Proxies and APIs: How to Select the Best Translation Technology

Introduction

While many translation agencies claim they can effectively localize website and multichannel content, the truth is, they’re often outclassed by the task.

Global customers expect stellar localised user experiences everywhere they connect with your brand: your website, social media, online videos or other digital channels.

To deliver that, you should partner with a digital-first agency that has the best translation technology to handle your multichannel content. That means understanding that different channels require different translation solutions—because each has its unique challenges and needs.

When Proxy Technology Works Best

For website translation, there's little doubt that the proxy-based approach is the superior solution. It's fast, efficient and affordable-and for those that offer fully turn-key solutions, effortless-to implement, launch and operate.

Your website is a complex assembly of under-the-hood technologies that are finely tuned to your company's needs. Most website translation approaches can't efficiently or effectively handle its technical and operational complexity. But proxies can.

Far more robust than brittle CMS connectors, the best proxy technologies offer:

• Parsing and translation of all translatable content, including content traditional agencies can’t detect for translation—like metadata, multimedia data and third-party, application-driven content
• The ability to operate independently of your CMS or other back-end website systems, so re-platforming projects and redesigns never impact your translated content
• Storage of translated content in a translation memory database so you can use that content multiple times, as often as you need it
• Automatic detection of content changes and the ability to queue that content and return it to you, translated perfectly, typically within one business day
• SEO expertise to ensure that your content is translated according to local and regional SEO best practices, so you can get found in local markets

The best proxy solutions enable you to have as much control over the website translation process, editorial review and publication as you wish—or they can take on most of the workload for you and leave you to focus on growing your business.

When APIs Give You An Additional Advantage

If you have multichannel translation needs, you should use both the proxy-based approach and leverage the power of APIs and translation user interfaces.

The proxy approach is an efficient and elegant way to localize your website, but there are better tools for translating multichannel content, PIM data and other brand assets. APIs and translation user interfaces give your in-house teams great control as they create new assets designed to connect with global customers, from email campaigns to product information.

By empowering your team to send content for translation 24/7/365 through the interface or API, your multichannel content is quickly queued for translation. The best agencies turn around your translation in about one working day, without sacrificing translation quality.

Thanks to the efficient repurposing of existing translated content through your translation memory, APIs can accelerate your time to market and save money. You'll reach global customers quickly with new, targeted assets-and maximise the opportunity for conversions and positive brand awareness.

Conclusion

Employing experienced translators to help you communicate with online global customers represents the beginning of your globalization journey, not the end. You need a digital-first agency that understands when to use the right technology for the right marketing channel.

To localize your omnichannel marketing content for global markets, look for an agency that understands the nuances and challenges of website and multichannel translation—and offers both proxy solutions and APIs to handle all your digital translation needs with ease.