Translations Archives - Dialogue

All you need to know about SEO localisation

Robert Shimwell — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 11:05:19 +0000

At Dialogue, we have had the privilege of partnering with Liam Saunders, Managing Director at VIP IT, to bring you this blog on SEO localisation. We asked Liam some questions about the importance of SEO localisation and, being an expert in all things SEO, he has kindly put together the following answers for you! VIP IT is a digital marketing agency that, amongst other things, specialises in helping non-UK based companies effectively target the UK market using SEO localisation. At Dialogue, we also offer SEO localisation as one of our services, especially localisation from English into other foreign languages. So, sit back and enjoy this exclusive interview about how SEO localisation should be part of your SEO strategy and can not only benefit your business, but bring the return on investment you’ve been looking for. We hope you find it informative!

How important is it to have a website localised to your target market?

Localising your website to best suit your target market is an essential task to gain visibility and trust within a new target market. While it may be tempting for businesses to bypass the localisation process and simply translate existing content from one language to another, this will negatively impact your online visibility and make attaining higher keyword rankings a greater challenge. For businesses that are expanding into new countries or regions, website localisation should be as much of a priority as online advertising or their wider SEO strategy. We have seen the significant difference that website localisation can make with one of our international clients, who we helped localise their content into English as part of their wider digital marketing strategy.

What are the benefits of SEO localisation?

SEO localisation has many significant benefits for international businesses that are expanding into new markets.

Firstly, the process will involve identifying the correct search terms/keywords for a given country, which in turn helps to increase your online visibility and steer your overall SEO strategy. Secondly, understanding the search habits within each country helps you to target the most suitable keywords and gain a competitive advantage over your competitors. Thirdly, search engines including Google have a strong preference for original, unique content. By adapting your content during the localisation process, you create unique content for every language version of your website, which will appeal to search engines and help you rank for your identified target keywords. Finally, localised content that is specific to and takes account of the culture and traditions associated with a country and its language/languages will generate a stronger response from your target audience and they will appreciate that the content has been tailored to suit them. Generating a strong response will positively impact the engagement metrics recorded by Google’s algorithm leading to improved keyword rankings, a higher number of enquiries/sales and a great return on investment (ROI) for your SEO campaign.

What are the dangers of not having a website optimised for your target consumer?

Optimising your website for your target customer is critical, whether your company operates within the B2C or B2B space. Intelligently investing your marketing resources in search engine optimisation has the potential to generate excellent results that are sustainable in the long-term.

The most significant danger of not optimising your content is that you will fail to increase your online visibility and reach potential customers. If your website cannot be found by your target customers who are searching for appropriate keywords, you are going to lose business to your competitors. Lost enquiries and sales opportunities are costly and will negatively affect your business’s growth prospects.

Secondly, a poorly optimised website can be almost as harmful as a non-optimised website. In this case, if you are targeting the wrong keywords or preparing unsuitable content then you may attract the wrong type of customer for your business. This results in a high bounce rate, wasted marketing budget and a whole host of issues for your business development and sales.

How does SEO localisation help with handling cultural barriers and miscommunication?

The SEO localisation process involves identifying relevant keywords for a target country and creating unique optimised content that is suitable for the identified keywords. As part of this process, search trends are identified for the target audience within the specific country. Harnessing these trends can help to overcome cultural barriers and avoid miscommunication as the search trends will consider the culture in the target country. It is particularly important to draw on the expertise and experience of a native or proficient linguist during the process. They will be best placed to advise on the culture within a given country and highlight specific risks of miscommunication within your SEO campaign.

When's the right time for companies to invest in SEO localisation?

Determining the right time to invest in SEO localisation can be a challenge, as it will vary depending on the resources that each company has available and the new country/market that they are seeking to enter. Ideally, a company that is looking to achieve growth and gain significant traction in a new market, should invest in SEO localisation from the beginning. This will help them to develop a stronger understanding of the market that they are entering and tailor their SEO strategy to best suit the individual characteristics and trends within their target country.

The key benefit of starting the localisation process early is that it provides your company with the best chance of boosting its online visibility and appealing to its target market. Adopting SEO localisation at a later stage has significant cost and wider SEO implications as changes will need to be made to content that has already been indexed by Google. This can increase the timeframe required to deliver SEO results as the localised content will then need to be re-indexed and if URL/link changes are required to accommodate keywords, these pages will be treated as new pages by search engines.

If you are unsure as to the best time to invest in SEO localisation, it is always worth seeking advice from a digital marketing agency with experience in SEO localisation. At VIP IT, we have expertise in helping non-UK based companies effectively target the UK market. Why not book a free consultation to find out if we could help your business?

Does SEO localisation preserve the design and layout of a company's website assets?

In most cases, SEO localisation will preserve the design and layout of a company’s website across different languages. However, in some cases – particularly when significantly different assets including images and graphics are required to support localisation changes – it may be necessary to alter the design and layout of a website to accommodate these. If your company is set to offer different products/services for a specific country/region, the potential for design and layout changes will be far greater than if you are using an identical or very similar product/service line up.

