| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | How important is having a website in the translation industry? 投稿者: vieleFragen
|
|---|
| I'll love to | Jan 30, 2008 |
Milton Guo wrote:
Hi, Ramon
So pleased to know you are an aerospace translator. I had been working in the civil aviation field as translator and interpreter for 10 years; and I used to go to Canada and Australia to help Chinese pilots do their conversion and recurrent training in the flight simulator of B737, A320, etc.
Maybe we can discuss it sometimes.
I'll be glad to discuss it anytime, Milton. I've worked at an aerospace company for 26 years, both on civil and military aircraft projects.
| | | | | why I asked this, in the first place :-) | Jul 14, 2008 |
this has turned into an interesting thread, some of the responses I hadn't seen, yet!:-)
I've been learning about "the web" mostly about internet marketing (web analytics and search engine optimization) for (almost) 2 years, now as I want to work in that industry after college. And specialization (especially in a field you're passionate about) is always a good idea..so I've been looking into the 'language industry' and have also been wondering if translators need internet marketing,... See more this has turned into an interesting thread, some of the responses I hadn't seen, yet!:-)
I've been learning about "the web" mostly about internet marketing (web analytics and search engine optimization) for (almost) 2 years, now as I want to work in that industry after college. And specialization (especially in a field you're passionate about) is always a good idea..so I've been looking into the 'language industry' and have also been wondering if translators need internet marketing, so-to-speak.
For most businesses search engine rankings are extremely useful, but for some they're almost useless - in some fields (I think lawyers would be such a profession) people dont go to search engines to find who they need, but they ask friends or people they know ("word-of-mouth").
And I've been wondering if search engine rankings were important/helpful to translators or not (or if translation was one of the industries, where nobody really goes to a search engine and types in 'french to English translator', but preferred to get recommendations from people they know or from industry sites such as proZ).
Maybe somebody of you knows someone who does have a website with decent traffic from google & co? who are getting a lot of clients that way? or is it useless to them?
thanks!
P.S.: I think somebody used the word 'SEO'ers' in a negative way..or well not in a negative way but in the same phrase with spammers. Many people think 'SEO' is something bad and that they are trying to 'trick' the search engines, but search engine optimization is an absolutely legit profession, but of course there are alwaysa few bad people...
I feel it's similar to the translation industry. Imagine some people work with translators who sell their services for 1 cent/ word and thus produce bad quality (nobody's going to deliver great translation services for that rate, right?) translations. In the end those people will think "translators are all bad. they all suck!", when it's definitely not true for all translators!
Something similar happened to SEO, because people calling themselves SEOs would call up small companies and sell them "search engine listings" - they often offer to list them in 700 directories and place them at 180 different search engines and charge 500 bucks (random example) for it.
However, the problem with this is that Google has like 70% of the search volume (in Germany and other European countries it's over 90%..). And Google, Yahoo and MSN have like...not sure what the exact stats are right now, but it's VERY close to a 100 percent...so being listed at a million search engines won't help the business owner if these search engines don't send any traffic....after all those fly-by-night SEOs only promised to 'list' their sites, not to get them a high ranking (and like somebody said anything, but a top10..or top20 ranking is usually worthless).
So that's a common scheme that gives the 'SEO' industry a black eye when it doesn't deserve it, at all. It's very similar if somebody said 'translators all suck, they just deliver bad quality work' when that's only true for a subset of translators. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | another interesting topic | Jul 16, 2008 |
Yet another interesting topic might be how to promote your proz.com profile page. I cannot help notice that some prozians rank higher when using the same key word to search on google. What is the trick there?
| | | | Sanjay Ray 
インド
Local time: 16:59
2002に入会
英語 から ベンガル語
+ ...
| 13 reasons why a translator needs his website running | Jul 25, 2008 |
Based on the discussions above and my own experience I have compiled 13 reasons why a translator needs his website running.
Website means to have your own website with a domain of your own, like www.yyyyyy.net
1. It is like an online visiting card that you can refer people to in the cyber space. It is also an online brochure that contains information about your services. An... See more Based on the discussions above and my own experience I have compiled 13 reasons why a translator needs his website running.
