12 Translation and Localization Trends Set to Dominate 2023[1] Introduction The translation and localization industry is constantly changing and staying and top of occurring news & trends are vital for your success. In today's globalized world, translation and localization play a huge role in connecting businesses and individuals across the globe. Therefore, the demand for accurate and culturally relevant translation continues to grow. You are going to read about new developments and challenges in the translation and localization industry such as machine translation, video translation, multilingual SEO strategies, etc. What Are the 11 Translation and Localization Trends Set to Dominate in 2023? 1. AI (Computer-Assisted) Translation & Post Editing One of the biggest trends shaping the translation and localization industry for more years to come is AI-based translation in duet with post-editing services. With the improvement of neural machine translation (NMT) technology, machine translation has become more accurate and efficient. This advent pushed companies to use AI translation services to generate multiple texts. However, despite advances in MT technology, human translation is still needed to properly handle complicated texts, documents, and local and colloquial words. Overall, the AI+Human approach to translation will shape and maintain a decent global reputation for one´s brand. 2. The Growth of Transcreation, Technical Translation, and Localization Services Customer demand for personalized content drives the need for transcreation and technical translation. Transcreation is a specialized form of translation that strives to adapt a message from one language to another while maintaining the original meaning and impact. This approach is favoured in marketing and gives you an edge in cross-cultural communication. Alongside transcreation, we can see that technical translation is gaining in popularity. It involves technical document translations such as applications, specifications, user manuals, etc. Localization continues to stay at the top of trend shelves as more brands recognize the importance of adapting products and services to meet the characteristics of various cultures and regions. The localization process may involve everything from translating the menu bar of your application to adapting the legal requirements of a particular country. In summary, the rhythm of business internationalization should continue to grow alongside the role of transcreation, technical translation, and localization. 3. Video Translation Services In 2023, video translation services are expected to experience a surge in demand as more and more people go online and consume video content. We have seen that 82% of global internet traffic in 2022 came from video. Therefore, every brand involved in video content creation should utilize the opportunity to reach different audiences through their content. 4. Audio Translation Services Audio content, podcasts, and audiobooks are favoured by the majority of internet users and have become one of the most convenient ways to reach a global audience. It includes podcasts, music, audiobooks, and voice-activated devices. Audio content has breakthrough the entertainment, education, and information industry, and it has led to high demand for translated and localized content. Also, voice recognition software will be more widely used and provide an additional layer of accuracy and allow for more customization options. 5. Multilingual SEO Strategies for Business Internationalization In 2023, businesses looking to expand their international presence should consider multilingual SEO strategies. These strategies are a scalable and cost-effective way to increase search rankings in languages other than English. Multilingual SEO strategies include: • Technical SEO: Website analysis, targeting based on location and language. • Off-page SEO: Translating reviews, multi-language link building, localization of social media efforts, and local SEO. • On-page SEO: Translation, local keyword optimization, translation of alt-text and metadata, localization of content, adapting website design to suit the target market. One of the essential elements of multilingual SEO is creating localized content for each target market. It includes website content translation and transcreation - adapting text elements to cultural nuances and preferences. 6. Multilingual Customer Support 74% of customers claim that they are more likely to buy from the business a second time if it provides customer support in their native language. The importance of multilingual customer support for translation and localization in 2023 cannot be overstated. In an increasingly global economy, businesses need to ensure that their customer support is tailored to the language and cultural needs of their customers. Multilingual support expands the reach and accessibility of the products and facilitates communication between the company and people from various backgrounds. This helps customers feel more valued and increases customer loyalty, thus leading to higher sales and more profits. 7. Technological Advancements in Translation Software In 2023, we can expect a further boom in the translation industry, with more developments in speech-to-speech and speech-to-text translation. AI will continue to be an integral part of the machine translation process, making it more efficient and accurate. There will be a continued need for faster response rates, automated processes, and increasingly integrated and customized software. Speech recognition software will improve, making it easier to dictate articles and further facilitate speech translation. Developers will have more sophisticated capabilities to work within new camera translation apps. Advances in machine translation, such as enhanced interactive translation and pre-editing of machine-translated text, will also be seen. 8. Translation Demand on e-Learning Platforms The demand for translation on e-learning platforms is expected to increase in 2023 due to the increasing popularity of e-learning. The pandemic has shown us the importance of online educational access and pushed the world to invest more in that field. Now the world is more interconnected than ever. Students across the globe can use e-learning services – while businesses can expand their customer base through the translation & localization of e-learning platforms. Not all students speak the primary language of online courses, and that limits the customer base for businesses. But, if they provide linguistically and culturally inclusive content, brands can skyrocket their sales. 