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Learn how CMS localization can boost your online presence, expand your reach, and optimize for international success with our informative article.

CMSs: industry state and how to localize them best

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Localization Blog

> Translation Quality Assurance should be an essential section of all software localization processes. 

## Translation quality assurance basics 
Translation and localization might differ, but whichever process is in question - they should both end in quality assurance. While QA is often an afterthought, it can be a massive saviour of resources (time & costs) and ensure products are delivered to the target audience and received as intended. 

You can count on poorly translated content to raise distrust among your customers, while poor localization can downright bring misunderstandings, confusion, or even [offense](/blog/translation-versus-localization-dont-be-a-wax-tadpole). TQA is the last step towards assuring a well-adapted product that speaks to your customers through content and cultural lenses. 

## What is translation quality?
Translation quality is not easy to determine, especially if we consider how many different stakeholders are involved in the investment in the product, participate in the translation, or those who use it.

Quality translation might mean your translation of optimal accuracy, delivered within (or earlier than) the deadline. For a translator, quality translation means the right localized content. But in the end, the user makes the call, and her behavior will tell us if the quality matches the expectations. In other words: if people don't use your product, you might want to re-evaluate your copy & translation quality.

The variations are endless, but what all quality translations have as a standard solution is an intersection of all these elements and perspectives as much as possible harmony. High-quality translation and localization will provide the end user with an authentic product experience by maintaining linguistic and cultural standards within the project scope. 

## Translation quality process
A good translation quality process has a couple of different stages that span across and go in line with the development process. We are inclined to believe that the process looks something like this:
1. Internationalization
2. Localization
3. Quality assurance

While many companies opt for this approach, a couple of hidden bums are on that road. Here's what we've discovered can save you a lot of time and headache along the way:
- **Pre-localization checks: source content verification** 

Often, issues during localization come from intangible or incorrect source text. If you are fortunate and you're doing your localization with the help of a very skilled linguistic professional, they can catch the mistake and correct it. It's more likely, however, that the translator will get confused and have to check for the meaning of the source text, which results in delays and corrections on both sides. 
The worst-case scenario is if you rely solely on machine translation and have yet to assure the source content accuracy beforehand. This scenario might land you and your product with a place on a list called "The best translations fail" or similar. 

- **Functional testing: grammar, placeholders, and commas**

Functional testing comes right after the localization, or "first draft translations." Functional testing targets inconsistencies such as spell checking, grammar, presence of placeholders, formatting, multiple spaces, repeated words, [plurals](/blog/pluralization), and consistency of upper and lower case letters. 

Functional testing is often automated or implemented through machine engines and [CAT tools](/features/). This speeds up the process significantly but may lead to missed or even false checks. The missed quality checks are mistakes the computer or tool cannot see. False checks are checks the computer detects, although they make sense. For example, think of Microsoft Word and a spell checker that lights up whenever you type an unusual name. 

- **Linguistic testing: meaning behind the content**

Linguistic testing is usually the most demanding step of the process, where you will probably want to have language professionals on your team. Linguistic testing ensures the content's meaning and intention are properly conveyed in the localized, target content. 

Additionally, in this stage, you want to ensure complete consistency in your localized product. For example, if several translators worked on your project, they may have used different terms to translate the same thing. In this case, translation is usually correct from the functional point of view - not accurate for your specific project. Aside from professional translators, you need a [term base](/features/term-base) or [translation memory](/features/translation-memory) for this step. 

Term bases and translation memories are collections of terms and preferred translations that suit your project. This can be the perfect guideline for your translators. If you have assured it at the beginning of the project, the translators or machine translation engines will probably be able to implement it from the very start of the process. This means less editing, fewer corrections in the TQA process, and money and time saved. 

- **Visual testing: the feel-good check**

Visual testing is the perfect stage to bring in native speakers and beta testers. Once content consistency and accuracy have been verified in the previous steps, you can get valuable feedback from would-be users. They can give you input on the layout, the amount of content, and how user-friendly it is. 

This is especially relevant if you are localizing for a market that is culturally very different from the one for which the source product was developed. Visual testing is crucial if you translate into [Right-to-Left languages](/blog/right-to-left-vs-left-to-right) or vice versa. 
The essential value of the visual testing of your translation is that it evaluates the "feel-good factor" or the user experience - how well adapted your localized product is to your target users and how close to the original creation of the product is. 


