What’s behind the Capital Translations brand:Part 4 – The Website

I’ve been working really hard with Websites for Translators to create a website that is different. I’ve been looking at colleagues’ websites for inspiration to see how they do it, but much of the website stems from my own ideas, namely to emphasise the urban location of Capital Translations and how this location can inspire translation. Let me take you through the site

Homepage

It’s not easy for a translator to design a website that speaks to both translation colleagues and potential clients who may know nothing about the industry. That’s why the first thing that visitors would see on the website is the key message, in plain English. That is the languages I translate from, the specialist fields I work in, and the company’s unique selling points.

Any good website needs images. Crucially, the site (so far) contains no images related to translation or languages, but images of Cardiff, again to reinforce the brand identity. And this is what the introductory text builds on further. I have tried to combine the two key elements of the business’s location and its linguistic services. Whether this works is something that only time will tell.

At the footer of the site, of course, are the blog and Twitter feeds, and a nice photo of me taken in Spain, which cuts out some of my head. Hopefully I’ll be able to take a better one soon. In my research, I noticed that many translators’ sites don’t contain a photo of them. But I feel that clients should be able to put a face to a name, as it helps to develop a more amicable relationship.

About

Again, it is difficult to target this text towards translators and non-translators alike. This page aims to clearly outline my qualifications and experience, but I also felt that a section to explain my involvement in the industry was necessary. After all, wouldn’t you want to work with someone who loves their job?

A brief word on values rounds this page off. I believe that translators and translation companies need to get away from selling their services based on quality. This is because high quality should come as standard, rather than being a unique selling point.

Languages

On the new Capital Translations website, you’ll find many parts that have been carried over from the lloydtranslates website. This is one of them, and the most personal part of the website. It allows clients and colleagues to get to know the person behind the translator. The Languages section explains my experience in each language, including time I’ve spent in the relevant countries, illustrated with photos I have taken myself rather than stock photos.

Services

Now, this section is crucial as it addresses clients more than colleagues. It is important to clearly distinguish between translation, editing and proofreading. It may be obvious to us as linguists, but our industry is not as well-known as it should be to outsiders. I felt it was also important to give examples of what constitutes a business text, or a legal one, for example. These are all types of text that I have worked on extensively during my time as an in-house translator. For anything that doesn’t appear on the list, Capital Translations would always seek the help of a colleague who can assist a client with such an enquiry.

CV

This section is a more extensive version of the About page. It seeks to outline the qualifications, experience and professional memberships that have shaped my translation career. Notably, it includes key CPD that I’ve undertaken, and links to the main articles I’ve published and presentations I’ve given, again to emphasise industry engagement.

Blogs

As discussed yesterday, the site features two blogs, with different content and different target audiences.

Contact

Finally, a contact page, with links to the key social media pages. Eventually, an address and phone number will be available when the business has found permanent premises.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour. So, what do you think? And what would you do differently?