What is SEO translation?
Translating a website is not effective if foreign customers cannot find it. To improve the visibility of your translated website or online store in foreign search engines, we apply SEO principles to the translation, known as SEO translation. Here is an overview of what to consider when ordering SEO translation.
It all starts with keyword analysis
The first step is keyword analysis in the foreign language. If you have already completed a keyword analysis in the target or some other language, please send us the keyword list with your website translation request. If you do not have a keyword list, we will create one for you before starting the translation. The keyword list will cover the number of keywords needed for the website’s structure (pages, posts, tags, categories) and include relevant statistical data.
Translation of website structural elements
To ensure that a translated website is as easy to find in foreign search engines as it is in the source language, all SEO-related elements must be translated. This includes not only content pages and posts but also categories, tags, image descriptions and the like.
Localisation of links
Links in the website text must be localised. Internal links must be replaced with foreign-language links, which we typically do automatically at the end of the translation process. However, external links must also be localised. If a link in the source-language text of the website leads to a source-language page that has not been translated, it must be redirected to an equivalent page in the target language.
Optimisation and translation of content page URL slugs
URL slugs for content pages must be optimised for keywords. SEO translation should be applied to URL slugs in the same way as for the rest of the website content. Avoid using URL slugs in the source language on the translated website, as search engines may get confused if the content and URLs are in different languages. Links in Russian must be translated and transliterated into the Latin alphabet.
Optimisation and translation of titles and meta descriptions
Titles and meta descriptions must be optimised for keywords and translated. There are specific rules in place for the number of characters and structure of titles and meta descriptions. SEO rules must be followed to ensure that the translated website performs well in foreign-language search engines with strategic keywords.
Optimisation of the translated website
A separate sitemap must be created for the translated website that includes links of the translated pages. This sitemap must be indexed by foreign-language search engines. Where necessary, correct language attributes are added to the page code.
Common SEO translation mistakes to avoid
SEO translation is a specialised field where small mistakes can have significant consequences. Therefore, it is important to trust your SEO translation to a translation agency with relevant expertise. Below are some common but easily avoidable SEO translation mistakes.
- Unprofessional keyword analysis
Sometimes customers send us keyword lists with keywords such as ‘best price’, ‘product’ or ‘KK 326700 2000 mm’. Keywords should be relevant to your product or service. They should not be too general (eg ‘best price’) or too specific (eg ‘KK 326700 2000 mm’). Users’ keyword searches are typically moderately specific. Proper keyword analysis is essential, as it forms the foundation of your SEO strategy and can be costly and difficult to change later.
- Use of unedited machine translation
Machine translation is the optimal solution for translating large volumes of product information. Before using machine translation, ensure that the translation is actually understandable in the target language. Poor machine translation can deter customers and may even be flagged as spam by search engines. Removing a site from the spam category is much more time-consuming and expensive than ordering a properly edited website translation.
- Keyword cannibalism
Without proper SEO translation, multiple sub-pages on the same website may end up competing for the same keyword. For example, in English, ‘tent’ and ‘marquee’ are two different words, but in Estonian, they are both translated as ‘telk’. If translation is done without keyword analysis, these terms might be translated identically, leading to several content pages with the same keyword competing with each other. This situation weakens the ranking of these sub-pages compared to other websites targeting the same keyword. While SEO issues might seem easy to fix, search engines can be slow to index changes and it may take several months for rankings to improve.
If you have decided to translate your website to reach foreign markets, choose a reliable translation agency to manage your keyword rankings. SEO translation is a field that requires expertise. Correcting mistakes that have already been made is costly and time-consuming. We have translated thousands of websites and helped hundreds of companies improve their rankings in foreign-language search engines. We are happy to offer advice and help you find the right solution to ensure your website’s SEO translation attracts more foreign customers.
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How to order translation services