Website means to have your own website with a domain of your own, like www.yyyyyy.net
1. It is like an online visiting card that you can refer people to in the cyber space. It is also an online brochure that contains information about your services. And it works 24 hours and 7 days.
2. Nearly half of the clients go to search engines for finding a translator. So you should be there also or else you loose them.
3. It gives a positive impression to your Customers that you are a serious, established and professional translator.
4. Older your site is you will earn more respect from clients.
5. You can set up your own e-mail with the name of your site only when you have a domain name and id. for your website.
6. Not using a free email id will show that you have invested in your business.
7.With your own site you can arrange for FTP for bigger iles.
8. Your website can become a reference for your present clients.
7.Your website can provide contact details to your customers.
8.Your clients can also share you contacts with other colleagues by referring your website.
10. If you have your own website you can save a lot of time with new clients. Instead of explaining who you are and what you do you just suggest for more info, please take a look at my site.
11.websites can be promoted over a period of time. SO your site can bring you more clients if you are consistently promoting it.
12. Websites can be hosted in your domain with blogger/word press. For blogs it is very simple to add contents. More fresh contents will bring more traffic and more clients.
13. Please add your reason
[Edited at 2008-07-25 06:14] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| I agree with ostom's point of view | Jul 31, 2008 |
Ostom explained everything in a very clear way.
Nowadays, any professional needs a website, whether he's a translator, a designer or even a plumber. If you want to promote your services for a large number of clients, the "mouth to ear" system (is this the correct expression?) isn't enough. If you want more than just small clients, you have to get more.
However, a simple website isn't enough. You have to promote it in online yearbooks and directories. Make yourself visib... See more Ostom explained everything in a very clear way.
Nowadays, any professional needs a website, whether he's a translator, a designer or even a plumber. If you want to promote your services for a large number of clients, the "mouth to ear" system (is this the correct expression?) isn't enough. If you want more than just small clients, you have to get more.
However, a simple website isn't enough. You have to promote it in online yearbooks and directories. Make yourself visible everywhere. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Carla Guerreiro wrote:
If you want to promote your services for a large number of clients, the "mouth to ear" system (is this the correct expression?) isn't enough. If you want more than just small clients, you have to get more.
Not necessarily, at least in my case. I got most of my clients from word of mouth (but I must admit I was lucky), and I've always been busy in the last few years. I don't have my own website, only my proz.com profile, which proved useful to be found by quite a few potential clients. Nevertheless, my advice to the original poster is: go for it, especially if you have time enough to create accurately your website. I mean it from the point of view of contents: you don't have to spend lots of money, as others have already told you, but you do have to introduce yourself professionally as a linguist. I've seen a few horrible websites of colleagues: misspellings, typos, totally irrelevant contents... avoid all this. I know it seems banal (and I hope it is for you) but apparently it isn't for some of us Good luck!
| | | | | Build your own website | Dec 15, 2008 |
Can anybody recomend me a website builder? I would like to have one and know nothing regarding this matter.
Thanks a million.
Ligia Dias Costa
| | | | Taija Hyvönen
フィンランド
Local time: 14:29
2008に入会
英語 から フィンランド語
+ ...
| I had my own website ready the day I started freelancing | Dec 29, 2008 |
To me it was obvious that I just had to have it. I put an ad in Google Adwords right away. Financially the investment is insignificant anyway, around 20 € per year for the domain name, and I didn't invest anything in designing, so that was 0 € - I just put the essential information about my business in plain text. If and when I feel that I need more colour, I will update.
I would think it would be odd to run a business without a website, maybe because I myself do absolutely eve... See more To me it was obvious that I just had to have it. I put an ad in Google Adwords right away. Financially the investment is insignificant anyway, around 20 € per year for the domain name, and I didn't invest anything in designing, so that was 0 € - I just put the essential information about my business in plain text. If and when I feel that I need more colour, I will update.