The post All you need to know about SEO localisation appeared first on Dialogue.

How to ride the ChatGPT & AI wave

Robert Shimwell — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:29:45 +0000

From ChatGPT taking the world by storm, to perhaps taking over the world altogether (so say the AI developers themselves), should we be worried? Or excited? At least a little bit curious…

So, what are the benefits and limitations of Generative AI models like ChatGPT? How might we work with them as we ride the wave of changing times? Here at Dialogue, we’ve pulled together some helpful pointers for you to see just what AI & ChatGPT can do well and where there is room for development:

Translation

Machine Translation (MT) can process large volumes of text quickly and in multiple languages – ideal for time-sensitive projects. With a human post-editor, plenty of reliable MT engines such as DeepL, Microsoft Translator & Phrase NextMT can already be used for non-complex texts.

MT is not to be used for legal, medical or really creative texts – it struggles to preserve nuance, accuracy, cultural references and idiomatic expressions. ChatGPT is not yet able to translate accurately and without mistakes; instead, its strength lies in copy generation. It is, however, able to translate speech reasonably well. This is because ChatGPT has access to a wealth of speeches recorded and written online and is designed to imitate human speech in its answers.

Transcreation

ChatGPT can generate creative copy and marketing content from scratch in different languages without making mistakes. It is already a good tool for a linguist to use to help them come up with different creative ideas and options during the transcreation process; they simply need to feed and refine ChatGPT with the appropriate prompts.

The marketing copy it can generate still needs a human touch to add more spark to the generated text. In the future, machine transcreation with human ‘post-creation’ may well be a service – let’s see!

Interpreting

One-directional machine interpreting is great for getting the basic gist of speech at events or meetings where you just need a translation of what the speaker is saying.

It’s not so good for conversations or sensitive business meetings, as AI cannot facilitate conversation in the same way that human interpreters can. Check out this video to see AI interpreting in action! Machine interpreting is also not to be used in medical or legal contexts.

Automated Services

AI is really good at speeding up subtitling, transcription and voice-over processes and it already provides a valid, cheaper alternative. Automated, AI-generated services are just the job for any internal content, training & meetings.

Automated services are not good for creative films, games, ads, and marketing content for an external target audience. AI might speed up the transcription process, but it can’t create the style, humour and creative cultural input needed in these contexts.

Language Learning

Duolingo has teamed up with GPT-4 to create a language learning app where AI can correct the learner’s grammar and speech. The metaverse also allows you to learn the basics of a language in a creative, virtual reality!

Without human feedback, training & interaction you can only go so far with your language learning; who do you ask if you don’t understand something? What if it teaches you the wrong thing…?

The tech research giant, Gartner, reckons that Generative AI’s real impact will be really understood within the next three to six years; predicting that by 2025, 30% of marketing content will be created by generative AI with post human editing. So, let’s watch this space!

If you’d like to know more about the tech services we already offer, you can download this 1-page guide detailing our language & tech options to date. We’re watching this AI trend with interest and are adapting our services as we speak, whilst always ensuring that human touch.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you may be putting AI to use in your company – or not – and would be happy to chat through the language options available to you in this fast-paced, digital era! So, don’t hestitate to get in touch!

The post How to ride the ChatGPT & AI wave appeared first on Dialogue.

Polish before Publishing

Robert Shimwell — Wed, 31 May 2023 09:32:15 +0000

What goes on behind the scenes...

Translation software, such as CAT tools, has revolutionised the way we work on translations. We’ve long spoken about the benefits that Translation Memories have on consistency, that tags have on preserving HTML codes, and how their interfaces streamline project management. But one benefit that isn’t spoken about as often as it should be, is how linguists and project managers ensure that both the formatting and layout of the original content are preserved in the final file and target language.

However, the system – using a CAT tool – isn’t perfect, nor can it be. Languages take differing amounts of words/characters to make the same point, and grammatical rules mean some sentences can’t be split in the same way as in the source. In fact, there are some languages that are written from right to left and therefore affect the layout of the final file altogether, such as Arabic and Hebrew. This is where that human touch is needed to ensure that not only does the formatting of a translation match that of the source, but also that the translation being arranged in that way makes grammatical sense.

Polishing practicalities

It may not be what immediately springs to mind when we think of translation services. But it is an essential part of our service offered, and helps to ensure that the desired impact of the source is maintained across international offices, particularly important for presentations or data sets.

This is easiest when working with editable documents such as Word or PowerPoint. However, we appreciate that this isn’t always possible. Sometimes, the document in question is handwritten, or it can be an uneditable or scanned PDF. In such cases, we‘re required to recreate that source file in an editable format, so that the advantages of translation software can be properly leveraged.

To do so, we enlist the help of Desktop Publishing (DTP) specialists. DTP came to prevalence as the requirement to digitise traditionally paper-based documentation for archiving arose, and DTP is now a sometimes-essential part of the translation process. Especially in instances where graphics need to be extracted from the source and translated. In such instances though, more creative licence is given to the DTP specialist, again to ensure that the same impact is delivered across languages and cultures.