## Ideal translation quality assurance team

When you think of an Ideal Translation Quality Assurance Team, your mind probably goes to an image of some multilingual version of Shakespeare. Sadly, that wouldn't be the best option for two reasons: firstly, because Shakespeare was notorious for making up new words when he couldn't find a fitting one, and secondly, well, he's currently indisposed. 
There are, however, skills and people you need on your side in this adventure:

- **Engineers & Developers** - people with product knowledge are crucial. They are the ones that are the backbone for translators and language professionals. They know what each section is supposed to do and what should be the result of each action. 
- **Translators** - make the words say what you want them to speak in as many languages as you wish. Finding reliable, trustworthy translators with a good track record is priceless. A good translator will cut your QA process significantly, and an excellent translator will give you the illusion that you don't even need a QA process. 
- **Editors** - a perfect editor is a language professional, a native speaker, and understands your product from the user's point of view. 
- **QA professionals** - QA testers will understand the process and deliver you the results you hope - they have the knowledge and experience. If you don't have access to QAs or your QA is busy on other projects, ensure your translation management platform streamlines the process for other team members as much as possible. This will not compensate for the issue entirely but will save you time and avoid trouble.
- **Beta users** - Native speakers who can do the visual testing and don't necessarily have to be software engineers or language professionals. They can give you the paramount insight if your localized product can enter the race for market domination or if you're on the slippery slope of mistranslation.

## TQA Approaches
There are different approaches to translation and localization quality assurance. The division can be made by focusing on which stage of the process QA happens, which tools are used, or simply by the ones performing the QA. 
In general, we can easily see the two main approaches: 

**1. Quality Assurance systems & tools**.
These quality check systems are automated and usually go hand-in-hand with Machine Translation. This solution is perfect for acceleration, especially in functional testing - spell checks, placeholders, formatting - all of this can be reviewed with a high success rate using CAT tools. With a high level of success, good QA can help you verify the consistency of term usage and employ a verified Translation Memory. 

The usual downside is that most TQA tools operate on a bilingual level. This means that it's possible to find inconsistencies between the source and target language, but if there are more significant issues that need to be resolved, most TQA tools won't help you tackle this issue. 

Since Lingohub founders encountered this issue so often in their localization experience, one of the main features they wanted for the Lingohub app was the possibility of editing multiple translations. This sped up the localization process by streamlining the editing and functional testing using Lingohub's Side Panel. 

It's fair to say that our biased love towards this Lingohub feature came from years of navigating between 5 or more translators and translations when only one placeholder had to be changed. Our life is easier for it, and we hope it will make your life easier.

**2. Native language professionals**. Native speakers who are native language professionals are the dream of any developer diving into localization. Using language professionals brings more accuracy to your localization than basic Machine Translation. They will be able to catch logical mistakes and inconsistencies and bring higher value to your overall UX. 

However, even the best language professionals are human, and CAT tools can only solve some things. Relying entirely on human QA testers means your process will be slower than automated QA tools. If you have fixed deadlines and need a quick turnaround, you might be in a situation where you have to sacrifice either time or quality.

**3. The hybrid quality assurance approach**. Choosing to sacrifice either product delivery time or the quality of the localized product is usually a nightmare for any Product owner and manager. We don't believe in this compromise, so the Hybrid Quality Assurance Approach works best for us. **What does it mean?**

Based on the principles of [Continuous Translation](/blog/role-continuous-translation-agile-software-development-workflows), a hybrid approach synchronizes as much as possible different stages of QA testing (source content verification, functional and linguistic testing) by applying simultaneously both QA tools and language professionals. 
- Possibility of editing source text quickly at any time. 
- Term Bases and Translation Memory are actively used by the translators in the localization process, not just for last-phase review.
- [Quality Checks](/features/quality-checks) are displayed in real-time, so translators can immediately adapt the content in the localization process.
- Placeholders are detected in a real time.
- Access to functional testing across different target languages in one window.
- History of changes at a glance and possibly reverting to previous solutions. 
- Use translators as beta testers - we recommend providing translators with access to either beta versions of your software or at least visuals and action context. This way, the translators get to provide translation that aligns with the desired user experience.

The hybrid approach to TQA is quick and flexible, allowing acceleration of the translation & localization process without sacrificing the quality. The downside is that a messy translation management platform might confuse team members. Simple features and intelligent solutions - that's the type of tools you want for your team. 

## TQA future 
No matter how good, at the moment, QA software is still just a machine that can overlook the nuances of human language. Just because mistakes are not detected - doesn't mean they aren't there. On the other hand, even the best human language professionals are still just human and cannot compete with machines regarding translation speed. 

With that in mind, it's fair to say that there is great potential for using Artificial Intelligence in the translation quality assurance processes. The technology is going full speed ahead, and we at Lingohub are doing our best to be part of the race with our Linguist project. In the meantime, we put our trust and faith into the hybrid quality assurance approach. 