9. Marketing Content Translation As global markets become more interconnected, the demand for marketing content localization services is set to increase significantly in 2023. Businesses that invest in translation and transcreation will be more likely to observe an increase in revenue, organic performance, and brand engagement. Companies should consider localizing their top-of-the-funnel and brand awareness content, such as paid ads, white papers, emails, e-books, blogs, and landing pages/microsites. Furthermore, a localized copy can significantly improve the click-through rate of ads among both men and women. To better reach and engage with an international audience, businesses should focus on personalizing the user experience by localizing their content for different markets. With the technological and logistical advances in the industry, localization is set to become an even more essential trend in 2023. 10. Cheaper and Faster Translation Market What is the cheaper and faster translation market expected to be in 2023? According to Global Market Insights, the machine translation market is expected to reach USD 3 billion by 2027, and the US market is expected to grow significantly in the next 5 years. Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing local market for machine translation, while North America currently represents the largest market. Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) is expected to contribute to more than 65.0% of the overall machine translation market revenue. Companies can take advantage of the lower rates and shorter translation times offered by machine translation post-editing services. 11. Localized SMS Marketing Localization allows you to target the message to specific demographics and geographic areas to make them more relevant and effective. Also, with the help of localization, you can communicate with your audience in preferred languages and use local currency or units while promoting your product. Companies will have to invest in cutting-edge technologies and expert translators to ensure that their SMS marketing messages are properly localized in 2023. Additionally, the technical limitations of the SMS format present interesting challenges in terms of localization, which will likely lead to increasing demand for higher-quality SMS marketing messages. 12. Subtitle Translation Subtitle translation is the process of translating written dialogue and other text in the form of subtitles in videos into another language. This is becoming an increasingly popular trend in the year 2023 due to the rise in videos becoming a preferred source of content consumption. Subtitle translation is important for several reasons: * Accessibility: Subtitles allow people with hard of hearing to enjoy audio-visual content. They also provide a good user experience for people who don't speak the language of original content. * Global Audience: subtitles make the product accessible to more people and help them to get the full grasp of the content through culturally fit subtitles. * Cost-effective: Subtitle translation is a cost-effective way to make content accessible to a more global audience without multiple versions of audio content in different languages. What Are the Challenges of Translation and Localization? What are the challenges of translation and localization? * Finding the right translation company – choosing the best-suited translation and localization services is essential to ensure the quality of the output. You should research a company with experience in the specific project and target language like greatcontent. * Cultural differences – these must be considered when translating content for a new market. Awareness of cultural sensitivities is necessary to prevent any unintentional error or offense. * Keeping track of language trends – language is constantly evolving, so everyone in the field should stay up-to-date with the latest trends, news, and advancing technologies. * Planning early – translation and localization efforts should start early in the development process. It allows more time for the team to review and perfect the output. * Productivity issues – manual localization efforts can be time-consuming and reduce overall productivity. * Slow local rollouts – if manual localization is used, the organization may have to increase lead times and delay launches. * Delayed RO – the slower pace of localization can mean that businesses have to wait longer to see returns from their investment. * Poor translations – low-quality translations can lead to lost customers, failed conversions, and decreased market share. Study questions What are translation and localization? How has the pandemic changed the translation and localization industry? What technologies are used in translation and localization? What are the costs associated with translation and localization? Conclusion With the ever-growing importance of international markets, quality translation, and localization services will be in higher demand than ever before. If your goal is to enter new markets or expand your global reach, it is crucial to partner with a reputable company. ________________________________ [1] https://greatcontent.com/translation-and-localization-trends/