What is the best skill any translator has? Is it being bi-, tri- or multi-lingual? Being a CAT tool afficionado? Well, you know the answer: a translator can write in their native language. In turn, this means that they are able to be a good copywriter.
If you’re a proficient translator, you can write copy
A translator can deliver a message in two languages. A proficient translator is someone who can accomplish that while making it sound as clear as if it had originated in their language.
In online marketing, messages are sometimes not even the most important aspect. Oftentimes, brands just need to find pretext for communication so they could illuminate their style and core values.
It might be some holiday or a special promotion- they just want to make their voices heard more than anything else. When managing a translation team working on such content, like we do at Phoenix Translations, you can spot the versatile, verbose translators who don't just translate word-for-word. If the content is not comfortably readable, not appealing to the user and not brand-compliant, then it’s just bad content.
A proficient marketing translator comprehends the brand direction reformulates the content in their own language to effectively address the target audience. The proficient marketing translator also possesses some level of SEO basics, to boost and ease the content creation and marketing process. .
How to expand your translation services to copywriting
SEM, Content marketing, SEO, engagement, newsletters, brochures, editorial marketing - demand for content is greater than ever before. Same as copywriters, translators are required to disseminate content in multiple languages. The majority of these texts you are so used to translating were written by copywriters – often freelancers, just like you.
Obviously, crafting and writing content demands much more than just that and a little creativity, compared to translating content. However, it pays more and, if you’re really good at it, you may find it as worthwhile side-income that may prove more profitable than translations, on occassion. The rate per word is often +60% higher than for translation.
Think outside the box with this one
Let's take a practical example of how copywriters find inspiration.
You’ve been hired by a new local dance club to generate content regarding their holiday promotions for their website, newsletter, social media etc.
All they have for you as source material is just their holiday theme.
Time to open a blank page and make your first attempt.
Think about what you know about this new club, about the clientele they may target, tone they’ve used on each channel. Then, search online for their competitors, who probably feature the same theme and services. This might bring some efficient theories about places, products or services that can be mentioned that are often searched.
Put yourself in the clients’ shoes. Why would they go there? What might they be doing just before or after? Why would they want or need to go to this dance club? What is the wow effect here?
A newsletter with a shorter version of your content can complement your efforts. as well as a social media post with a tantalising club picture, inviting users to celebrate the holiday early and to comment on whether they would rather bring their date, or their friends, to the festivities.
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These are just snippents on what you cowuld write with just little information. Be warned, once your imaginative juices get flowing, you may end up loving being a copywriter...
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