Polishing your texts, subtitles & voiceovers

The art of Polishing before Publishing is not just restricted to text translation. In fact, it’s probably even more important in media localisation, where a polished final product can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful campaign.

With subtitles, this means watching the subtitled videos through to check that the captions created actually match what is being said on the source video, and that they pop up on the screen at the right timecode. Not just this, but it serves as an opportunity to check whether the subtitles are not too long, whether they appear on screen long enough for a user to read them, and whether they block any on-screen text as they appear. Once all is checked and in order, then the subtitles can either be delivered or embedded onto the source video, if that service has been selected.

With voiceover, a similar listen-through is required to ensure any directions regarding tone have been followed and the VO matches the script. If there is the requirement to synchronise VO with a source recording, then we need to ensure that the synchronisation is maintained throughout. As with subtitles, once all of these points are checked, only then do we deliver or embed the voice recording.

Want to find out more?

Get in touch with us at Dialogue. Our project managers are always happy to chat through your requirements, and you can be sure we will go the extra mile to deliver a polished final product before publishing!

The post Polish before Publishing appeared first on Dialogue.

The reality of relocating: language barriers and culture shock

Robert Shimwell — Wed, 17 May 2023 14:04:35 +0000

Ever wondered what it’s like to relocate? To use another language more than your native language? To experience culture shock and – yes, it’s a thing – even reverse culture shock?

Moving from one country to another is no mean feat and there are lots of things that must be taken into consideration. To give yourself just a flavour of what it’s like to live and work in a new country and culture, take a read of this exclusive interview with our translation project manager, Arianna Esardi. And if you’re planning a trip to Italy anytime soon, get ready to be spontaneous, have answers prepared to fend off direct questions and be sure to take some cash with you!

Ari, what is one thing you wish someone had told you before you first moved to the UK?

So, I first moved into the UK when I was 17 and I was still in high school. Back then, I wish someone had told me was how different the school system was. Because obviously from outside, all your knowledge about the UK is from TV shows or films. When I was 17, British pop culture was really big, you know, One Direction boyband kind of thing… Everyone was completely in love with the idea of the UK and London without understanding what it might be like to live there day in day out.

Moving to the UK was a big change for me, especially as our school systems are so different. The fact you get to choose your subjects was one of the main differences and the concept of dropping a subject was completely new to me. I had friends that started taking, like, four subjects at A-level and then dropped down to only three, which again, for teenage-me, used to 12 subjects in Italy, that was quite a shock. Also, back at home, you are awarded your final grade as an average of your exam results throughout the year and you don’t need to worry about your end of year exams being the be all and end all. Interestingly, although the school year runs from September to June, it’s the year that you’re born (January to January) that determines what school year you’re put in!

Has language ever been a barrier for you in the UK?

When I first moved here, language was definitely a barrier. At the age of 17, I had my English just from what you learn in school; some songs, you know, that kind of typical, very basic English. Actually, the very first thing that happened to me in the UK was that I got on the train from Gatwick to Hastings where I was staying for the year, and it was one of those trains that splits up at a station and only one half was continuing to Hastings… not my half…

They must have announced it, as now I know that that’s how it works, but I didn’t fully understand the speaker, maybe it wasn’t very audible or maybe the fact that my English wasn’t that good is why I didn’t get what was going on. So, I sat there in an empty carriage that was going to stay at the station and I did nothing. Thankfully though, the guard walked down the train to make sure everyone had left. I don’t really remember what he said but I do remember he was extremely nice and he got me off the carriage, walked me through to the right part and even allowed me to sit in first class. He later came back to check on me and told me when to get off the train. The bottom line is that I was completely lost; I was a teenager terrified of going to a new county. And he was, honestly, my saviour in that situation!

Obviously, the language barrier has got smaller as my English has got better with time. I have got to the point where I would say my main language has changed to English as, you know, I work in English and, at home, my partner is British, so we are always speaking English. There are still times where I’m absolutely convinced that a word means something when it doesn’t, though. I mean, even the other night a calque from my Italian crept in; I was talking about anticipating a meeting. Because the word ‘anticipare’ – which is similar to the English ‘anticipate’, actually means to bring forward. I was talking about bringing a meeting forward from 4pm to 3pm but kept going on about anticipating it until I realised, after some funny looks, what was wrong!

Being able to speak two languages is a blessing and a curse! Do you think it’s possible for a person to lose their fluency in their native language the more they learn a new one?

When I was 17, I would translate in my head from Italian into English, but now I find myself having to do it the other way around, having to translate from English to Italian. That’s what happens when you move abroad and when you don’t use your language that much. And that is why when it comes to reading, for example, I do prefer reading in Italian. I’m a big reader and I can read in English, but reading in Italian allows me to sort of tap back into my language and rebuild my vocabulary in my native language. And sure, reading in English allows me to do the same with English, but if I were to drop reading in Italian in favour of reading in English, then I would lose that kind of vocabulary in my native language, because if you don’t use it, you do tend to lose it.

