, Aventa focused on hiring bilingual Spanish-speaking associates and leveraged their workers' fluency in Spanish to translate English content for their website. But, this took away from other work employees were hired to perform. Employees who knew Spanish also didn't know the same Spanish, resulting in inconsistent translations.
Aventa hired MotionPoint in 2021 during a rebranding effort to translate and localize website content for the various Spanish dialects their clients speak. Using translation connectors, a reverse-proxy system, and web plugins, Aventa's content translation and localization is now effortless. New content is quickly localized into Spanish and published on Aventa's digital channels in less than a day with little to no work required from them.
VITAS Healthcare
VITAS Healthcare is the nation's leading provider of end-of-life care. They recognized the complexities and cultural sensitivities around end-of-life care and dying topics. They determined that offering content in local languages, including through multilingual websites, would greatly benefit customer service and support. VITAS set out to translate their website to Chinese and Spanish and searched for a website translation solution company to deploy and operate multilingual websites. They also wanted to ensure high-quality and accurate translations, including reflecting the language's original tone and cultural nuances, so they looked for a service that provided human translation support.
VITAS worked with MotionPoint's proxy-based technology to support their careful, culturally-appropriate language needs. Now, MotionPoint can automatically identify changes to VITAS' English-language site, which alerts MotionPoint's human translators to translate content and makes it available on the localized sites - typically within one business day.
Website Translation vs. Traditional Translation
网站翻译涉及传统翻译公司难以处理的细微技术差别。此类细微差别包括：
- 以HTML、JavaScript或JSON编码的动态内容
- 复杂的平台和贡献者生态系统
- 网上业务的快速发展步伐
- 用户需要新鲜、可分享的内容和互动性
传统的翻译解决方案无法区分代码和内容，无法协调不同平台和贡献者的多种工作流，无法跟上不断更新的步伐，并且难以保留您网站的外观、风格和功能。
Thankfully, digital-first solutions can easily handle code, multiple platforms, fast deadlines and more.
Challenges of Website Translation
除了翻译技术外，网站翻译还有其他一些值得注意的难题。点击下方链接了解详细信息和最佳方法。
- 网站翻译并非易事，传统翻译公司可能无法处理网站翻译。
- 您的网站会不时变化，您需要能够适应您步伐的翻译解决方案。
- 为保持相关性，您的翻译解决方案必须能快速行动。您的翻译服务提供商也必须能快速行动。
- 外部内容和第三方应用会增加使网站翻译变得复杂、棘手和成本高昂的风险。选择以数字为主导的解决方案有助于消除负担和成本。
- 通过不同语言展现一致的品牌形象至关重要。顶级的翻译服务提供商可使其变得简单、便捷且经济高效。
