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SEO TranslationA new n iche fo r t rans la to rs
BP20+ Online Translation Event #BP20conf
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Talking points
1. What is SEO?
2. Opportunities for translators
3. Skills of successful SEO translators
4. The art and science behind optimized
translations
5. Future outlook & getting started
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About me
E n g l i s h - G e r m a n t r a n s l a t o r & c o p y w r i t e r
ATA c e r t i f i e d E N > D E
S p e c i a l i z i n g i n i n t e g r a t e d m a r k e t i n g c o m m u n i c a t i o n s ( M . S c . )
G r e w u p i n G e r m a n y, i n U S A s i n c e 2 0 0 1
F r e e l a n c e r s i n c e 2 0 0 6
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What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine
optimization
Component of search engine marketing
(SEM)
SEO = strategies to elevate a page’s
ranking in the organic (free) search
results
vs. SEA (search engine advertising) =
paid optimization to improve ranking
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The rise of iSEO
SEO = most efficient and affordable way for companies to boost sales
iSEO allows business growth beyondnational boundaries
Improves visibility & website traffic
Localized content increases
session time
conversion rate
UX
trust
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iSEOApproaches
Old: Content translation followed by
optimization
New: Translation/transcreation with
simultaneous optimization
Improves readability thanks to natural
integration of keywords
Allows for semantic optimization (using
synonyms, related terms, proof keywords)
Budget-friendly option
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Opportunitiesfor translators
Growing demand
Lack of qualified SEO
translators
Paid well
Positive future outlook
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Technical skills
Which search engines are used
in the target market
How to do keyword research
How to perform a SERP
analysis
Factors that impact SEO ranking
What needs to be optimized?
Market share of the most popular search engines used on
desktop computers around the globe from Sept. 2015 to
Sept. 2019.
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Translation skills
Creativity
Copywriting skills
Basic marketing knowledge
Cultural insight
Excellent understanding and writing
skills (source and target language)
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The art & scienceof optimizedtranslations
First and foremost: SEO copy must
appeal to human readers
SEO copy must capture attention of
search engines
“A little salt is good for the soup, too
much spoils it!“
SEO copy must be unique
Triple skillset: translator, copywriter, SEO
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Characteristics of SEO translations
Content adaptation (transcreation) with
keyword integration
Character limitations (Meta elements)
Synonyms rule!
Goal: Motivate reader to take action
Best practices for web writing:
Scannable
Easy to read
Resonating with reader
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Keywordanalysis
Criteria for choosing keywords:
Relevancy: How likely is it that someone will
search for this keyword to find this content?
Search volume (SV): How many people search
for this keyword each month?
Competition: Are there a lot of websites already
optimized for this keyword?
Trend: Is this keyword seasonal (“Christmas tree
stand“), affected by current events (“face mask”),
or an evergreen (“weight loss tips”)?
Specificity: What’s the most specific search
query with good SV that could lead to your
content?
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What getsoptimized?
Copy, esp. first and last paragraph
URL
Meta title
Meta description
ALT text
H1 title
H2 subtitles
Captions
File names
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Future outlook
The answer: NO!
SEO translations require:
Cultural insight
Context
Creativity
Readability & text quality
C a n m a c h i n e t r a n s l a t i o n r e p l a c eh u m a n S E O t r a n s l a t o r s ?
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Interested in diving in?
How to learn more about SEO:
MOOCs
Webinars
Podcasts
Blogs u. online articles
Books
How to get clients:
Optimized website
SEO and international marketing agencies
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Tools of the trade
Google AdWords Keyword Planner
Ubersuggest
KWFinder
Twinword Ideas
Google Location Changer
Google Trends
Moz Keyword Explorer
SEORCH Ultrasuggest Keyword Tool
Answer the public
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www.imctranslations.com@IMCTranslations