I would think it would be odd to run a business without a website, maybe because I myself do absolutely everything on the net if I can, that is where I search for any service that I need. So I expect everyone else to do the same ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| I've been working on my website while still a student | Jan 4, 2009 |
I finished my Masters last month, but my website has been a work in progress since last summer. I don't plan on starting my freelance career until at least November (mostly due to moving from Asia back to Europe in May and then a summer course or two for review purposes), but I want to have all the pages (in each language and with all the actual relevant information) ready to be uploaded, though right now only the main page is visible. So I have something available to show off my hard work, eve... See more I finished my Masters last month, but my website has been a work in progress since last summer. I don't plan on starting my freelance career until at least November (mostly due to moving from Asia back to Europe in May and then a summer course or two for review purposes), but I want to have all the pages (in each language and with all the actual relevant information) ready to be uploaded, though right now only the main page is visible. So I have something available to show off my hard work, even if I am not in "working" mode. And I'm constantly changing formats, schemes, you name it. It is hard because I do all the code by myself, but it gives me the power to design it as I want, and I have really learned a lot.
Maybe I'm used to finding "everything" on the internet, but I think that a site of some kind is pretty important and useful, and in a way offers a kind of "cred" that a person is serious or "established" enough to have spent the time and effort on creating a page.
-Kasia ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Increase Website Traffic | Oct 20, 2009 |
Good information...keep it flowing.
| | | | | A website is essential! | Dec 2, 2009 |
A website is absolutely essential. Just one benefit is that a well-designed website adds to your image of professionalism. When outsourcing to other freelancers, I must admit I take someone more seriously if it is clear that they take the marketing of their business seriously. And I don't think it is just an online brochure - or at least it shouldn't be, not in 2009 in the era of Web 2.0 which has completely turned the internet on its head. Anyone with more than a passing interest in getting di... See more A website is absolutely essential. Just one benefit is that a well-designed website adds to your image of professionalism. When outsourcing to other freelancers, I must admit I take someone more seriously if it is clear that they take the marketing of their business seriously. And I don't think it is just an online brochure - or at least it shouldn't be, not in 2009 in the era of Web 2.0 which has completely turned the internet on its head. Anyone with more than a passing interest in getting direct clients (who invariably pay better than agencies), simply has to have a website.
Getting a high ranking in Google and other major engines is NOT difficult, if you know what you are doing. You don't need to spend money on Adwords. I stopped using Adwords in 2004 when I got "Google slapped". Being slapped by Google means they suddenly increase your cost per click, for all sorts of reasons too complicated to go into here.
You also need to know what people are searching for, if they are looking for free information or are ready to buy, and optimise your site for those keywords. As an experimentation I optimised one of my pages for the phrase "sworn translations italian" about one month ago, and I am now number 2 in google. There are not millions of people searching for that phrase, but I am not interested in millions of visitors, I am interested in small numbers looking for a specific service and ready to buy (at direct client rates). Obviously I am targeting direct clients with my website, although the website is also useful for agencies to "check me out". I have had a lot of interest from translation agencies through my website.
Anyway, if anyone is interested in some tips on website marketing (I also have another business which is totally consumer oriented, so over 10 years of running that business I have studied this - getting to the top of search engines, website design, etc - a lot), I have a newsletter at http://sarahferrara.com/newsletter.html (disclaimer: this is a new site, not finished yet!!) just go there and sign up, I plan on sending through free information about building a website, creating logos, search engine positioning, etc. I think translators need to start getting more proactive about marketing themselves and their BUSINESS (never forget you are running a business!) if they are to survive in the new economy.
[Edited at 2009-12-02 09:43 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | How important is having a website in the translation industry? | Dec 2, 2009 |
vieleFragen wrote:
How important is having a website in this industry?
To those of you that do have a website and receive lots of "traffic": Do you really get any business from such people? Or do most of your clients come from personal recommendations?
Do people really type in something such as "translation English French" and then give you a call and ask for a sample translation or something, because they just saw your website?
thanks!
IMHO a webiste is useless if you haven't a complementary trade policy. A common error with webpages is that we try to sell our services, but to the client it does not matter at all what we are trying to sell him. To the client does matter what your services solves to him.
