Wondering how you can minimize or save on costs when it comes to translation and localization? With the gradual increase in demand for online courses in multilingual dialect, you need to increase global outreach as an organization.
If you do not budget well, localization of eLearning and translation can be a bottomless pit for your funds. If you want to move smoothly without breaking the bank, make sure you prepare thoroughly.
Let’s have a look at tips to help you with a cost-effective translation and localization venture.
1. Choose A Truly Global Content Management System
A global training strategy entails a lot more than making your content ready or hiring an expert to translate your content. To effectively disseminate the training and make your training content accessible, employ a Learning Management System (LMS)/global content that is cost-effective.
Organizations based in different locations can favor their users by using LMS to manage and host training from the local language and location.
The multilingual interface integrated into most LMS is an excellent tool for learners who want to use LMS and access multiple language services. The system gives the learners an incredible allowance to switch from one language to another.
2. Define the Scope of Your Translation Project
Having an excellent plan is an effective way of cutting down translation costs. You will not hustle to reduce expenses if you mark your boundaries. A realistic project requires that you lay down your objectives and budget to realize a good return on investment from your localization strategy.
Do an analysis of your market opportunities and take note of languages worthwhile, depending on market scope. If your clients are from a specific country, localization will be an excellent way to go. You cannot begin translating your business where no one has heard of it yet.
It is noble to identify markets with few competitors but have a high demand for your product and services. This will help you grow. If it is your first localization project, start with limited languages. Precisely two will work.
Translation cost differs with language pairs, like it is more costly to translate from English to Korean than to Spanish. Additionally, some languages demand further modification in your structure because of their nature. For example, in the case of Arabic, it is written from right to left, meaning you will add more cost to your actual translation.
It will be wise for you to establish your project’s possible total cost from the beginning to keep your expenditure within limits. Type of content to translate, word count, and the number of employees are but a few factors to consider.
3. Avoid Rework by Performing Timely Reviews of Your Content
Most organizations’ main goal is to make sure their localization and translation content adhere to an acceptable threshold. To avoid redoing the work, select a vendor who will walk with you every step of the project, getting feedback and approval of your work as you go along.
A good vendor has a laid-down structure for quality assurance and management that will guide you through and help you in efficient validation and timely reviews.
An investment in localization and translation of online learning is a critical venture and requires a good foreplan and strategy. When everything is done right, and you partner with a dedicated and skilled translation vendor, you will have a seamless project that beats all the technological and financial challenges.
4. Make Use of Cost-Saving Translation Memory Tools
In case you are gearing up for translation and localization, translation memory tools are the most cost-effective options. We call them linguistic databases that save the target language paragraphs, sentence, and their source. If the saved paragraph or sentence appears, you will have options that will prompt you to accept or reject.
Translation vendors use the above tools to minimize costs, language consistency, and translation speed and ensure translation quality assurance. When outsourcing, make sure your vendor applies translation memory tools for all projects, and in this way, you will increase translation volume without increasing the overall cost of the project.
Translation and localization don’t have to be costly and daunting, as many believe. It is lucrative, but you can save on the input if you follow the above steps; you will get a perfect guide.
