In today’s globalized and fast-paced world, catering to diverse audiences and languages other than your home markets is essential, especially for all media and entertainment businesses. Whether it’s a movie, online game, or book, operating in multiple languages is no longer just an option but a requirement to compete internationally. And most of all, people want to have a great time in their own language – and on their own terms.
Here comes translation services’ decisive role in effectively reaching, captivating, and converting a larger foreign audience. Additionally, multilingual content helps build compelling and immersive experiences for viewers, resulting in a more enriched viewing experience overall.
In this post, we will take a tour of all things media and entertainment translation services and discover how your business can make the most of them to reach, entertain, and engage.
Media and Entertainment Translation: What is It Really About?
Well, media and entertainment translation is a field of translation that specializes in translating audio-visual content. It can be everything from books and press releases to movies, TV shows, games, eLearning, and ads. Given the unique nature of each one of the previously stated types, only a skilled native-speaking translator is able to adapt and convey the intended message effectively and precisely in the target language while maintaining the essence of the content.
However, to cater to the interactive nature of media communications, media and entertainment translation services go beyond simply transferring a message from one language to another. Instead, it is the art of delivering localized experiences in a new language as authentic as the original version to make the same impact on international audiences as your local market. The goal is to create a sense of familiarity for foreign audiences and make them feel that the messages were crafted specifically for them.
How Can Media and Entertainment Translations Benefit Your Global Expansion?
Did you know people process and remember about 65% of visual information compared to 10% of non-visual text? (according to Brain Rules) Yes. It’s also worth noting that Hubspot revealed that 54% of consumers are eager for their favorite brands to produce more videos.
It’s no wonder billions of hours are spent watching videos on YouTube each month. And with the average YouTube user spending almost 23.1 hours per month watching videos in 2022 (Statista) the significance of visual content cannot be overstated.
Besides, according to Hubspot, Facebook posts with images show 2.3X more engagement than non-visual ones.
In fact, visual content reigns supreme and is the most impactful in our modern world.
However, more is needed to expand your reach even further and reach a broader audience base. With that in mind, media and entertainment translation services should be integral to your strategy. This can help you gain more subscribers, ultimately doubling your audience.
Wondering about the advantages of using media and entertainment translation services? Here’s what you’ll gain by incorporating professional translation services into your strategy:
- Reach More Viewers, Subscribers, Customers, Players, etc.
Relying solely on one language won’t ever pay off. To reach a broader client base, you have to embrace more languages and cultures. While English is the lingua franca, more is needed, especially when competing with local businesses. After all, only 17% of the world’s population speaks English. Choosing only to use English could mean missing out on so many tremendous opportunities and potential clients.
That is particularly relevant to art and the entertainment industry, as every piece of content is meant to be shared with the world. And that is where media translation services step in!
- Engage Global Audiences & Connect on a Personal Level
If you have invested a lot of time and effort in your product, you absolutely don’t want to be considered an outsider to your audience. A great way to build an unbreakable bond with your target audience is to translate your product into their native language and culture. Research has shown that 75% of people are likely to buy a product when its information is available in their native language. So media and entertainment translation services are definitely worth considering.
And to successfully translate and localize your digital content for your target market, it’s essential to fully engage your target audience by taking into account their language, culture, and beliefs. Jokes, idioms, and metaphors are only some of the challenges media translators and interpreters face daily. The key is effectively communicating the intended message to the target audience appropriately while preserving the original content’s authenticity and essence – and without offending your target audience.
- Preserve your Material Essence & Accurately Reflect the Meaning
It is essential to preserve the authenticity and identity of audio-visual content. Unfortunately, most of the time, if not always, if handled by someone inexperienced, your audience will likely be unable to relate to your content. And even worse, your project might end up failing in the target market, negatively impacting your relationship with your audience for longer than expected.
And that’s not all; translation services are of utmost importance to accurately convey the intended meaning of your content. Regrettably, there have been instances where films, videos, and other media have suffered from poor translation, causing real damage to the value and reputation of esteemed media companies.
Take a look at the following movie titles that have been poorly translated and left the target audience scratching their heads:
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” which was translated into “se mi lasci ti cancello” which means in Italian, “If you leave me, I’ll erase you.”
“The Sixth Sense” was translated as “He’s a Ghost” in Chinese.
“Grease” was translated into “Vaseline” in Argentina.
Increase Your Conversion and Sales
According to Social Shephard, an impressive 92% of internet users globally enjoy watching online videos of any type. That’s quite a significant number! And on average, people consume 84 minutes of video content daily, presenting numerous business opportunities to grow outside their comfort zone.
As a business, videos can be a powerful tool to drive traffic, generate leads, and increase sales. However, video alone won’t be enough for your global aspirations; expert translation services can give you the desired push, leading to faster and more reliable results in your target market. And the same applies to any other audio or visual content, be it a film, image, ebook, or entertainment platform.
Media and Entertainment Translation Types to Incorporate into Your Strategy
Knowing what steps to take is essential if you plan to expand your online presence and reach a global audience. One such step is deciding which type of media and entertainment translation is best suited for your brand. However, with so many options available, this can be a complex decision that may require the assistance of a language provider.
Also, it can be challenging to present your product’s or service’s graphics and images in a relevant manner to the target market. That’s why it’s essential to keep cultural preferences in mind. And be open to whatever needs change; at some point, you will even get to change the colors included in your visuals in order not to offend your audience. And that’s also one thing that badly needs the interference of a professional with extensive technical expertise.
Here are the common types of media and entertainment translations:
Go for a Professional Media and Entertainment Translation Company
When it’s time to expand your business, you have two options: either work with many freelance translators and interpreters separately or hire a company with all the professionals you need under one roof. To be honest, while the first option is undoubtedly cheaper, it is unlikely to produce your desired outcome in terms of quality, speed, and reliability.
However, in some cases, the cheapest option won’t be the first, and rushing into it may lead to significant expenses due to the requirement of numerous professionals or the need to fix errors caused by unprofessionalism.
When working on a game project, for example, it may come as a surprise that game translators collaborate with developers, graphic designers, and tens of other experts to deliver top-notch results that can compete on a global scale.
Therefore, it’s always better to take a little extra time to weigh all possible outcomes before committing to a course of action.
And that’s what we help you get at AsiaLocalize. We have all the right people under one roof to provide you with a comprehensive translation and localization solution in almost Asian languages.