Well, I know not even only one web page that offers translation services that does not insist in quality and rapidity criteria. But any moderately intelligent person knows that quality and rapidity are scolded. To me, it makes far more sense to publicize translation services as follow:
1. Avoid claims for legal liability by means of a translation without errors.
2. Ours translation services will allow you to extend your business abroad.
3. Make the work of your engineers easier saving time to them
And all this, accompanied by a word of mouth pyramidal scheme of course.
My 2 cents...
[Editado a las 2009-12-02 10:36 GMT]
| | |
|
|
|
| Not indispensable....but | Dec 2, 2009 |
My proz profile get a lot more visitors than my website, BUT a fair amount of new clients told me that it was my website that had convinced them that I was the right freelancer for them. They had not got there by googling key words, but through links on different websites....including Proz.
There are a lot of translators in my language pair (Eng>French) so potential clients are at a loss to find someone they can trust... and the website is a way of reassuring them that indeed I can ... See more My proz profile get a lot more visitors than my website, BUT a fair amount of new clients told me that it was my website that had convinced them that I was the right freelancer for them. They had not got there by googling key words, but through links on different websites....including Proz.
There are a lot of translators in my language pair (Eng>French) so potential clients are at a loss to find someone they can trust... and the website is a way of reassuring them that indeed I can do the job.
As recently as last week, I got two new clients who complimented me on my website and told me it had helped with their decision.
Carole ▲ Collapse
| | | |
...it entirely depends on how effective the website is. Not all websites are created equal. It's not *having one* that's important, it's having an EFFECTIVE one, that is well-positioned in the search engines: then, and only then, will it make a difference.
If your website is ineffective and/or no-one can find it, or the keywords it does appear for are not the keywords people are actually looking for, then obviously it is pretty useless.
On the other hand, if the website... See more ...it entirely depends on how effective the website is. Not all websites are created equal. It's not *having one* that's important, it's having an EFFECTIVE one, that is well-positioned in the search engines: then, and only then, will it make a difference.
If your website is ineffective and/or no-one can find it, or the keywords it does appear for are not the keywords people are actually looking for, then obviously it is pretty useless.
On the other hand, if the website is on the first page of Google for keyphrases that people are actually searching for, the website is designed and laid out in a way that makes it easy for the visitor to "take action" i.e. approach you for a quote etc, then a website is absolutely, one hundred percent essential for anyone wanting to take this business seriously.
Proz pages are great, I have had one since... (she goes to check)... 2000, so nearly ten years, but I have had only translation agencies from it, not direct clients. I don't think a direct client would take me seriously without a website. Also, on the proz page the person searching is immediately given the opportunity to search for other translators instead, whereas on a personal website you have a captive audience *for as long as you can hold them* (that's where effective copywriting, web design comes in).
FWIW
Sarag ▲ Collapse
| | | | Daria Bontch-Osmolovskaia (X)
オーストラリア
Local time: 21:29
英語
+ ...
I think that, if you want to succeed as a translator, a good & effective website is essential. People above have already talked about what constitutes an effective website, so I won't go into that, and besides, there is a ton of information on the net about creating and promoting websites.
On the bottom line, there are two ways that you can get work - if you go to clients, or if clients come to you. Ideally, you want the latter, because then you aren't spending hours on marketing y... See more I think that, if you want to succeed as a translator, a good & effective website is essential. People above have already talked about what constitutes an effective website, so I won't go into that, and besides, there is a ton of information on the net about creating and promoting websites.
On the bottom line, there are two ways that you can get work - if you go to clients, or if clients come to you. Ideally, you want the latter, because then you aren't spending hours on marketing yourself and looking for work, and without a good website, your clients won't find you. We are also talking here about direct clients, the ones that pay better than any agency will.
A Proz profile is great, IF, and ONLY IF your potential clients know about Proz, and trust me on this, majority of them don't. Also, think about it, if your potential client finds Proz, what's to stop them from looking further past your profile and find someone cheaper / better / more qualified?
And yeah, I have a website and clients find me through it. Not as many as I would like at this stage, but hey, I didn't have to lift a finger to find that work - the website is up and running, all I have to do is update it once every couple of months. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » How important is having a website in the translation industry? | Trados Studio 2022 Freelance | The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.
Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop
and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
More info » |
| | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
