Planning to step beyond your source area to expand your reach to a global audience?
Conveying your message to a global audience is a tough nut to crack. That’s why brands hire agencies aka the Nutcracker for the same. However, choosing between whether you want translation or whether you want transcreation can impact your brand.
They both sound the same but their approaches and their objectives are different.
Read on ahead to find out which would be the most suitable one to choose for your needs.
Before delving into which is best for what needs, one must know what these terms mean.
What is Translation?
Translation is the process of transferring the meaning of content from one language to another, literally. It does this while maintaining the content’s
- original form,
- intent,
- structure, and
- style.
Key characteristics of translation:
- Literal rendering: This process tries to maintain the content’s original form and structure.
- Accuracy: It gives priority to accurately convey the content’s original meaning.
- Context preservation: The translation services agency makes sure the message fits the original context.
What is Transcreation?
Transcreation is a process to re-write the content from one language to another.
Here’s where the difference between the both comes in.
Transcreation does this while adapting the content and ensuring that it is culturally and linguistically appropriate. It also makes sure the content resonates with the target audience.
Key characteristics of transcreation:
- Cultural adaptation: It adapts the content to cultural nuances while considering local customs, preferences, and sensitivities.
- Linguistic adaptation: Transcreation services involve using the target audience’s natural language and style.
- Brand voice preservation: All this is done while maintaining the brand’s original tone and identity.
So, coming to the main question of the day….
When to Choose Translation?
- Technical and factual content: Content that just needs to be accurately translated can opt for a translation services agency for translation. Such content includes:
- contracts,
- legal agreements, and
- technical manuals
- Content that needs to be exactly the same: Opt for translation when only replication of the content is required.
- Time-sensitive projects: This process consumes less time. Thus, this makes it suitable for urgent projects.
When to Choose Transcreation?
- Marketing and advertising materials: Lean towards transcreation when dealing with such materials, which include:
- Physical Materials, like brochures, catalogues, packaging, and promotional Items.
- Digital Materials, like websites, social media posts, email marketing, online ads, and videos.
Such materials benefit from getting culturally adapted content.
- Creative content: Content that needs to keep the content’s original feel while being culturally relevant opts for this service. Such content mainly includes novels, films, and video games.
- Brand identity preservation: This service helps in keeping the brand’s identity and image consistent in different cultures.
Factors to Consider
When you are given the task to decide which one to choose, consider the following:
- Know who you are writing for. Understand their culture, what they like, and how they speak.
- Decide what type of content you are aiming to use for the target market. Is it a word-to-word one or needs to follow a creative approach?
- Decide on your brand’s objective with this service. Do you want to say the same thing to the audience or do you want the content to be culturally resonant?
- Consider the time and money you are willing to spend.
How to Choose Between Translation and Transcreation
Choosing the right approach depends on the nature of your content, the goals of your project, and the audience you are trying to reach. Here’s how to decide which option best suits your needs:
1. Content Type
- For Informational and Technical Content: If the content you’re working with is informational, technical, or legal in nature (e.g., user manuals, product instructions, or contracts), translation is typically the best choice. Accuracy is critical in these scenarios, and creative adaptation is unnecessary.
- For Creative or Emotional Content: If your content is marketing-related, such as advertisements, product taglines, social media posts, or website copy, transcreation is the better option. The goal here is to evoke an emotional response from your target audience, and that often requires reworking the content to align with local cultural contexts and values.
2. Audience Engagement
- For Global Clarity: If you’re targeting a global audience with diverse cultural backgrounds and need content that is universally understood in its exact form (e.g., user instructions for a software product), translation is the best approach.
- For Localized Engagement: If you’re looking to resonate deeply with a specific demographic in a particular region, especially if the content relies on local customs, humor, or idiomatic expressions, transcreation will ensure the message is both culturally appropriate and emotionally engaging.
3. Branding and Tone
- For Consistent Messaging: If you’re managing a global brand and want the same message and tone to resonate across different markets, transcreation ensures that the brand’s voice remains consistent while adapting to cultural differences.
- For Legal or Technical Precision: If the tone is formal and the goal is to convey information as clearly and accurately as possible, translation is the ideal choice.
Conclusion
When you are conflicted about which one to choose between translation and transcreation, think about what you want to achieve while considering what type of content you are aiming for.
By considering the above factors, you can navigate the complexities of translation and translation to connect with diverse audiences with ease.
