Translating Social Media
Social Media Translation
Across the world, there are nearly 4 billion people on social media, which makes it obvious that translating your social media content will help you attract new customers and break into new markets.
But how do you communicate with international audiences effectively using social media? Should every single thing that you post be posted? What is the most effective way to express your brand's message in another language? We'll briefly cover seven key tips for social media translation.
Plan and research your target market
The first step is to meet with your marketing team to develop a game plan. Creating engaging social media posts is not easy; that's why you need to plan for the long-term.
What languages/markets will you choose for your global expansion? Which social networks should are best for you and the target market?
Don't forget that, as ubiquitous as social networks are across the world, not all are built equal. According to Vincos, the most popular social media in Russia is VKontakte, while QZone has been the dominant player in the Chinese market for over a decade. Before spending money on a marketing campaign, make sure that the campaign will have a reasonable chance to reach people.
Target your account for each region
Never, ever, ever use multiple languages on one social media account. One of the biggest mistakes brands make when translating social media content is that they publish in multiple languages all on one page without proper targeting.
Instead of combining languages, try to target your multilingual profiles for each specific audience. Your page will be accessible to everyone, your followers will understand the content, and you'll increase engagement.
Get your hashtags on point
Hashtags are a huge part of social media marketing. They are essential for every social media campaign, so naturally, they are as crucial for translation.
When you pick your hashtags, don't translate them directly into the target language. Instead, focus on studying your target audience's behaviors and habits. Do some research to find out more about hashtags used amongst your international competitors.
At Idiomatic, we understand that a sentence's meaning is more than just the sum of its parts, so we consider hashtags' importance when taking on a marketing translation project.
No machine translation!
Poorly translated slogans and content can cause some severe damage to your brand's reputation. Trust is a key factor when a potential customer buys a product or service. A non-idiomatic translation and stilted marketing materials will repel clients.
Work with local translators
Like we said, before starting your international marketing strategy, understand the intricacies of the new market. The best way to ensure your translation considers the local culture, the linguistic nuances, and industry-relevant terminology is to hire native translators who live in that area
Do you know your social media jargon?
English is the most commonly consumed language in social media, so it's important to be on top of slang and jargon. Ask yourself and your team this question: What should I translate, and what not? Some terms like 'to tweet' or 'hit the like button' are now ubiquitous across many non-English language. Idiomatic USA understands and has vast experience with social media translation, and will help you plan.
Be aware of the character limit
Every social platform is different; and what works in one place may not in another. Facebook and TikTok, for example, have very different processes behind them. When translating social media content, an important thing to have in mind is the character limit on each channel. Make sure to do your research and see what the gurus suggest about post length, number of keywords, etc.
Translating social media content allows you to interact with international customers and grow your business. If you are interested in translating your social media content, get in touch with Idiomatic here for a price quote.