Discover the essential strategies for Translation Quality Assurance (TQA) in software localization. Learn best practices to ensure accurate and high-quality translations for your global audience.

Translation quality assurance (TQA) - best practices for software localization

Localization is more than translation. In terms of localizing web apps, it means going beyond translating your app into different languages and onto full-on adaptation to a country or region. The goal is to provide local users with a custom-made user experience.

## Why localize your web apps?

Because English is still just another language.

Because huge non-English markets, such as [China](/blog/market-spotlight-china-app), are teeming with potential, and the key to unlocking them - is localizing your web app. Localizing your app allows you to enter a new market, gain visibility exposure, and thrive.


### Gold standards


- UTF-8. Everywhere. Having UTF-8 will save you a lot of trouble.
- Avoid adding text to images. Opt instead to use CSS and simply overlap the text.
- Adding a class name that relates to the locale in the body tag of the document can help you specify a layout for a specific locale in the CSS file easily.
- Geolocation is an easy solution but not always the right fit for detecting a user’s locale. Don’t forget to provide users with an option to switch between languages easily.
- Do not hardcode your content.

## Plan the localization of your web apps

Before localization - there is internationalization. Internationalization is the process of making sure your app is localization-friendly. This means it is not hard-coded, that the source code is separated from the actual dynamic content, which will be translated and localized. Internationalization done well and timely will save you time and money once the localization process starts.
1. **Select target markets**. One of the first questions that obviously comes to mind when localizing your web apps is, “Which languages and which countries?”.
2. **Focus your resources**: the best localization is smart, well-thought-out localization. Just because there are thousands of languages available, it doesn’t mean all will work for your app and your overall market expansion goals. Choose your markets carefully. If your app is already published, checking the current stats will help you see where there might be untapped potential.
3. **Analytics**. If you already have a web or mobile app, check your app analytics to identify countries and markets that are already using your product. If you don’t have an app, you might be able to do some competitive research to see which apps are localized to which markets.
4. **Market research**. Keep in mind that different countries have different popularity in browsers and customized versions of operating systems. You need to know those details before getting started with your actual localization project.


## Choosing a translation management system

Managing app localization & translation projects for web apps used to be a messy topic. Files were sent between translators, developers, and product people, resulting in outdated translations and poor quality. A translation management system - such as [Lingohub](/) - takes care of this process and manages all translations in one place, making it easy for everyone involved to collect, translate, and review content

Some features & benefits of a translation management system:
- **Integration in development workflow**: It allows seamless integration and sync between the development process and the translation work. Meaning: The translation is a continuous effort, and as soon as new features are programmed, the copy is made available for translation.
- **Editing & Review**: It allows translators to do the translation job and review existing translations easily.
- **Quality control tools** ensure that all translations are correct and in the right place.
- **Automation with [Translation Memory](/features/translation-memory) & [Machine Translation](/features/machine-translation)**: speed up the process and ensure consistency throughout all phases of the project.


## Managing translators

When translating your app, you most likely rely on human resources that can help you with your localization efforts. This means hiring professional translators or finding people on your team who speak the local language and are able to help with the translation efforts.

Great translation management systems also allow you to hire professional translators for various languages directly through their system. This takes away the hassle of manually researching, hiring, and managing them, as everything is done through one system.

Whether you opt for [hiring external translators ](/features/professional-translation)or bringing one on your team, think about the translators in time. Be sure to provide them with enough context so that they can provide you with the best possible service.
Translating text segments will go faster and easier if the translators understand the context of the text, where it will be positioned, and what outcomes actions will deliver. Consider providing the translators with either access to the source app or at least visual cues and explanations.

## Localizing text & non-string content

Text localization comes into play once internationalization is done and once you have selected your preferred locales.
The locale will then influence beyond the text, such as currencies, time and date layout, measurements, numbers, etc. This is where good internationalization pays off big time.
One of the main challenges of text localization is certainly pluralization. Make sure your text segments are pluralization-friendly and that there’s enough space in the layout for all variants.

## Localizing visual content
App development and design should be done with localization in mind. Since different languages require different spacing and layout, be sure your app’s interface will be localization-friendly from the visual point of view as well.
For example, your app localized to right-to-left languages might require a completely different user interface from your original one. While some languages have larger font sizes, the words are usually shorter. On the other hand, some languages have many compounds that take more space than typical English words do.

Visual localization of your web app can include changes in navigation elements, color schemes, pictures, videos, etc.
Different countries and cultures have different understandings of colors, and understanding that can be crucial. For example, the red color in some countries is used to signal danger, while in other cultures, it’s considered the bringer of good luck.

