If content is king, I'm his wife ;-)

Transcreation Checklist: Creative translation with added value

Quick facts & figures:

Approximately 95 million people in the world speak German as their native language – and almost 90% of them use the Internet (source: Internet World Stats, 2016).
Germany ranks among the top 5 markets with the highest e-commerce potential (source: AT Kearney, 2015).
Statistics show that visitors to a web site spend twice as much time at the site, and are three times more likely to buy if the web site is in their native language (source: Forrester Research).
75% of consumers in Europe (especially Germans!) prefer to buy products or services on web sites in their native language (source: Common Sense Advisory, 2014).

Conclusion: By offering a professional German translation of your website and other contents such as newsletters, brochures or blog posts, you can significantly increase your chances of being found by your desired target group and potential customers. Your key benefit: more sales – resulting in a substantial return on investment (ROI) over time!

What is transcreation?

Transcreation is:

a cross between "translation" and "creation"
the translation of an advertising text into a different language taking different cultural conditions and contexts into account (source: Wikipedia)
a creative and corresponding transference of language full of nuances – not a word-for-word translation
adapted to the desired target group abroad in terms of tone, style and language flow
a guarantee that the new text will achieve the same impact and awaken the same emotions as the original text

What are the advantages?

Above all, transcreation can help you to:

transport your advertising and brand texts across the globe in a uniform manner
boost the sales success of your products and services in foreign sales markets
strengthen your image
acquire new customers
enter new markets
increase your revenue

When is it used?

Transcreation is used when more than a literal translation is required – in particular for the linguistic adaptation of marketing and advertising materials for foreign sales markets. For example:

CI/CD (incl. brand claims/slogans)
Advertising texts (incl. brochures, flyers, mailings, magazines)
PR texts (incl. press releases, trade articles)
Website content (incl. product information in online shops, blogs; marketing/ad materials – see above)

Who can use transcreation?

Whether it's hotels, fashion labels, creative or IT service providers, emerging start-ups or multi-national groups: Transcreation is suitable for companies of all sizes and in all industries who want to enter new markets and appeal to new customer groups and communicate with success abroad (i.e. in Germany).

How can a freelancer support you with transcreation?

Above all, a freelancer can provide a personal service. They advise, support and accompany you as customer throughout the entire project and are always available when you need them. Specifically, they offer:

close cooperation 1:1 – you have someone at hand who gets closely involved with your company, strategy, portfolio and wording. They know you and you don't have to explain things over and over.
fast, direct communication paths – briefing, changes, approval, consultations at short notice – everything happens quickly.
more flexible working with no overheads – enables cheaper conditions than in agencies.
National knowledge – sound insider knowledge of the cultural and linguistic peculiarities of the home market.
Specialist competence – excellent knowledge of the language and many years of experience; ideally a double qualification as certified translator and creative advertising copywriter.

»Are you ready to enter the German market? I'd be happy to offer support! Just drop me a line at: . If you want to learn more about transcreation, check out this article – it takes a closer look at the topic and awkward mistranslations.«