Now, let’s get down to the juicy stuff: what are some of your pet peeves about British people?

One thing that I don’t want to say drives me mad, but let’s say, one thing that I’ve noticed… is I just don’t get the need to have everything planned. Some things are ok, you know, I plan my holidays months in advance. But when it comes to social stuff and seeing your friends, in my opinion, you don’t need that level of planning. When we go back home to Italy, it might be that I get a message to a group chat at 6pm saying, who wants to meet up tonight at 10pm? I might not answer until eight and then say, yeah, I’ll see you in a couple of hours. And that’s all you need. You can also drop by someone’s house unannounced, and perhaps stay for a coffee or just chat for a bit – this depends from person to person of course – but I wouldn’t be like, no, I’m not letting you in unless you send me a letter in the post first…!

Sounds like you’re definitely more spontaneous than we are in the UK! So, how do people's attitudes and mentalities differ between the two countries?

I’d say the UK is a bit more open in terms of mentality. There’s a bit more conservatism back at home over certain topics, but then again, I guess it just depends on where you are. If you’re In London, you’re going to have a more international and open mindset than if you live in some really small village in the middle of nowhere – generally speaking. And I think it’s the same in Italy. If you’re in Milan, you’re probably going to gain a different mentality to the ones you might find in some sort of, like, tiny little town.

For example, again, back to when I was a teenager, I used to have blue hair. I’ve always had coloured hair, really bright and everything. To have blue hair hadn’t exactly caught on back then and I was one of very few in Italy to have blue hair. I was getting stares – even in Milan! But stares nonetheless, and when I moved here, my mum was concerned I was going to get the same kind of thing. So, because I was going to be in the UK alone and I was not yet eighteen, I dyed it back to a very dark brown and left my much-loved blue hair behind. But when I moved here, I was surprised to find that one of the professors in college, while I was doing my A-levels, had bright pink hair! So yeah, I regret that I dyed it, I really wish I had kept it blue!

And what are some of the main cultural similarities or differences between the UK and Italy in the workplace?

One thing that I’ve noticed is that I can talk about money a little more openly. I won’t ask people how much they earn, but I have no issues discussing my salary. I’m not sure if it’s an Italian thing or a me-thing, but generally speaking we are certainly more direct and can get to the point quicker than most English people!

Another difference is how you write emails. I think we are a lot more formal in our writing, just like how French emails and writing is very structured, and very formal. Whereas, in the UK, it’s not quite a text message, but your emails are a lot more like a conversation and you can use emojis and so on. Every now and then I still need to get my emails checked here in the UK to make sure that they don’t sound too formal just because I don’t want to come across as rude in English to British people. But if I were to write an email like I do in English in Italian, I would definitely come across as rude to the Italian person. There are different pronouns in Italian that you can use for addressing people and you should always address people that you don’t know using the formal address in Italian.

Have you ever experienced culture shock in the UK or reverse culture shock when you go back home?

When I go back to Italy, I experience reverse culture shock for sure. So, credit cards and debit cards. Up until a couple of years ago, they were still not very widely accepted. I think there was a law that was passed maybe six months to a year ago that says shops have to accept them. But up until then, there was no obligation. And actually, banks tend to charge quite a bit extra on any transaction done by a credit or debit card. And that’s why up until the new law came into effect, they weren’t that widely used. You can still see some shops now where they don’t take card or there’s a minimum amount, for example, no card payments under 10 quid. Obviously, in the UK I’m used to being able to pay even 10p with a card or being able to split a bill 6 ways in a restaurant, and so going back home I’m forever having to scramble for cash!

I’m hoping it’s going to change because I do find it a lot more convenient and safer here in the UK. So, if anyone here wants to go on holiday to Italy, be aware, it’s really important! Take some cash. There will still be places that don’t take card at all, like taxi drivers. I mean, now with the law, they sort of have to, but do take some cash with you, as you never know!

And finally, is there any advice you might have for people planning to relocate to the UK?

Check out the UK government webpages. There is a lot of really clear and helpful information. You don’t have to call people, as it will take a long time to get through to anyone on the phone and actually you can find what you need online. Chat to people who have already relocated, if you’re moving with work, definitely get some language and cultural training arranged. And yeah, documents take time. Be prepared to wait but stick at it! Living and working in another country and culture is worth the wait!

If you want to find out how Dialogue can help you with relocating for work or study or you just want to brush up on those language skills before an upcoming business trip, get in touch with our training department today!

The post The reality of relocating: language barriers and culture shock appeared first on Dialogue.

How can investing in translation services increase my business’ ROI?

