5 Ways to Save More Money on Chinese Translation Projects

So, you have decided to take a big leap with Chinese translation projects? Now, are you ready to translate your content?

Did you know that deadlines and the amount of work you require (and volume) affect the translation costs? These are two of the several factors that make an impact on quotations. 

Language solutions were probably not part of your budget and strategies. But you are gaining traction from your Chinese consumers, now translation becomes not an option but a necessity. 

How will you reduce the cost of your Chinese translation projects? Here’s a helpful guide to make sure you’ll be on the right track when you work with established translation agencies like us. 

#1 Plan and set a budget for your materials

A well-organized company have short and long-term goals. You can get started with your short-term goals if you want to test the waters in the China market. It will also help you assess what type of content you will focus on and how much you will spend. 

For example, if you’re planning to translate your website in Chinese, you can create an inventory of the pages in a spreadsheet. What are the elements in your website that need Chinese translation? What are the primary pages that need much attention? You will reduce cost when you order in big volume of work, too.

#2 Write and use “translation-friendly” content

When it comes to your English content, avoid slang, abbreviations, and jargons. Use easy-to-read English that is “translatable” to your Chinese audience. You can scan your content via Flesch–Kincaid readability tests using Hemingway to find the difficult words you’re using on your website. 

When you provide your Chinese translators high-quality English content that is easy to translate, they can provide fast turnaround time. Start curating and filtering your content that needs a translation. Work with your in-house editorial team on your articles and other pages before you send them over to translators. 

#3 Provide glossary of terms

There are also exemptions to point #2 if you’re in engineering, finance, and legal sectors. These sectors have their own jargons and phrases, which also require a professional translator to work on them in that specialized field. You may also provide your translators with a glossary or style guide for them to follow through the definitions. 

Investing in a glossary of terms will avoid misunderstanding and mistranslation of terms. It will cut the cost because the team of translators can refer to it and work efficiently. Clarity of terms and concepts will also yield to fewer errors or almost none. 

#4 Beware of “free translations” and cheap services

Free translations? Why not? But what are the real costs when you avail free or cheap translation services? You are at the mercy of poor quality and mistakes. So, always think about quality rather than the cost. Mistranslations can damage your reputation. The worst could be a lawsuit when it comes to errors on legal documents. 

If the price is too good to be true, better think first before you finalize your contract. Most likely, the costs or rates are lower because they are only working with mediocre translators.

#5 Invest in high-profiled, experienced Chinese translators

Considering point #1 when you plan on your materials, this will also help you if you’re ready to work with an agency or with an individual Chinese translator. The type of projects you want to work on and the turn around time are deciding factors, too. The truth is, working with high-profiled, experienced translators are costly. 

You’re paying not just for the quality but also the decade-long experience and skills. Specialized industries have higher rates such as medical, legal, finance, pharmaceutical, engineering, and among others. In business, you simply get what you pay for. 

So, aim for quality and experience.