When you ask a translation company how long translating a website would take, you would get a number: it could be five days, two weeks, or maybe a month. But how did the translation company reach that number? Does this cover quality checks, formatting, and testing?
Without answering these questions, the deadline is just a number. There are many factors that influence the ideal turnaround time for webpage translation. It is very important for businesses to know about these factors.
This would help them to:
- Properly plan their website launch
- Ensure they choose the most efficient translation company
- Avoid any delays
In this blog, we will discuss how long websites usually take to translate, what factors affect the timeline, and what professional website translation processes are followed for an effective result.
How Long Does Webpage Translation Usually Take?
The following table gives a rough estimate of how many days a translation company might take depending on the number of webpages it translates.
| Content Size | Ideal Timeline |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,000 words (one landing page) | 1 to 2 days |
| 1,000 to 3,000 words | 2 to 3 days |
| 3,000 to 5,000 words (websites of small businesses) | 3 to 5 days |
| 10,000 words (website of a mid-sized business) | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 50,000 words (websites of larger businesses) | 3 to 4 weeks for smaller teams |
These ranges are for one language. When a website translation company handles multiple languages, the linguists for each language work at the same time. So, it doesn’t mean more languages would take more time.
What Factors Affect Website Translation Turnaround Time?
While word count is vital to determine turnaround time, there are other crucial factors that come into play.
These factors can move the website translation turnaround time up or down:
- Type of Content: The content type influences the number of days required for translation. Professional translation companies can translate about 1,500 to 2,000 words/day for a webpage that carries marketing content. Whereas they can translate 1,000 to 1,500 words/day for legal webpages, as they need more precision.
- Number of Pages, Not Just the Words: An online store that contains hundreds of product pages would take longer than a four-page website with the same word count. This is because each page would need precise formatting.
- Quality of the Source Text: Too many corrections in the source text would mean a translator would take more time translating it.
- File Format: Texts that are locked inside images or scanned PDFs need to be extracted before the translation starts. However, an editable file format skips this and reduces the website translation time.
- Reference Materials: A glossary of approved terms and a brand style guide can help translators greatly. Without them, translators end up guessing the brand tone that is needed on the website.
- Translation Method: There are a few translation methods that can be used for translating websites. They are:
- Machine-Only Translation: Can be used for repetitive, low-stakes webpages. Very quick but can contain errors.
- Human Translation: More reliable than machine translation. Best suited for legal and technical webpages. While the process is very accurate, it may end up taking more time.
- Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE): This process combines the speed and efficiency of machine translation with the accuracy of human translation. The machine tools translate initially and create drafts that undergo specialized human review for tone, accuracy, and formatting.
You can explore our blog, where we compare all types of translation methods for a website, by clicking here. Human vs. Machine Translation for Websites
How Does the Professional Website Translation Process Work?
A professional website translation process has multiple stages, and each stage takes some time.
| Stage | What Happens | Ideal Time |
|---|---|---|
| Project Setup | Webpages are analyzed, text is extracted, and word count is confirmed. | A few hours to one day. |
| Terminology and Style | Product names, tone, and legal terms are discussed and confirmed. | It is included during the project setup. |
| Translation | A native linguist translates the text. | About 2,000 to 2,500 words per day. |
| Editing | A second linguist compares the translation with the source text. | About 5,000 words per day. |
| Localization | Currency, date format, units of measurement, visuals, and other cultural elements are adapted. | Entirely depends on how many elements need to be adapted. |
| Layout and Testing | Text is put onto the site and checked for cut-off words and broken links. | It depends on the platform. |
| Proofreading and Confirmation | A final proofread and review is done, and then the translation team approves it. | About 10,000 per day, plus the review time. |
During the webpage translation workflow, editing and proofreading are exceptionally important.
Additionally, the following processes are also important:
- Web Page Translation Process: The language of each webpage is thoroughly translated. Specialized webpages need more time, while simple pages can be translated quickly. Furthermore, some languages like German and Arabic need extra formatting.