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 11:41:00 +0000

Reach new markets

Investing in translation services can be a great way to increase your return on investment. Translating materials into multiple languages can open up new markets and provide access to potential customers who would not have been able to access your products or services before. This all leads to increased sales and profits. Having your marketing materials, website and social media content translated into foreign languages can also make it easier for customers from different countries to find and purchase your products, especially if you invest in SEO localisation. It’s all very well having great content, but if the keywords aren’t easily searchable in your target language, your content won’t be found. Having your online content, search words and hashtags translated by translators that specialise in SEO translation and localisation will increase engagement with your content and help to introduce new customers to your business.

Really connect with people

The benefits of investing in translation services extend beyond just opening up new markets. Translations also allow you to better connect with people from different cultures, making it easier for them to relate to the content you are trying to engage them with. This increased level of understanding between businesses and their customer base can lead to more loyal customers, resulting in higher customer retention rates and long-term revenue growth potential. By improving a company’s communication channels through translations and interpreting, this opens up new possibilities of fostering international relationships and global partnerships.

Greater client loyalty

As more global markets become accessible thanks to your translated content, businesses will be able to reach new demographics that were previously inaccessible due to language barriers. Not only are new customers introduced to your business, but you will be able to generate higher revenue from existing customers by providing them with a wider range of products, services and shipping options as you continue to grow your business internationally, tailoring to different consumer preferences.

Better quality and client satisfaction

In addition, using professional translation services ensures that your content is accurately translated while preserving its style and meaning – something that cannot be said when relying solely on automated translation tools that are not reviewed by human linguists, or translations produced by amateur translators. At Dialogue, all of our linguists have over 5-years’ professional translating or interpreting experience and a language or translation degree. By placing your content in a safe pair of hands, you will avoid any embarrassing mistakes or misinterpretations that come from poor quality translations – further increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty which will lead to an even better ROI over time.

Overall, investing in translation services is one of the most effective ways to make sure you get the most out of any international venture. Translation services are essential partners to have when it comes to exporting into new markets – they help to provide access to untapped markets and ensure positive customer engagement, which in turn, helps create a loyal base of customers who are willing to invest in your company’s products or services for many years to come.

Interested in learning more about how investing in translation services can increase your business’ return on investment? Get in touch with us at Dialogue today; we’re here to help!

The post How can investing in translation services increase my business’ ROI? appeared first on Dialogue.

How subtitles are revolutionising the way we consume video content

Robert Shimwell — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:21:28 +0000

For many households, the television has been the centrepiece of family entertainment over the past few decades. However, many viewers will be completely unaware of how significantly the way we consume video content has changed. One of the biggest transformations will be noticed by those who are reliant on, or are simply users of, subtitles. Not only has subtitling improved accessibility in all forms of video content, but enhanced the viewing experience for its consumers, thus revolutionising the way we consume video content.

Subtitles & closed captions: making content accessible for all

The most known benefit of adding subtitles or captions to video content is making content accessible to the wider public. In today’s world, not only are captions or subtitles benefitting perceived “traditional” users, namely the Deaf or those who do not speak the language, but are also being used by commuters watching videos on mute, webpages, ads and marketing on social media. Not requiring the sound can bring about a wider reach with the knock-on effect of increasing engagement across content channels.

Are subtitles and closed captions the same?

Subtitling and closed captioning are terms that are often used interchangeably. While these concepts may seem identical to the untrained eye, both are geared towards a different audience and thus need to fulfil different functions.

Closed captioning: filling the gaps

Closed captions, which display extralinguistic content in written form as well as the dialogue, allow people who cannot hear the audio, such as those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, to enjoy the content in the same manner as everyone else. Extralinguistic content could include sounds, such as explosions, or other pertinent information which helps fill the gaps for the viewer, such as ‘[man speaks in jibberish]’ where the listener is not supposed to be able to understand the speaker.

Subtitling: comprehension is king

Subtitles therefore vary from closed captions as their intended user is already able to understand the audio; comprehension of the (foreign) dialogue isn’t a given. You may be convinced that the moo of French cows is different that of their British counterparts, as I am, but we can safely assume that the French viewer would not need to have the moo of a cow explained on the screen. Neither would we need the introduction of jazz music to a scene in a film to be included in the subtitle, as the viewer is able to understand this in the same manner as the native listener.

This doesn’t mean that extralinguistic content should be entirely disregarded. For example, the non-Hispanophone viewer may need to know if speakers are conversing in Basque or Spanish in a Spanish comedy playing on cultural differences to create humour. Omitting these details to the untrained ear would leave them uninformed of its intended nuances and comedic parts. This would be the case in many multilingual societies and cultures, and even more so when being adapted for an entirely different culture. Such as a Bollywood film containing multiple Indian languages when adapted for a Western audience. Comprehension is king, and ensuring an equal experience for the viewer must be the overarching aim whether closed captions or subtitles are used with video content.

Subtitles: a generational shift in usage?

In today’s world, you will find that some prefer to watch everything with subtitles, even in their own language. “Why?” you may ask… Well, try watching Peaky Blinders and understanding that thick Brummie accent word for word! Or following the dialogue in Game of Thrones while a dragon shrieks and rains fire over every screaming person in shot! These tasks can be difficult for even a native listener, especially when you have that one friend visiting who talks over all the important bits.