## Beyond basics
How localized your app (and how successful it is) will depend greatly on how well you have researched your desired market. For example, while you might translate the sign-up page of your app into Mandarin, it might not generate as much visibility and use as you have desired.
Why? Because the sign-up page offers a Facebook or Google sign-in option but not a WeChat account, which dominates the Chinese app market.

## Don’t forget! 
Localization of the Privacy guidelines and In-app purchases is a must, especially if the market you have your eyes set on has strict legal provisions for user privacy protection. Know your audience and deliver accordingly.

## Testing your localized web apps
Test, test, test - before releasing your app to the new market, ensure you have it checked, used, and reviewed by native speakers.

There are various web app testing approaches available. Functional testing, for example, ensures that the web app’s functionality and performance aren’t affected by the localization done. At this point, the person running the test doesn’t necessarily need to understand the localized languages.
Don’t forget to test for different browsers - Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari - whatever your future users will be using, you need to be sure it has been checked.

In addition, conducting user tests (such as alpha or beta tests) will ensure that the app is working properly while all translations are correct. This test needs to be done by native speakers that understand the translated languages.
Lastly, stay open to feedback. Even the best localization can be improved upon. Listen to your users and provide them with an opportunity to share their feedback - and then evolve further.

Lingohub collected the main tips for web app localization. Read the best practices of how to translate and adapt your software in our blog. 


Best practices: Localization & translation of your web apps

Best Practices: Localization & translation of your web apps

You face localization every day without even thinking about it. When using some applications, opening websites, reading banners, or watching advertisements of foreign brands.
 
At the same time, your eye can quickly catch unusual grammar constructions or incorrect translations, affecting the message's impact. Consider the fail scenario where an advertisement showcases "cookies" in Britain, although locals commonly use "biscuits." In its turn, the USA uses both terms with different meanings. So, correct localization is about perfectly adapting your product to the concrete region with its particularity through translation.

Suppose we overview more complex examples when the business needs not only to translate correctly but to replace entire words or sentences, especially idioms, to provide the correct message to the audience - this process has its naming - transcreation. This article details what it means, how it works, and examples of successful cases. Scroll down, and let's dive into this topic with us.

The concept of transcreation

Language is not a mere vehicle for words; it is a carrier of culture, history, and emotion. If we look at the entire process of business adaptation for the new region in terms of content creation, we will see the following stages - translation, localization, and transcreation. Each of these stages has its own tasks and goals.

Translation is a process with a low level of creativity, where the most attention is focused on literality. Translation can be a valuable tool in business for adapting documents such as scientific reports, technical content, and other forms of documentation. There is no task ahead for linguists to attract readers - only inform.

Localization is a much more complex process where the level of creativity is higher, but translators are still targeted on the source text without significant changes. Localization may apply to general app and website content. Its task is to talk to the user in appropriate language, use the local regulations, cultural nuances, etc. The main objective of localization is to provide the target audience with a smooth experience, making them feel like the content was initially intended for them.

And here we come to the transcreation. The word's etymology comes from combining two terms - "translate" and "create." From the name itself, it is clear that this kind of content adaptation requires high creativity. The main task of transcreation is to translate the idea of the message to evoke the same emotions in different regions worldwide. So often, this process ignores the translation's literality and could use entirely other words. We can usually see the transcreation of slogans, advertisements, games, etc.

## Transcreation: bridging the cultural gap

As described in the previous paragraph, transcreation targets translating the emotional message, so this process requires a deeper understanding of regional language and cultural nuances. The pun, references to pop trends throughout recent years, and understanding the background of the current generation you targeted can build an emotional connection between you and your audience. Thus, transcreation requires translating, marketing, researching skills, and local experience. Let's summarize the above and look at the key points you should consider during transcreation: 

1. Cultural peculiarities: Transcreation considers the cultural context of the target audience. It ensures the content aligns with their beliefs and values, avoiding inadvertent cultural faux pas.
2. Emotional impact: Transcreation prioritizes the emotional impact of the message. It considers the tone, style, and nuances that resonate with the target audience, building a deeper connection.
3. Consistency through regions: Paradoxically, transcreation also ensures global consistency. By preserving the core message and emotional resonance, businesses can maintain a unified brand identity across diverse markets

---
Playing on the emotions can have a significant effect. Just look at how the Barbie movie has painted the whole world pink. Total fascination with pink is likely justified by the fact that most Barbie are closely connected with their positive emotions in childhood. In his interview, Warner Bros. president of global marketing, <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/barbie-marketing-campaign-explained-warner-bros-1235677922/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Josh Goldstin</a>, explained that some brands started using Barbie color as a licensing deal. Still, some chose this strategy when they saw its high involvement in the culture. 
---

## Transcreation best practices

Transcreation requires much more resources than translation and even localization. It must be subjected to a streamlined workflow to achieve the best results. Here's precisely what you should include to reach the best result. 

