Websites can be used in different geographical regions depending on what they are dealing with. Some websites can be used within a city, country, region, or continent. With development of internet, communication between cities, countries, regions and the entire world has been made possible. People within a country or region mostly have a common language. Therefore, if a product or service is made targeting such a place, there would be no need of translation. An example is in Japan and Unites States where people have a common language although there may be different ethnic groups.
However, in a case where for example Japanese people would like to communicate or do business with the Americans, the issue of language between the two becomes a concern. In this case, people from Japan cannot be able to communicate effectively with people from United States because of the language barrier. Business between the two cannot be carried out effectively. Such scenarios have necessitated use of strategies that ensure people from the different parts of the world can communicate and do business regardless of their country of origin and language group.
Some webmasters have been contracting human translators to translate content for them to different languages. This is usually the case when you are targeting a specific region with a certain language group. There are many websites offering such services for example freelancer.com which employs many translators to work for various clients. The greatest challenge with this method is unavailability of translators for some languages which you may be requiring content translated to. Another factor is the fact that humans are likely to make more errors compared to computers and web design translator software.
If you can afford, you can consider the use of a multi language web design. In this case, content on the site can be translated into different languages which people from different countries can understand. This is done by the use of sophisticated web design software which provides a platform to include several languages. Different webmasters use different strategies. There are some websites that will offer translation services for other sites through native speakers for truly localized translations. For webmasters who want to avoid the hassle of dealing with foreign enquires, translation services are available to them in the form of an online translation programme. Translation programs are available for free online but you can also get more customized translators from providers who offer such services at a fee.
The translation services are available to the user at the click of a button on the website. Usually, the translator will be availed on the website the user is accessing. Languages available for translation will be shown on the site either by the use of words or relevant flags for example the German flag will denote the German language. The user just chooses their language of interest and then clicks on the translate button to have the site translated. Current web design trend may provide better translation services for people in different regions. For example, the language of the site can be changed automatically depending on where the request to access the site is sent from.