This phenomenon seems to be generational, a recent YouGov survey found that 61% of people aged between 18-24 preferred to watch TV with the subtitles on. From the age of 25, a minority percentage is found, with 31% of 25–49-year-olds, 13% of 50–64-year-olds, and 22% of 65+ year-olds electing to activate subtitles.

Most young people now watch TV with the subtitles on

18-24yr olds: 61%
25-49yr olds: 31%
50-64yr olds: 13%
65+yr olds: 22%https://t.co/5WFFhdcfDB pic.twitter.com/zKvfIzuyj8
— YouGov (@YouGov) February 24, 2023

Improving ROI with subtitles in the silent generation

This shift can be further exemplified through a new generation who are showing a tendence to avoid audio full stop. Reportedly, over 85% of videos on social media are viewed without the sound on. This statistic will seem rather alarming to those hoping to see an ROI on their social media content and realising that their caption-less video content relies on audio. Facebook research further shows that you can increase your view times by 12%, simply by adding subtitles to your content, demonstrating the need for content managers to incorporate captions into their video content to see an ROI. Marketers will also be happy to know, that although search engines cannot effectively crawl through audio content, subtitles are readable. Thus, coupled with a correct SEO strategy, this can help improve a page’s SERP (Search Engine Results Page) ranking and drive further webpage traffic through the video content.

Want to revolutionise the way your content is viewed?

Get in touch with us at Dialogue. Our project managers are always happy to chat through your particular subtitling needs and requirements. Make sure your content is getting the engagement and view times that it deserves!

The post How subtitles are revolutionising the way we consume video content appeared first on Dialogue.

The importance of interpreting in the media Industry

Robert Shimwell — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 10:31:48 +0000

Subtitling and voiceover are the language services most commonly associated with the media industry, and while they do make up a healthy portion of the language services procured by media clients, they aren’t the only ones! Interpreting also plays a vital role in removing the language barrier in media consumption. Media interpreting has become a part of our everyday life, although we may not realise it. To show how ever present it is, let’s delve into two areas where interpreting & media go hand in hand: sport and travel media.

Sport

Sport is one of the clearest examples of a multilingual team working in collaboration to achieve a shared goal. And sport is an area with one of the greatest media interests. As such, media organisations cannot depend on a sportsperson knowing every language in the room of a press conference, this is where interpreters step in.

Focusing specifically on football, let’s say a new signing arrives in the UK from France without a word of English. They’re a marquee player and UK media outlets are keen to know the player’s first thoughts since moving to their new club. The problem? The player doesn’t speak English. The interpreter’s job, therefore, is to make sure that nothing is lost in translation, and that the player’s true thoughts are reflected, as well as being prepared for the unexpected. Football interpreter, Marc Joss, knows this all too well, as he was brought up onto the stage to interpret for Dimitri Payet when he was asked to speak after winning “Hammer of the Year” for West Ham back in 2016. Joss remarks,“The fact Payet whispered each sentence into my ear when we were on stage at a posh London hotel in front of more than 1,000 people certainly made for unusual interpreting conditions.”

Probably the most recent and well-known example of an interpreter assisting with media duties is former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, who became known for conducting media appearances in his native Spanish, even after gaining a level of English, from his arrival in 2018 up until his departure in February 2022. This went against the grain of a non-English speaking manager being expected to give more press-conferences in English, the longer they stayed in the job. Bielsa, however, was focussed on the idea he was presenting – and did not want language to provide a barrier to how he wanted to communicate.

For Bielsa, this went beyond the media duties and an interpreter was often required when he wanted to communicate intricate tactical ideas to his players during training. This ensured there was no doubt in what he expected from his players, and that language did not prove to be a roadblock to their progress.

Travel shows

Everybody has a different reason for wanting to sit down in front of the television or their favourite streaming service in the evening. For some, they just want to relax. Others want to learn and be informed of current events. And some people want to escape, often through the means of travel shows. Travel shows teach us vast amounts about new cultures and customs, all through the eyes of a familiar face.

The truth, as with all media, is that the team is so much bigger than who is in front of the camera. There are camera operators, script writers, and especially for travel shows, local guides. They also have another name – fixers. Fixers help to sort permissions, suggest shoot locations, and act as interpreter between the presenter and local people. The truth is, without these fixers, then travel shows wouldn’t display the same level of cultural sensitivity or cross-cultural exchange that enthrals millions every year. It’s a case of the language barrier being broken in the best way, helping many to expand their worldview through the words of those who, without interpreting, would not be understood by the consumer.

At Dialogue, we take pride in removing the language barrier between speakers through our simultaneous, consecutive, remote and British Sign Language interpreting services. Our dedicated project management team are on hand to talk through the steps, and how they can be of benefit to your company. If you would like to learn more about our interpreting services, why not get in touch with us today?

The post The importance of interpreting in the media Industry appeared first on Dialogue.