1. **Prioritize the content**. This approach will make the content adaptation much cheaper. Decide which content can be only translated which needs localization or transcreation. 
2. **Collaboration**. Transcreation is impossible without the cooperation of the experts - marketers, linguists, designers, and local experts (depending on the task). This process is targeted at a deep understanding of the culture and a high level of research. Build transparent processes inside your team with clear rules. 
3. **Documentation**. As well as the localization, transcreation requires all possible information - style guide, glossary, project brief, audience portrait, etc. Prepare all the information to make the brainstorming effective. 
4. **Don't stop with the first success**. As the main task of transcreation is to provide an emotional message, it can be challenging to find "that one" phrase or sentence. But never stop in the first success - generate as many options as possible to research the audience's reaction.
5. **Quality control**. Depending on the type of the project, you can use experimental ad campaigns, local experts, focus groups, or A/B testing so as not to ruin your brand after release (further, we will consider such situations, too.)


## Transcreation case studies

Transcreation is frequently encountered in slogans, brand names, and creative industries. To illustrate compelling examples, let's examine some case studies from different areas.

**Sprite's slogan**, "Obey Your Thirst," in the Ukrainian language, was translated as "Don't let yourself dry out." The possible reason is that the word "obey" has a more negative connotation.

**Snickers** - "*You're unfiltered when you're hungry. Snickers satisfies*." This slogan was translated into Ukrainian with the following: "You are not you when you are hungry. Don't slow down and "**snickersnee**." The word "**snickersnee**" became a neologism that means "**to eat snickers**." Also, as you can see, the word "unfiltered" was replaced by another construction to keep the original meaning.

---
Read more examples of [products adaptation fails](/blog/fired-ducks-and-other-assorted-localization-fails) in our blog.
---
"**Black Friday**" somewhere is "**White Friday**." This example sounds very simple, but it shows the importance of understanding the local culture even if you provide significant discounts. The thing is that in the Muslim world, Friday is a crucial day of prayer and gathering. So initially, such a day couldn't be "black." Firstly, such an approach with naming was used by <a href="https://advertising.amazon.com/library/guides/white-friday" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon in 2014</a>. 

One of the industries where you can meet the transcreation even more often is a cinematic. Just take a look at these examples of English-Ukrainian transcreation:
- "The Hateful Eight" - "The Vile Eight"
- "Hangover" - "The Bachelor Party in Vegas"
- "Over the Hedge" - "Forest Brotherhood"
- "Frozen" - "The Cold Heart"
- "The Intouchables" - "1+1"

So, as you can see, the original message and transcreation are different messages in the context of literal translation. 


## How can Lingohub help with translation, localization, and transcreation?

No matter which approach you would love to use in your project, Lingohub can help with any task. Our comprehensive solutions aim to help businesses spread their influence to any worldwide region. Just a part of the features we provide: 
- [Machine translation](/features/machine-translation) with the combined power of the robust engines - DeepL, Google Translate, and Amazon Translate. Use it to pre-translate the entire project to save your team's time. You can set up the prefill rules and automatically apply the machine translation to all empty segments. 
- [Glossary](/features/term-base) (term base). Does your project have some untranslated terms, or do you want to provide a specific translation for a phrase or word - our term base is a perfect solution for it. With a large amount of context information, it will help your linguists get a correct translation and additional, valuable data. 
- Multi editor. In the context of transcreation, it is essential to see the translation in different languages simultaneously to keep the consistency of the project. We have a multi-editor to help you. Get, analyze, and work with all the information in a single interface.

- **Professional translators**. Have no time to find a reliable professional? Lingohub can help. You can order the translation or proofreading inside the application with a transparent pricing calculation from the start. 
This is far from all the possibilities. We provide the tools for each participator of localization - translators, managers, designers, and developers. From the Figma plugin to automatically generated transactions, from integrations with repositories to various reports. 


## Conclusion

Transcreation is an exciting process that requires a lot of creativity and a high level of local culture. But all the efforts spent on it will bring much more profit. As a part of localization, transcreating will build emotional contact with your audience to build trustful relationships. 

To successfully handle all challenges, use a specialized tool to build and control the process. At Lingohub, we would be happy to schedule a personalized [demo call ](/demo)with you to discuss your specific case and showcase the capabilities of our product; just choose a convenient day and time! Additionally, you can take advantage of our 14-day free trial to explore all of our features.


