How to Help Your Translator Do Their Best Work
Freelance translators are usually unseen and uncredited, but their work underpins every successful multilingual marketing campaign. Translation is often seen as simply swapping words from one language to another, but human translators do much more: they bridge cultures to ensure your brand speaks clearly, whatever the language.
Because translation can look deceptively simple, end clients may be unaware of what translators need to do it well. A few key pieces of information upfront can help them ensure your message comes across as clearly and effectively as possible and that the process is smooth, on budget and on time.
Supply style or brand guidelines
When we know your preferences up front, it's much easier to create copy that fits your brand. A simple document that covers your preferred voice and tone (formal, friendly, technical), spelling conventions (Standard British, Oxford or US), punctuation rules and any house-style quirks (capitalisation, numerals, date formats) allows us to get it right first time.
Give us a glossary
Include a glossary or termbase of key terms along with a 'do-not-translate' list for product names, trademarks or codes. This ensures consistency across all your texts.
Tell us how the text will be used
Tell us where the text will appear and what it's for. Knowing that the text will be used in, for example, a product page, a magazine spread, a blog post or an app interface allows us to tailor style, tone, length and formatting to fit the context. Let us know about the target audience, too so we can make sure we use the appropriate voice.
Share laid-out source files or mock-ups
Raw text without layout leaves translators guessing how the copy must relate, flow or align with visuals. For example, if a report uses graphs and charts, we need to know how they should be labelled, or if your text is for a UI, we need to know how the user will interact with it. These are things we can't see in raw text. Being able to refer to a PDF or screenshot helps us ensure everything works on the page in the translated version.
Provide images
Even if the Dutch copy is very well written, it's difficult to translate product descriptions properly without seeing the products themselves. Photos or renders let us choose the right terms, highlight the right features and describe the product in the right way.
Respond to queries promptly
On long projects, the translator is likely to have questions about context, terminology or meaning. They should try to bundle all queries into one email as soon as possible so you can answer them efficiently. A prompt reply helps them use the maximum available time to deliver a well-translated, polished text.
Send editable files whenever possible
Editable files such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint are the easiest for translators to work with. PDFs are generally fine as well, unless they are scans, which cannot be edited. If keeping the original layout matters, make sure to provide an editable version of the file. It's also worth remembering that many translators work independently and may not have the budget to purchase specialised software for a single project. They usually invest in tools like InDesign or Final Draft only when they receive enough work in those formats to justify the cost.
Set clear, reasonable deadlines
While translators aim to be as flexible as possible, planning our schedule around agreed deadlines helps us deliver our best work. When proposing a timeline, keep in mind that a professional translator typically produces 2,000–3,000 words per day, depending on the complexity of the text. Shorter assignments often take proportionally longer because each project requires preparation, regardless of its length. If you need a faster turnaround, let the translator know in advance so they can assess what's realistic and agree on an appropriate rush fee.
Need a Dutch-to-English translator?
If you're looking for a Dutch-to-English translator who'll respect your brand and your deadline and keep the process hassle-free, get in touch!