Most common elements that lower conversion after translating a website

A multilingual website may look perfect but still fail to increase sales. Traffic? Check. Users? Check. Conversion? Not so good. In most cases, the problem lies not in the translation itself, but in the approach.

When translating a website with other markets in mind, a mere rendition of words is not enough. In this instance, it would be worthwhile to adjust the message, the intention, and the user experience to the realities of a given region.

Below, we present the most frequent mistakes that lower conversion, as well as specific tips on how to remedy them.

A copy that sounds correct – but fails to engage

The most common scenario goes like this: the text is linguistically correct, but otherwise totally “flat”. It doesn’t sell, it doesn’t build tension, it doesn’t address the needs of the local user.

How come?

• Marketing slogans are rendered literally.
• Communication is not adjusted to the market.
• Cultural differences in decision-making are being ignored.

So how to rectify the situation?

• Instead of translation, opt for transcreation, or writing content from scratch, with a specific market in mind.
• Analyse local competition – this will give you an insight into how other brands communicate their values.
• Adjust your communication style (for example formal versus direct) – even outwardly similar markets may require various approaches.

Your content must answer the question: why should anyone from this market buy something specifically from you?

CTAs that fall flat outside the original market

CTAs (Calls to Action) rank among the most underestimated elements in localisation. They are short texts whose purpose is to encourage users to perform a specific action.

Typical mistakes:

• opting for one-to-one translation,
• forgoing A/B tests in new markets,
• ignoring local shopping habits.

Countermeasures:

• creating several variants of a CTA for each market,
• experimenting with the length to check which CTAs – concise or more descriptive – work better,
• tailoring the level of “sales aggressiveness” to a given market.

CTAs should not fall into the category of translation – they are part of a strategy.

Forms that scare users off

Forms may be considered the most prominent “silent killers” of conversion.

What are the most common “villains” when it comes to lowering users’ engagement?

1. Too many fields

What works in one market won’t necessarily work in another. Different users have different priorities – for instance, Europeans tend to pay greater attention to privacy than Americans.

2. Unadjusted data formats

• postcode (different formats)
• telephone number
• given name and surname (the order and number of elements)

3. No local context

• lack of local currency
• lack of locally popular payment methods
• lack of locally trusted symbols (e.g. certificates)

How to remedy the situation?

• Simplify your forms as much as possible.
• Adjust all form fields to the market (not the other way round).
• Add local elements of trust.

Each additional field leads to a further decline in conversion.

Unadjusted user intention (SEO + UX)

One of the most common problems is rendering content without accounting for local SEO.

The issue:

After translation, keywords that generate traffic in one market turn out to be completely useless in another. Why? Key phrases shouldn’t be translated one-for-one – in each region, users may look for the same things in an entirely different manner.

Learn more about the consequences of translating keywords.

The result:

• Users visit the website, but don’t find what they’re looking for.
• The bounce rate increases.
• The conversion rate drops.

The solution:

• Conduct keyword research for each market separately.
• Adjust headlines and content to local queries.
• Synchronise SEO with UX (they must harmonise!).

If you’re unsure how to handle SEO in an international environment, check out our guide to best practices of multilingual SEO.

Inconsistencies between respective language versions

A user switches between languages and… sees entirely different deals, lower prices, or contradictory information. Needless to say, it may influence their trust in the brand – and heavily so.

The most common issues:

• wide discrepancies in prices and the presented offer,
• inconsistent communication of values,
• divergent menu navigation controls.

Countermeasures:

• creating a central communication strategy,
• implementing a process of updating content in all relevant languages,
• performing regular audits of each language version.

No testing after implementing the translation

The biggest mistake? Assuming that the mere act of translating does the trick. It doesn’t – or at least not until you actually check the resulting text’s efficiency.

What is worth testing:

• various versions of CTAs,
• forms’ length,
• headers and sales sections,
• the order of presented information.

Tools:

• A/B tests,
• heat maps,
• user behaviour analyses.

Localisation without optimisation is only half the job!

Conclusion

A decrease in the conversion rate after translation is not a coincidence. Most frequently, it results from one or several of the following elements:

• The copy doesn’t resonate with local recipients.
• CTAs are not adjusted to the target market.
• Forms make things more difficult, not easier.
• SEO has not been synchronised with the UX.

If you’re viewing translation only as a technical step, you may lose a significant share of your sales potential. But if you’re treating it as part of your strategy, you may expect to start scaling your business globally!

 

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