Transcreation involves a more creative approach to translation than localization. It allows the adaptation of slogans, brand voices, and even names for local markets. Read more in the blog.

The importance of transcreation in localization

In the modern digital era, user-generated content (UGC) has become essential for marketing. How often do you check the reviews before buying something? Or do you use Google Maps to check the rating of restaurants or cafes you are interested in visiting?

Businesses that successfully motivated their users to generate some content - product reviews, memes, comments, and videos (TikTok, for example), got a great additional tool to promote themselves. But, besides Google Maps, where can you automatically check the original content and its translation? The part of helpful UGC stayed untranslated and couldn't work for the entire business' audience.

This article explores the detailed benefits of UGC and the importance of its localization.

## The benefits of UGC for businesses

UGC could be a powerful feature for your business. We defined the main points of why it works.

**Social proof and high credibility**. As people witness the reactions of real users, their confidence in the authenticity of the information grows. 84% of millennials and 70% of boomers confirmed that user-generated content plays a role in purchasing decisions. The primary industries where other people's opinion plays a vital role are: major electronics, cars, hotels, traveling, credit card, and insurance.

**Resource saving**. Creating quality content is a complex and expensive process. Utilizing user-generated content can be a cost-effective and time-saving strategy - no need to spend time and money on such work, and the marketing team can be targeted on more critical tasks.

**Engagement raising**. As users create content, it can be easily shared on their platforms, amplifying their reach and promoting greater engagement with their audience.

**Fresh ideas and unique content**. The valuable insights provided by the multitude of users who leave comments and share photos can be instrumental in generating innovative marketing concepts.

## The challenges of UGC localization. How to solve them?

But besides all the benefits, such organic content becomes a challenge when we think about localization.

Dealing with a large amount of user-generated content (UGC) is a potential challenge. If we look at some big marketplaces, hundreds of reviews are created every second. This situation requires automatization of the translating process because no team can handle such a task. The best solution, and single for this case, is implementing a [machine translation](/features/machine-translation) feature. By clicking the button, Amazon users get translations in their chosen language. This works well for some businesses, but something else is needed if you are looking for higher quality and have less UGC volume or your business significantly values user reviews.

And here we come to the next challenge - **language nuances**. Unlike marketing-generated content, UGC never will have the same high quality. People always use slang, abbreviations, and cultural references or make mistakes. Literal translation can bring unclear results. So besides the machine translation that can really speed up the process, you need someone who can moderate and approve translations. This approach, of course, will work only for the specific scope of the content. For example, if your team deems certain comments as more favorable, human intervention may be utilized in addition to machine translation for improved results.

This is how we gradually approach the **content quality challenge**. The main task of UGC is to provoke other users to choose defined goods or services. When it comes to reviews, there's an easy solution: marketplaces, e-commerce, and booking services typically include ratings for their products and services (apart from machine translation which also can be helpful). This way, users can see how other people evaluated something without detailed reading, and the mistakes in the text wouldn't affect opinions somehow.

Finally, it is essential to note that while user-generated content can be a valuable resource, its relevance tends to diminish more quickly than other types of content. Consumers typically seek out the latest reviews and opinions, and a few-year-old UGC would only work for a small number of industries.

---

**Take care of compliance.** Suppose you plan to utilize or share user-generated content for your brand's commercial objectives. In that case, taking the necessary measures to safeguard your business and prevent any infringement of users' copyrights is essential. One such action is to create a privacy policy that is tailored to your global audience and takes into account their location-based requirements.

---


## Examples of successful UGC localization

Let's take a look at a few great examples of UGC localization. The first one is Booking.com. Booking.com has built a large worldwide group of users and gets a lot of reviews hourly. With the support of a MT engine, the reviews can be translated into one of the 40+ supported languages. Ultimately, this facilitates a smooth booking process for customers using the platform

Another example, Airbnb is also related to the traveling industry. As well as Booking, Airbnb takes care to localize UGC to the user's language on their website and app, utilizing machine translation and language detection. This provides relevant and localized content to users worldwide.

Another great example is the Adobe support community. As the Adobe audience is international, they provide flexible translation to 22 languages. Users can translate the topic starter post or comments by clicking the button.

## How can Lingohub help with UGC localization?

To support your audience, provide your website/app language versions with the already translated reviews and comments. The Lingohub features, especially[ machine translation](/features/machine-translation), will help you adapt such content faster. The more quality engines your business chooses, the faster, and with fewer translators' efforts, you will cover this task.

With the Lingohub machine translation feature, you can use the robust combination of DeepL, Amazon, and Google Translate engines. Why did we choose and combine them? Because no one MT nowadays is perfect. For example, DeepL supports only 29 languages, but common pairs have a much higher quality rate, while Google and Amazon Translate provide more languages.

