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You’ve moved your product into a South American country, or you are targeting a Spanish-speaking market within the United States. Now you’ll need to translate marketing to Spanish.
But before you do so, there are some key factors to consider. We will walk you through what is most important including cultural sensitivities, dialect, and why machine translation isn’t the answer.
Cultural Norms Matter
Regardless of what language you need your documents translated to, it’s always essential to consider the culture that language is a part of. What sounds great in English, may be offensive in another language, or not even translate accurately.
While you may have a variety of documents for translation (internal communication, employee handbooks, etc.), marketing materials are unique because they are customer facing. From images and text to message and tone, marketing materials communicate a lot about your brand.
For example, if you produce a medical product or device marketed towards women, your translation partner needs to be sensitive to the unique roles women play in that society. To successfully translate, it is essential to use a native speaker that understands how women are represented and spoken about in that culture and dialect. This is called localization.
With a reliable, human translation service like International Language Services, you get the benefit of a professional translator who is a native speaker and a subject matter expert. They not only understand grammar, spelling, and your meaning, but also how your target culture approaches products and sales. Ensure that your translation partner is capable of understanding the nuances of your specific market.
Dialect Challenge: Getting the Tone and Meaning Right
Just because you want to translate marketing to Spanish, doesn’t mean that just any native Spanish speaker can accurately translate to any dialect. Experienced, native translators understand the localized usage of the words they are translating for your target audience and how that can affect meaning.
If you are marketing your product in Northern Spain and Mexico, both Spanish-speaking locales, the way you translate may change. Consider the simple way that people pronounce words: In Northern Spain, a ‘c’ is often pronounced like ‘th’. That can impact the way a word is written or accentuated on marketing materials.
It’s vital that your translation partner knows how to use accent marks, spelling, and regionally appropriate words so that your brand and product are reaching the right people in the right way. Furthermore, your target audience is more likely to feel connected to your brand when their local dialect is used.
Human Translators Still Win
A lot has been said about the way artificial intelligence technology is changing the way we communicate and translate. Machine translations may seem like a great solution, but the outcome can be costly in terms of muddied messages and lost meaning. When it comes to translating marketing to Spanish, it’s worth investing in a human translation service.
While machine translations can compete in some areas, one thing they don’t consider is the way people read entire documents. A recent study said, “Human raters assessing adequacy and fluency show a stronger preference for human over machine translation when evaluating documents as compared to isolated sentences.”
Often times, marketing materials aren’t just promotional, but packaging inserts, labeling and instructions that are vital to the safe and appropriate use of your product. It is essential that every aspect of your document is correct, especially if your product is subject to regulatory oversight. That’s why it’s worth investing in a reputable translation partner like International Language Services.
Whether you’re translating marketing to Spanish or any of the other 180 languages we translate, you deserve a translation partner that is experienced and understands your audience. Contact International Language Services to learn more about how we can help with your next translation project. 