Surviving Valentine’s Day in the City of Love

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 15:04:46 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today at Dialogue, we’ve got an exclusive interview for you with our very own, Arianna Esardi – our wonderful project manager and talented linguist who was born and raised in the same city as Romeo and Juliet – Verona, the city of love. Having spent the last 8 or so years going back and forth between the UK and Italy, Arianna is our in-house expert on the differences and similarities between Italian and British culture. So read on for some top tips on how to survive Valentine’s Day in Italy and some interesting facts about the Italian language and romantic traditions…

What traditions do you have in Italy on this day?

Well, something that has always been a tradition, but it became more and more popular after a particular film came out in the 2000s, are the locks with your name on. The film was called 3 metri sopra il cielo and the meaning is the equivalent of your ‘cloud nine’ expression – that you’re really, really excited or happy and it translates literally to ‘three meters above the sky’. So that’s a classic romantic gesture that couples often like to do on Valentine’s Day – attaching a padlock with your names on it to a bridge and then throwing the key away into the river as a sign of love.

But it’s not that straightforward! If you take a look at the picture of Juliet’s courtyard in the picture above, you can see that there is a gate to the left of her statue. This was once a favourite spot for attaching locks to, but over time, it got covered in so many locks that it wasn’t possible to even open the gate anymore! So, they have all been removed and now, it is actually classed as an act of vandalism to attach locks to any historical monument, including the city centre bridges – which are from the medieval or Roman era. So, if you want to celebrate your love in this way, best to find a more remote place that isn’t going to damage or weigh down any historical monument! You’ve been warned!

Do you think Italian is a romantic language?

I like to think so… I like to think so! We have a lot of poets and authors… it’s quite a nice and melodic language. It sounds really beautiful as are the sounds of many of the words as well. I think we have a wonderful vocabulary and you can say and create wonderful things with our language.

What do you think are some of the most romantic Italian phrases? Let’s start with ‘I Love You’. That must be a romantic one…

That is actually an interesting one. So, there’s two ways of saying I love you in Italian; one is more directed towards your partner or your loved one. You’ll find people occasionally saying it to their parents, but it tends to be really a romantic kind of I love you, which is Ti amo. And the other one is more directed towards your friends or your family, the people that you love in a different way, which is Ti voglio bene.

Another phrase that I personally really like, which comes from La Divina Commedia (Dante), is the phrase l’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle, which means the love that moves the sun and the other stars. It conveys the idea of love being the driving force behind a lot of what we do – our motivations, emotions and actions.

Do you think English is a romantic language in comparison?

I love English poetry and I love literature. So, I think you have a really nice language that you can do a lot with as well. I love the British accent and I might be biased because my partner is British, but I think it sounds really nice! Um… a part of me wants to say no though; it’s certainly not as romantic as Italian, because you know, my language comes first! But I think you definitely have ways of saying things and idioms that are brilliantly descriptive and can be so delicate at the same time, so the language can be romantic when you want it to be!

Speaking of idioms, Valentine’s Day isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so what’s your advice on how to survive Valentine’s Day today in Italy?

There’s going to be a lot of love hearts about, lots of couples going round, especially in Verona and in the more touristic cities like Venice. You might see a few proposals as well; Valentine’s Day seems to be a great day for getting engaged. But as for surviving the day and the all too visible PDAs, I’d just say go and do something fun with your friends – it doesn’t have to be a day just for romance. Go and celebrate your friendships – have dinner, go for drinks, go to the cinema with the people you love – your family, your friends, on your own – why not? Just enjoy being in a beautiful place in a beautiful part of the world.

Are you interested in having cultural training classes with Dialogue? Then get in touch today to find out more about how we can help you survive any day, meeting or occasion in your language and culture of choice!

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How to leverage AI for better company results in 2023

Robert Shimwell — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:40:45 +0000

AI and automation have become an increasingly ever-present part of our lives over the past few years, with technology and computer capabilities becoming more and more sophisticated. This can be seen most clearly in the rollout of ChatGPT which is set to revolutionise the way we go about our daily lives. It is no secret that automation has sent shockwaves through the languages industry, mainly via Machine Translation. At Dialogue, we will always point to the advantages of having a human touch in all aspects of the translation process. But that is not to say that we do not embrace the benefits that the automation of this process can bring, and how those benefits further enhance the service we can offer.

Allowing for more meaningful interaction

Since working with Phrase as our Translation Management System (TMS), our translation team have reaped the benefits of a more automated Project Management process. Aspects such as greater file type configuration, connectors with sites like WordPress and Cloud-based management have all allowed for Phrase to become a one-stop shop for the entire translation process, with the software taking care of much of the previously more admin-intensive tasks like preparation of translation packages for various stakeholders. Thanks to this, our team now have greater capacity for meaningful interaction with all parties; be it discussing a linguistic query with translators, or having the time to truly delve deep into our client’s translation issues and how we can best resolve them. The automation of the process has allowed our team’s personalities to shine even brighter than before and for a greater period of time.