- Website Localization Process: They change more than just words. Prices shown in dollars need to be converted to the currency of the target language. Dates in MM/DD/YYYY are changed to DD/MM/YYYY (depending on the region).
- Testing and Integration: Once the translation and localization processes are completed, it is vital to check whether the translated webpages are functioning and can be integrated into the client’s platform.
Example: A Translation Project for a 10,000-Word Website
Here is what the website translation turnaround time would look like for 10,000 words.
- Setup: 1 day
- Translation: 4 days (10,000 words at 2,500 words per day)
- Editing: 2 days (at 5,000 words per day)
- Proofreading: 1 day (at 10,000 words per day)
This adds up to 8 working days before review and testing.
What Questions Should a Business Ask?
A faster turnaround doesn’t always mean exceptional quality.
Before a business accepts a deadline, it is vital to ask these questions:
- Does the timeline include editing by a second linguist?
- Does it include formatting and layout work?
- How many days are for review?
- How will the translated terms stay consistent if several translators work on one project?
How To Optimize Your Web Translation Timeline?
As a client, there are some effective steps that you can take to create the ideal turnaround time for website translation.
- Polish and Finalize the English Source Text: Edits made after the translation take up unnecessary time. However, a polished source can reduce the number of edits needed.
- Send Editable Files: Every text needs to be exported during translation. Editable files make this process very easy for the translation company.
- Share a Glossary: Glossaries contain product names, service names, and any other DNT (do not translate) terms.
- Name a Point Person: Identify a person from your side who would be in contact with the translation company. Doing so will make the translation process much more efficient.
- Send the Pages in Priority Order: Some webpages are more important than others. The homepage, product pages, and checkout pages can go for translation before other non-essential pages.
- Plan Backward from Website Launch: Always take the website launch date and then keep on subtracting days for testing, review, proofreading, editing, and translation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the ideal turnaround time for webpage translation?
A page of up to 1,000 words usually takes 1 to 2 days, while a 10,000-word website takes about 1 to 2 weeks, including editing and proofreading.
How many words can a professional translator translate per day?
A professional translator typically handles 2,000 to 2,500 words per day while maintaining quality.
Does the quoted turnaround time include editing and proofreading?
In most cases, it does; however, it is necessary to confirm. Some quotes could only include the translation rate.
Does translating into more languages take longer?
Not always. When one agency handles several languages, they usually work with different linguists simultaneously.
What slows down a website translation project?
Ans. Some avoidable delays include unclear source text, missing glossaries, uneditable files, and slow review processes.
What does the ideal website translation process include?
The ideal process includes setup, translation, editing, localization, layout testing, proofreading, and client confirmation.
How can I speed up my translation project timeline?
There are some steps that clients can take to speed up the translation process. They are sending clear source texts in editable files, sharing a terminology glossary, and identifying a person of contact who deals with the translation company.
What is the cost of website translation?
The pricing varies based on several factors. You can go through our comprehensive blog to explore the pricing structure of website translation by Professional Translation Website Cost.
Is a quick turnaround not a good sign?
Ans. Not always. However, it is vital to ask some important questions to ensure that the quoted turnaround time is genuine.
How do I get started with a professional website translation company?
Ans. You can easily get in touch with us, Somya Translators, for expert website translation solutions. Simply reach out via phone (+91-9990094796) or email (info@somyatrans.com). Or click here to get a customized quote.
Plan Your Website Translation Today
Turnaround time is one part of a larger decision about how to translate a website. Language choice, localization depth, and ongoing updates are all included in this. Check out our website translation services for businesses and organizations to get a clearer idea.
Somya Translators is an ISO 17100:2015-certified website translation company that provides expert solutions in over 170 languages. We work with native, certified linguists, implement efficient translation processes, and ensure that our clients can confidently arrive on the global stage.
Reach out to us today for exceptional website translation services.
📞 Call: +91-9990094796 📧 Email: info@somyatrans.com