Hiring an in-house translation team might seem like the simplest option to expand your multilingual marketing. But have you considered outsourcing translation services as a more cost-effective solution?

Outsourcing your translation projects offers both financial and time-saving benefits. Keep reading as we break down the costs involved and share a real-world example of how outsourcing is more affordable in the long run. 

The value in outsourcing translation services for global brands

Most people worldwide like to shop for products in their own language. In fact, 76% of consumers prefer buying things in their language, and 40% actually avoid websites that aren’t in their language. This shows how important it is to offer translations in many languages.

Imagine tapping into English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese and Italian markets. Collectively, these languages unlock around 70% of the world’s online buying power.

If you want to connect with an international audience, it’s essential to incorporate these languages—and others relevant to your brand—into your marketing. But the real magic lies not just in translation but in ensuring your brand’s message retains its authenticity and accuracy across cultures.

That’s where things get a bit complex, and the benefits of outsourcing translation services truly shine. Outsourcing offers a streamlined path to achieving nuanced, culturally sensitive translations that can elevate your brand globally.

Here are just a few benefits of outsourcing translation services:

• Access to a pool of linguistic experts specialized in various fields. This level of expertise is critical for maintaining the integrity of your brand message and avoiding potential cultural missteps.
• Outsourced translation services can offer quicker turnaround times thanks to their dedicated teams working across different time zones.
• Professional translation services often use the latest language translation and localization technologies, including translation memory tools and terminology databases.
• Accurate and culturally adapted translations make your brand more relatable and trustworthy to local consumers, driving engagement and loyalty.

Here’s an example of the value working with an agency can bring

At VeraContent, we help our clients streamline their translation projects by handling the translation and localization of multiple languages. For example, we provide content creation and localization services to our client Visable, with the goal of optimizing their blogs, including: Visable 360, Inside Business (wlw) and EUROPAGES.

Typically, we get articles in German that need to be adapted for four European languages: English, French, Italian and Spanish. The challenge is that these articles are initially tailored for a German readership, including mentions of institutions, personalities, statistics, etc., that hold significance primarily within Germany.

As a result, significant portions of these articles must be reworked to resonate with the intended new readers. This process requires extensive research, considerable time investment and a deep understanding of the target markets.

Check out one of our Visable work samples.

Example of a blog post translation we did for Visable in German (left) and French (right).

How can outsourcing translation services work out cheaper?

A Deloitte survey revealed that 70% of companies outsource primarily to reduce costs. 

Here are a few reasons why outsourcing is more cost-effective than building an in-house team:

Efficient access to expert translators

Outsourcing to an agency simplifies the process by allowing you to access a team of experts—without having to search for them yourself.

Usually, working with an agency begins with a meeting. Here, you’ll talk about your brand’s goals and challenges. This helps the agency understand what you expect and your brand better.

After this chat, they’ll use their network of translators to pick the perfect one for your project—handling everything from their side.

From there, they also handle onboarding and managing all translators throughout the entire process.

At VeraContent, we start every partnership by developing a detailed style guide that we share with all involved in the brand’s content—from the Project Managers to writers, translators, editors and community managers. This makes it easy to onboard new collaborators throughout the project.

As a brand, you don’t necessarily have the time to check in individually with each translator to make sure everything is done correctly and on time. By working with an agency, you can rest assured that they do that for you.

Here’s another example of the outsourced translation work we do for one of our clients:

When redk, specialists in CRM transformation and customer experience, enlisted our help for their thought leadership content, we immediately sought out top experts for the job.

We immersed ourselves in understanding redk’s industry and tone, even participating in numerous training sessions.

This deep familiarity has enabled us to support redk in crafting content in English and Spanish, ranging from blog and social media posts to case studies, white papers, and more.

Read the full client story.

The hidden costs of in-house translation

You might believe that having an in-house translation team gives you more control over your brand. However, it’s a significant investment. And it’s not just about paying salaries. Finding the right person involves conducting numerous interviews to identify the ideal candidate.

After hiring someone, you’ll need to onboard and train them in the latest translation techniques. Additionally, you must equip them with the tools required for their job.

If you plan on targeting multiple markets, this process repeats itself until you find a person for each chosen language.

Outsourcing helps you save money and hassle. They handle the costs of hiring and training. This allows you to put your budget and resources where it really matters—growing your business.

At the end of the day, time is money, and outsourcing saves you time so you can focus on your core responsibilities.

Additional services of an agency

Working with an agency provides access to extra services that greatly boost your brand’s international profile.

Besides translation services, agencies like VeraContent offer:

• Multilingual content creation: Tailored written content to resonate with specific audiences in their language.
• Audio translations: Covers social media captions, subtitles, dubbing, voiceovers and transcriptions.
• Audiovisual translations: Accessible content for the hearing-impaired, along with video translation.
• Global social media services: Ensures your brand is active and culturally relevant on all social media platforms.
• Graphic design localization: Adapts visual content to appeal to each market.

Outsourcing significantly expands the number of services you can access so your brand can communicate effectively worldwide while allowing space for growth. 

See also: Video translation: Auto-generated vs. human translation services

Agency vs. freelancer: Navigating your options

While freelancers might offer services at lower costs, coordinating a group of them can result in challenges with consistency and communication.

Every freelancer brings their own writing and translating style, requiring training to ensure uniformity. Additionally, communicating with each freelancer about the project details, answering their questions, and providing feedback can be quite time-consuming.

Through an agency, you gain access to a whole network of translators who are not just language experts but specialists across different fields. This means that whether you need legal documents or marketing material translated, there’s an expert who can handle this with accuracy and relevancy.

Additionally, agencies have translation guidelines that ensure consistency and quality across all languages and content types. There are rigorous quality control processes that often involve multiple levels of review by experts. These additional resources ensure your brand image is maintained across international markets. 

As James Leahu, Co-Founder of VeraContent, says:

“A brand might hire one person, but for quality control, it’s important to also have a second editor and a reliable system. We have already set up such a system. We’ve tried it out with many clients, always learning and adding new skills to improve our process.”

See also: How to outsource multilingual content writing services

Finding the best agency for your needs

Selecting the right agency is crucial for achieving your goals and ensuring your projects succeed. Here’s a more detailed approach to streamline your search:

1. Get recommendations: Ask your network or businesses in similar sectors for trusted referrals.
2. Explore client stories and testimonials: Look at the agency’s website for success stories and feedback to gauge their problem-solving capabilities and impact. Check out VeraContent’s client stories.
3. Review their portfolio: Check their past projects for style, diversity and relevance to your needs. Check out VeraContent’s work samples.
4. Assess their process: Understand their project approach, including how they manage projects, communicate and ensure quality.
5. Consider compatibility: Ensure the agency’s communication style, culture and values align with yours.
6. Evaluate their niche expertise: Prefer agencies with experience in your specific industry for better audience insights.
7. Look for value, not just cost: Opt for agencies that offer strategic insights, innovative solutions and measurable outcomes over the cheapest option.

See also: Multilingual content production: A five-step process

Are you ready to outsource your translation projects?

Outsourcing translation services is a strategic, cost-effective solution to enhance your brand’s international presence. 

Working with an agency like VeraContent saves you money and gives you access to a team of experts. Our team handles marketing translations in more than 20 languages, offering a single contact point for all your needs across different regions.

Book a call with our team to determine if you qualify for a Free Content Consultation.