Dear Language Friend,

Nowadays a company’s website is its window to the world. Therefore a good website translation and professional localization are more essential than ever! The modern consumer uses the internet to gather all the information he or she needs about a company. Therefore a company’s website should provide the necessary information in the clearest possible way. In order for this to happen, a website has to be adjusted in terms of language, style, design and cultural nuances to reach the target audience in a creative way, while never losing track of the basic information.

For example, German consumers do not only appreciate grammatical and linguistic correctness but there are several factors to be taken into account to make a website “German-friendly”. Read on to find out how you can create the best possible German website marketing strategy!

Also check out our brand new website that just launched last week! Get the help you need with translations!

Contributed by Christine Bargfeldt - LingoStar Team

 

 What are German consumers attracted to?

Germans do not like multi-colored websites with lots of flashing banner ads but rather quite the opposite! They prefer a clean,  professional look and a clear navigational structure to feel confident that their business issues are handled professionally.

 

 What is to be taken into account?

Give your website a simple and natural look. That means make sure that the colors used align with your company’s logo. Try to provide a lot of information without making it hard to understand. Therefore the text sections should be separated into paragraphs with a clear navigational structure.

 What is to be avoided?

Never use more than three different colors for your corporate design. Avoid flashing banner ads in the margins that distract the reader from the essential information. Do not use too many pictures or long paragraphs of pure text but try to find a pleasant balance.

LingoStar can help you localize your homepage!

 

 Famous German Translation Errors!

• A “Handy” is a mobile (British English) or cell phone (American English).


• If a German is looking for a “Service Point” he/she means an “information desk”.


• If a German is talking about a “Beamer” he/she’s probably talking about a digital or video projector.


• Germans wear “Basecaps” (trucker caps), “Pullunders” (sleeveless pullovers) or a “Smoking” (tuxedo).


• They use “Textmarker” (highlighters) and watch “Spots” (commercials) on TV.


• Never tell a German to put something into the “Klosett” because this is not the German word for closet. In fact it means toilet!

 

 What are German consumers looking for?

German consumers compare prices accurately before they actually buy a product. This is why they will choose a company with consistently appropriate prices in the majority of cases. When buying products online, German consumers put great emphasis on online security and therefore appreciate the option of using a service like PayPal for their payments. Additionally the website should have a professional look and should contain all important information about the products and the company. "Green" companies that are active in eco-friendly projects will make a good impression on German clients. Of course, fast and efficient customer service is also of great importance.

 

Good Customer Service

Many Germans, especially older people, don't understand English product names or commercial slogans. They not only get it wrong – sometimes they even mix up meanings which can result in devastating counterproductive marketing. But in many cases - especially in marketing – you cannot translate all words into German because there are simply no German equivalent words for them. This makes good customer service even more important because some terms might be misunderstood and the customer might require extra help. It is also very important to use the formal "Sie" when replying to a German customer's request to show respect. Using the less formal "Du" might be taken as an insult!

 

Corporate Design and Website Localization

German clients prefer rather muted colors in a website's design. Try to stick to the colors that occur in your company's logo. Too many colors will make an unprofessional impression! German dates are written DD.MM.YYYY and their day has 24 hours; so the time format is 0:00 – 24:00. Buttons for going to the next page are always located on the bottom right side. Buttons on the left side are for going back one page. LingoStar can help you avoid all potential localization problems!

 

LingoStar's German Translation Services

We understand the importance of providing translations in the best possible quality for the particular target audience. LingoStar guarantees the use of qualified German native-speaking translators and editors. Only native speakers know the cultural background and terminology of a particular language. Our experienced translators are meticulously selected to translate documents accurately and in a timely manner. So if you are looking for a professional translation service for your German translations, contact LingoStar today!

Don't hesitate to contact LingoStar for a quote today!