Improved efficiency and security

Not only this, but the Cloud-based management of the translation process has given us the opportunity to provide clients with an even more active role when it comes to striking the right tone. With our built-in client review, file sharing and version control becomes ever more seamless, with stakeholders more easily able to isolate sections they would like to amend, see how they were translated previously, and adjust along those lines. The Cloud-based system also ensures a greater level of security, with all data/content being stored on one platform, rather than across multiple devices and email chains.

Perfect when time and budgets are tight

As previously alluded to, the Machine Translation (MT) side of automation can be a source of contention within the languages industry, and strong opinions on either side can lead to mixed messages around the topic. It leads to the age-old question: “Well, how can I benefit?” The short answer is that MT is not perfect, but very usable. The much longer answer is that, while MT is much more sophisticated now than 10 years ago, through software such as DeepL, it has still not yet advanced to the point where one can rely solely on MT to produce a flawless translation.

However, that is not to say that MT cannot play a big role in the translation process within the right context – and that is the philosophy we follow, and one which is open to change as the technology advances further. In its current form, MT can be a great tool when you find yourself in a tight spot. For example, when the budget is extremely tight for a document translation where said document will be used internally, or only a gist, rather than polished recreation, is required at this juncture. Similarly, if time is extremely tight, then MT can be a useful tool to get the ball rolling. Our MT function runs within Phrase TMS, meaning it will have access to the multilingual translation memories stored, containing previously translated content by our linguists and client-specific terminology, which can aid the MT tool in better finding the right choice of words.

But never without Dialogue's human touch

In the midst of the increasingly automated world, there is one constant that remains at the core of how we have done business for over 30 years, and how we will continue to do so going forward, and that is the human touch. Every client and project has a dedicated Dialogue project manager who will advise on the best solution for your budget and need, and ensure timely delivery too. And every Machine Translation project will be run past a native-speaking, qualified linguist for editing and a QA check by our project managers before delivery. Want to discuss how our language solutions can help your business? Then get in touch…

The post How to leverage AI for better company results in 2023 appeared first on Dialogue.

Dialogue’s Guide to Quality Translation

Robert Shimwell — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:31:09 +0000

So, you’ve established the content that you need to get translated (which may or may not have been a complex or painstaking process). You’re now delighted to hand the next step over to someone who can wave a linguistic wand and turn it into something that will open doors for you internationally. A bit of a daunting prospect, so you’re keen to get it right first time. How on earth do you know that what you will get back is good enough? Particularly if your own language experience only goes as far as the (albeit essential) ability to order beer…

On a basic level, there are several things you should expect from a quality translation provider:

Use of native-speaking linguists, ideally based in the country of the language into which they are translating (so as to be up to date with language trends and latest colloquialisms etc.)
Linguists with a minimum of 5 years’ professional translation experience and an official qualification (ideally an MA) in translation
Rigorous vetting and testing of translators
To be ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17100:2015 certified
Stringent proofreading and QA process in place
Use of translation memory software in order to ensure consistency of terminology and efficiency of translation projects
Ongoing monitoring of linguists in line with client feedback

Something we are (understandably) asked frequently at Dialogue is how we are able to guarantee the quality of our translations. But before we can answer that, we find that the most important thing we can do for our clients in terms of meeting expectations is to manage them. That’s why we start by saying “well…define quality”. Because depending on the content being translated and the way it is eventually going to be used, there is a whole quality spectrum that can be applied to fit purpose, priorities and budgets.

For example, you might need to quickly identify which parts of that mammoth German tender document you wish you hadn’t agreed to tackle, are actually relevant to your business. Or you might need your entire website translated into 30 languages belonging to key target territories for your new product and therefore require a creative, high-quality and impactful translation that is going to boost your revenue. Quite different scenarios. So definitely not logical to treat them in the same way or expect the same results. This is where Dialogue’s different translation quality packages come into play, with the different levels helping to show clients how we ensure that the work we provide is fit for purpose.

Platinum Service

We recommend this option if your copy is for publishing or external use (websites, corporate communications, marketing literature, contracts, manuals etc.) and is a must for important legal and medical documents.

*** High quality translation with added level of quality assurance.
Full translation, plus proofreading by a 2nd translator, and final Quality Assurance (QA) check by Dialogue Project Manager (PM).

Gold Service

For internal communications and understanding key content of formal documents (e.g. contracts, email correspondence), we can provide a first draft translation with a basic proof check. Perfect for technical translations, focusing on accuracy over style.

*** High quality translation with quick turnaround times.
Full translation by a qualified translator plus final QA by Dialogue PM.

Silver Service

When you need to get the gist of a text and it’s for internal use only, we would recommend machine translation combined with professional editing by a translator. Just what you need when speed and basic understanding are a priority, rather than style and flow.

*** Automatic, fast and high-volume capacity.
Sophisticated machine translation plus post-editing by a human translator and final QA check by a Dialogue PM.

Want to explore these packages further and think one might suit your needs? Get in touch with our translations department and they’ll do the rest!

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