German translation
of start-up website
So, you
currently have a start-up website. It’s going pretty well and
you now feel you’re ready to take things a step further and
develop the German language equivalent of the site.
First of all, it might be an
idea to decide whether you want to purchase a completely new
domain address for that purpose or whether the new content will
exist on your current site. If you’re going with the first
option, then all you need to do is create a sub-domain on your
existing site (i.e., german.yourcurrentdomain.com, or
yourcurrentdomain.com/german). For the latter option, you need
to either register a totally new web address either with a de.
or .com extension.
If you’re registering a new
site, decide on a name for it. Will you use the name of your
existing site, but with a .de extension? Or do you plan to,
perhaps, find out the German translation of your
current site and name your new German-language site after it?
Bear in mind that there might already be a .de extension of
your existing site. Someone might have already bought it. You
therefore need to have a backup plan should that happen. If
you’re lucky, the owner might be prepared to sell it to you -
but at the end of the day, you have to decide whether it’s
worth it for you in the long run.
Before looking for someone to
handle the website translation, you need to decide on what your
budget is along with what the going market rate is for
translators. Do not cut corners if you can help it. Be prepared
to pay for quality.
Do you want one translator to
maintain flow and consistency throughout the site, or do you
want to hire more than one translator in order to achieve a
quicker turnaround time? Do you want them to work on location
or off location? These might be things to consider even before
you actually go out there and start looking to hire
one.
There are several places
where you can find translators. The method chosen depends on
how much time and energy you have at your disposal. You could
try searching online or hiring an agency to look for a
translator for you. Alternatively, you could advertise the
position in local newspapers. Another idea might be to search
for websites out there that have achieved something similar to
what you’re looking to achieve with your new site - ask them
for the contact details of the translator they used. They just
might be willing to share that information with you.
Other things to think about
might be deciding whether you want the same design for the
German-language site, or a different one? Do you plan on hiring
the same web designer/developer you used for your start-up
site? What if they’re booked up for the next 6 months, what’s
your plan then? Is there someone else they can recommend, or do
you have a back-up designer/developer in mind?
Whatever you decide to do and
however you decide to do it, good luck!?
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