Website localisation
A page has a purpose
in every language
A product page must explain the product. A service page must establish scope. A contact page must make the next step clear. Website translation starts with those different jobs.
A sentence can be accurate in isolation and still fail on a website. A navigation label may suggest the wrong destination; a translated heading may promise more than the page delivers. Reading the text in its page context gives the translator the information needed to choose precise wording.
The useful unit is therefore the complete page: heading, introductory text, feature descriptions, links and calls to action. Repeated elements also need attention. A service called one thing in the menu and another in the body creates unnecessary doubt, particularly on a first visit from a new market.
Babylon Translations works with translators whose mother tongue is the target language and who live in the target country. For persuasive product and brand material, the scope also intersects with marketing translation; functional interface text belongs with software localisation.
Content inventory
Include the text
outside the main page
| Content | Translation decision | Useful reference |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation and links | Use concise labels that identify the destination and remain consistent across pages. | Page tree and destination pages |
| Service and product pages | Preserve specifications, exclusions and commercial meaning while using natural target-language phrasing. | Product information and approved terminology |
| Page titles and descriptions | State the topic accurately within the publishing team’s character limits. | Page purpose and target search terms |
| Forms and confirmation text | Keep field names, instructions and subsequent messages connected. | The complete sequence of screens |
| Image descriptions and captions | Describe relevant information in context rather than repeating the nearest heading. | The image and its role on the page |
An inventory should distinguish text included in the translation from content that remains in the source language. Downloads and embedded text are easy to miss.
Language and market
Choose the readership
before the wording
A language name alone does not always define the audience. UK and US English differ in spelling and familiar commercial terms. French for France and Canada, or Portuguese for Portugal and Brazil, require deliberate choices rather than a mixture of conventions. The brief should name the intended market and the preferred variant.
Terminology must read naturally in the target language rather than follow the source word order, and scripts such as Cyrillic, Greek or Arabic add their own presentation rules. Product names may remain unchanged while descriptive terms need translation. The translation guide explains how to brief these decisions.
Search language deserves the same care. A literal rendering of an English phrase may not be the expression used by buyers in another market. Approved search terms help the translator understand intent; they must still fit the page naturally. Translation supplies the language layer, while keyword research, publishing configuration and search performance require their own scope.
Agree the content handover before translation
The project brief should identify the pages, target languages, editable text and reference website. A content export can preserve the relationship between individual text fields and their destinations, provided the structure is clear. The format and any technical preparation need agreement before work starts; a visible website is not automatically a complete source package.
Context is especially important for short labels. A button reading ‘Request’ could submit a request, open a form or refer to a document already received. Screenshots, page references and explanations of the intended action remove that ambiguity without adding unnecessary words to the published text.
Separate language approval from publication
Babylon Translations uses CAT tools for terminology consistency. Every translation is proofread and reviewed; under ISO 17100, a second qualified linguist revises the translation against the source. Its ISO-certified quality processes include ISO 9001:2015 for translation and localisation and DIN EN ISO 17100 for translation services.
A translated text still needs to be placed correctly on the website. The publishing team should check page associations, link destinations, missing fields and how longer text fits the design. CMS work, technical SEO configuration and implementation responsibilities should be specified separately so that language approval is not mistaken for a finished deployment.
Website translation questions
Planning the
language version
What should a website translation brief include?
A website translation brief should include the page list, target markets, language variants, source text and publication requirements. Page references, screenshots and existing terminology provide useful context. The brief should also identify metadata, navigation, forms and downloadable documents, so that the agreed scope covers the complete visitor experience rather than only the visible paragraphs.
Can website translation include page titles and meta descriptions?
Page titles and meta descriptions can form part of the translation scope when supplied with the relevant pages. Their purpose and character limits should be stated in the brief. Each should describe the page accurately in the target language; a translation alone does not establish keyword demand or guarantee a search ranking.
What is the difference between website translation and localisation?
Website translation transfers meaning between languages; localisation also considers the target market and the context in which the text appears. Typical decisions concern language variant, terminology, date and number conventions, navigation and action labels. Technical changes to the website are a separate responsibility that should be agreed alongside the language work.
Does a whole website need to be translated at once?
A website can be divided into clearly defined translation phases. The initial scope should include enough supporting content for visitors to understand the offer and complete the intended action. Later pages should follow the same terminology and editorial choices. A page inventory helps prevent mixed-language menus, unexplained links and untranslated documents from being overlooked.
How long does website translation take?
Website translation timing depends on the amount of text, subject complexity, target languages and readiness of the source material. Repeated content, missing metadata and late source changes also affect planning. A useful request includes the publication date and a stable content package, allowing translation, revision and the publisher’s implementation checks to be scheduled separately.
How should translated website updates be managed?
Website updates should identify new and changed text against an approved source version. Existing translations and terminology provide reference material, while translation memory can help maintain repeated wording. Changes to a product name, feature or service scope may affect several pages; the update package should include those related occurrences rather than only the most recently edited paragraph.