Why Using Language Services for Translating School Websites Is Imperative for Meaningful Connections

There is a growing trend of schools & educational programs using free translation engines like Google Translate to instantly translate school websites into different languages at the click of a button.

Though this feature provides an inclusive environment for parents and students who speak limited English, free translation engines are often inaccurate when it comes to conveying messages.

Here are some reasons why partnering with an experienced language services provider will always be in your best interest when creating a multilingual website experience. 

Protect Your Reputation

Free translation engines like Google Translate are a very tempting service to use. They are free, easy to install, and fast. Unfortunately, quality always suffers when a service is free, easy, and cheap. When quality suffers, so does your reputation.

Bottom line – free translation engines cannot be trusted to translate important news, educational newsletters, blogs, online assessments, important course material, etc. – let alone adapt messaging on your website. Most of these engines work purely based on statistical methods of replacing each separate word with the most likely equivalent without regard for syntax or context.

Partnering with an experienced language services provider who customizes services to your needs is imperative to successfully delivering your message on your website.

Quality providers use educated language professionals who are trained to translate messages, rather than individual words, so that they would have the same impact on the target audience as their original version. They have the cultural knowledge and educational training needed to accurately convey messages to parents and students who are limited English speakers.

Consistency

One of the most important aspects of a multilingual education-based website is message consistency. Professional translation by a language services provider keeps messaging consistent through all chosen languages.

With the right partnership, you will work with a Project Manager who puts together a team of language professionals dedicated to the website translation process. After determining your needs and expectations, a style guide will be put together which the language professionals will use to maintain consistency throughout the site.

Informing parents and students about school headlines, events, enrollment, staff information, special programs & clubs, and so much more – is imperative to keeping them up-to-date. Creating an inclusive multilingual-friendly online experience with professional translation will keep them engaged and involved. 

Meaningful Connections

Using a free translation engine is downright unprofessional, and the poor quality is obvious. When parents search for online homeschooling, private schools, public schools, and other educational programs for their children – they want clear messaging that their children will receive the best education possible.

You want to connect with limited English speaking parents at a cultural level during their online searching experience, otherwise a meaningful connection will not be made. Partnering with a language services provider that utilizes language professionals native to the culture will ensure that your school or educational organization makes the best impression possible on first-click to your website.