Budget constraints often push brands to explore creative solutions, but some shortcuts can fall short, especially when it comes to maintaining content quality. A popular Swiss magazine faced this challenge when using machine translation to translate its German articles into English.
While the translations were efficient and cost-effective, they didn’t fully convey the magazine's signature engaging tone. That’s where I came in, refining the content to ensure readers enjoyed the high-quality experience they expected.
Machine translation: the process in which computer software translates a text from one language into another without human involvement.
Tools like DeepL or Google Translate are machine translation tools (but there are many more).
The Challenge: Low-Quality Content Due to Budget Constraints
Creating high-quality English content isn’t easy, and it becomes even more challenging when working with tight budgets. The magazine, known for its vibrant and insightful articles about life in one of Switzerland’s largest cities, needed an efficient solution to keep up with their publication schedule. Turning to machine translation was a practical choice, but it came with a cost: the translated text was often stiff and didn’t fit with the magazine's usual engaging style.
Machine translation tools have come a long way, but they still struggle with context, cultural nuances, and brand tone – especially in creative content like magazine articles. The challenge was clear: how could the magazine refine these translations while staying within budget?
The Solution: Professional Proofreading and Post-Editing
That’s where I came in. My approach involved a two-step process to transform the machine-translated text into polished, natural-sounding English that aligned with the magazine's tone and voice:
Proofreading and Post-Editing
I carefully reviewed the machine-translated English content, comparing it with the original German text. This step was crucial for ensuring that key details, cultural references, and intended meanings were accurately conveyed. I corrected grammar errors, restructured awkward sentences, and refined word choices to create smooth and natural-sounding text.
Aligning with Brand Voice
The magazine’s brand voice is vibrant, engaging, and reader-friendly, and I made sure every piece of edited content reflected that. I incorporated creative language where necessary and adjusted phrasing to keep the magazine’s characteristic energy. This approach ensured that readers wouldn’t notice a drop in quality or engagement, even though the original translations were machine-generated.
The Result: High-Quality Content Without Breaking the Bank
Working together to edit the machine-translated content meant that the magazine could continue publishing well-crafted English articles that resonated with their audience, while keeping costs manageable. Here’s what we achieved:
Maintained Content Quality: The edited content met the magazine’s standards, sounding just as engaging and polished as the original German text and their existing English content.
Budget Efficiency: The magazine saved money by using machine translation* and investing in focused post-editing, a cost-effective solution that didn’t compromise quality.
Consistent Reader Experience: English-speaking readers continued to enjoy insightful, well-written content, with no disruptions to the magazine’s regular publishing rhythm.
*To ensure that your data is secure, I’d highly recommend using a paid version of your machine translation tool of choice. In other words, use the paid version instead of the free version of DeepL.
Find the Balance Between Efficiency and Quality with Post-Editing
Machine translation can be a valuable tool, but it’s not a complete solution – especially for brands that prioritise tone, engagement, and a seamless reading experience. By incorporating human expertise, businesses can maximise the benefits of machine translation without sacrificing content quality.
If your brand is facing a similar challenge, consider investing in professional post-editing to bring your translations up to par. Reach out today to see how I can help ensure your content stays on brand while remaining cost-effective.
I’m Cathy, language-nerd and expert in making German brands shine in the English market. By choosing the right keywords and optimising your content, I can help your products reach more potential customers and increase your sales.
Ready to see your brand’s visibility soar? Get in touch today for a chat and let’s make your content work harder for you!
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