The significance of a multilingual website
The United States has become synonymous with diversity; and when it comes to languages, the number of tongues spoken in this country is truly incredible. Living in Miami, I witness this phenomenon every single day. Going to the store is a curious and intriguing experience in itself as I hear a tremendous variety of languages and dialects all around me. The languages that stand out most are Spanish and Russian, but others like Portuguese, French, Creole and Hebrew are very common as well. When it comes to owning a business in a diverse city such as Miami, business owners should understand the importance of offering services in several languages (the more the better). This is especially true for industries in which there is direct contact with clients, for instance Real Estate. However, even if there is no face-to-face contact in your business, or you do not speak several languages, one good way to establish a rapport with your diverse clientele is to have a multilingual website. In today’s technological world, your website may very well be the face of your business that serves as an introduction and a guide to your potential or existing clients.
Usability research shows that web users are more likely to browse and search in their native language, while those who do not speak English well will appreciate your website being in several different languages (once again, the more the better) and will naturally feel more comfortable and confident in choosing your business over others. Many of you have probably used Google Translate at one point in time, or at least heard of it. Many websites are opting for this free translating option and proudly state that their websites are multilingual. However! You must realize that a computer translates word-for-word and that in the end most of the text does not make much sense. Unless your goal is to provide some entertainment for your readers (computerized translations often turn out to be hilarious as the computer does not distinguish between double meanings and regional linguistic variations, for example), I suggest you go to a professional translator to do the job. If you own a website and would like to reach a wider audience by translating it into several languages, contact miaLingua for professional, fast service.
by: Yuliya Volokh