If you have the UGC content that humans should proofread or translate, Lingohub can also help you here. We provide the ability to hire professional translators for more than 40+ languages, including dialects. You don't have to waste time searching for the right talent because you can order text translation directly within the application.


## Conclusion

Localization in user-generated content is pivotal for businesses seeking to expand their influence, engage users, and create valuable experiences. You can successfully use the user reviews and comments when entering new markets or to show the latest UGC, no matter in which language it was created.

At Lingohub, we provide different features to help you effectively translate various content. Schedule a quick [demo call ](/demo)or try Lingohub for free to learn more about our solution.

UGC (user-generated content) became an important part of the user experience. Read in this article how to localize it to help your global audience. 

Localization in (UGC) user-generated content

Content management systems (CMS) became a popular solution for managing different types of web resources - blogs, corporate websites, e-commerce, portfolios, etc. Based on the functionality, they can be split into two main categories: CMSs for general and specific tasks.

In the first group, we can include WordPress, a versatile platform for various tasks, and in the second, for example, OpenCart, tailored for e-commerce.

No matter what CMS customers are using, many are facing the question of content localization. So, this article will overview the CMS market and the possibilities for providing multilingual content.

## The CMS Market 2023

The CMS market is growing from year to year and, in 2022, reached <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/software/enterprise-software/content-management-software/worldwide#revenue" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">19.15 billion dollars</a>  with predicted growth of 27.3 for 2028. The leading positions in the world by market share are kept in North America.

Today, 80 million websites use CMS systems, and if we will take a look at the top 1 million websites — <a href="https://www.wpbeginner.com/research/cms-market-share-report-latest-trends-and-usage-stats/#aioseo-cms-usage-statistics-2022" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">90%</a> of them use CMS — no wonder such popularity of content management systems is raising the localization demand. At the same time, more than <a href="https://www.openxcell.com/blog/future-of-cms-industry-facts-figures-trends-and-statistics/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">90%</a> of CMS users face localization challenges, and approximately only a third of these organizations have integrated their content management systems with translation management systems or language service providers.

In the CMS industry, the leading position for the last years has firmly kept WordPress with a market share of <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/cms-statistics/#:~:text=1.,built%20with%20content%20management%20systems.&text=This%20number%20highlights%20the%20vital,play%20in%20the%20online%20world." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">64%</a>, and more than <a href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">40%</a>  of all websites are using it. The second place is Shopify, with a considerable gap — its market share is only 6.1%. Close the top three, with 3.4% of market share, Wix. Let's take a look at the <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/cms-market-share/454039/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">top ten</a> CMS worldwide by market share:

|Rank|CMS|CMS market share|Website share|
|---|---|---|---|
|1|Wordpress|64.1%|42.9%|
|2| Shopify |6.4%|4.3%|
|3| Wix |3.4%|2.3%|
|4| Squarespace |3%|2%|
|5|Joomla|2.5%|1.6%|
|6|Drupal|1.9%|1.2%|
|7| Blogger |1.3%|0.9%|
|8|Bitrix|1.2%|0.8%|
|9| Magento |0.9%|0.6%|
|10|Webflow|0.9%|0.6%|

The most solutions above are examples of "classic" or monolithic CMS. However, not so long ago, the headless CMS became another vital part of the CMS industry. According to <a href="https://www.storyblok.com/mp/cms-statistics-2023" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Storyblok's latest study</a> , 50% of organizations use classic (monolithic) CMSs, 35% use headless CMSs, and 15% use website builders or custom solutions.


---

It is worth specifying that conditional WordPress can be used as a headless system via REST API. Still, we want to separate the CMSs that provide such an option from scratch rather than as additional functionality.

---


So, what are headless CMS, and what are their differences? The primary function of such systems is the ability to split the backend and frontend of the project and, as a result, provide more flexibility for developers. The logic behind headless CMS allows for different "heads" to be attached to the "body," enabling one backend to manage multiple sites and mobile applications and automating content distribution across all devices.

Compared to traditional CMS, the headless ones are much younger but have already seized part of the market. In 2022 the market size was valued at <a href="https://www.storyblok.com/mp/cms-statistics-2023" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Storyblok's latest study</a> $585.65 million, predicted to grow to 1787.55 million in 2028. Solutions like Storyblok, Contentful, etc., have already covered thousands of websites and are proceeding with expansion.

## How to localize the CMS content best?

CMS localization is adapting the content inside your system to other languages.
To manage this process successfully, **first**, let's define the types of content you will need to localize. It can be:

- Content for users - articles, information about the company, homepage, etc
- SEO content - meta title/description, alt text, keywords
- UI elements - menu, navigation, etc
- URLs
- Forms (contact, subscription, etc.)
- Legal and regulatory information
- Figures and signs - date/time/currencies
- Additionally, you should take care of the visual content like images, icons, etc.

<br>


 **Second**, evaluate the CMS you are working in or will be working with. Take your attention to the following points:

**In-built localization features**. Focus on the current multilingual options available in the CMS. They could be plugins like in WordPress, integrations with TMS, or even unified templates for localized content, which provides Adobe Experience Manager Cloud and other features.

**Support at least one of two translating options**. When using a CMS, customers typically have two methods for content localization. The first option involves localizing content within the administrative panel, while the second is a translation through extraction. In the first scenario, CMS like WordPress and PrestaShop offer specialized plugins. The disadvantage of such an approach - you can't use the CAT tools but this is a good experience for small websites or landing pages.

In the second scenario, you manually extract content in various formats like .xml, .xliff, .csv, etc. Then extracted files can then be uploaded into a TMS or CAT system for translation. The best option is when the CMS seamlessly integrates with the translation management system, ensuring efficient and rapid content transfer.

| CMS| Internal localization solution | External localization|
| ----------- | ----------- | ----------- |
|WordPress      | Yes (WP plugins)       | Yes, (support export XML; import files via plugin)    |
| Shopify   | No        | Yes, multilingual external app. CSV import and export.Couldn’t localize tags, full product URL     |
| Wix    | Yes, Wix Multilingual plugin       | Yes, CSV import and export|
| Squarespace  | No        | Yes, plugins. CSV import and export      |
| Joomla     | No       | Yes, plugins      |
| Drupal   | Yes, modules and internal translation options        | Yes, CSV import and export |

**Multilingual content management**. The different language versions require CMS with tools that allow setting up languages and regions settings, managing SEO, and even handling the different text directions if you are supposed to scale business to specific countries.

**Maintaining the structure of a multilingual website**. Maintaining the structure of a multilingual website. Navigation, consistency throughout different versions, and flexibility to manage each language version separately are integral parts of suitable CMS. This also applies to URLs. For example, some CMS platforms, like Shopify, have limitations on changing URLs, except for language codes. Therefore, with Shopify, you only have the option to use the following URLs:

- https:// website.com/en-uk/product,
- https:// website.com/en-nz/product,

etc.

**CMS UI localization**. Often the multilingual websites are managed by multilingual teams. Check if the CMS provides any other languages besides English.

## How can Lingohub help with CMS localization?

**Support over 30 different file formats**

Extract the files from the CMS system and upload them to Lingohub. We support all popular formats - .xml, .xliff, .csv, etc. Use all the benefits of our translation management system for quick and qualitative localization.

**[Robust CAT tools](/features/)**

Lingohub provides everything translators require, including machine translation, quality checks, style guides, translation memory, term base, and other essential tools. Using CAT tools, your localization will adhere to established rules, ensuring high-quality output from the outset.

**[Get professional translators](/features/professional-translation)**

Lingohub can assist you in localizing your website into over 40 languages, including various dialects. Our team of expert translators offers transparent estimates based on your specific requirements. Don't waste time searching for the perfect candidate to hire for languages like Hebrew, Hindi, or Chinese - reach out to Lingohub for support.

## Conclusion

Managing a website can be easier with CMS systems, but many customers find CMS localization challenging. At Lingohub, we have developed a list of solutions to address this issue, including different tools and integrations with popular CMS like <a href="https://www.storyblok.com/docs/editor-guides/translate-with-lingohub" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Storyblok</a>.

If you require assistance or have questions, please schedule a short demo call with our team or try our 14-day free trial.

We, at the Lingohub team,  strive to provide the perfect localization experience for our customers - helping them work with efficiency, quality, and convenience. During the past two years, we’ve been collecting customer feedback to improve how Lingohub works, and today we’re happy to announce our Lingohub Next application. **Want to try it right now?** Use this link to access the new and improved [Lingohub app](https://app.lingohub.com/), or read on to learn more about our new and exciting features. 

**NOTE**: You can use the old and new versions of Lingohub in parallel. The new UI is in public beta, so we’d love to hear your feedback to make it even better for you in the future. 

---

## New and Improved UI With an Outstanding UX

### More details with two different editor panel views!

The new Lingohub UI provides two views for the Editor panel – Table and Focus – to make it easier to work with segments. The Table view is intended to provide an administrative overview for segment management, bulk actions, and filtering, whereas the Focus mode allows users to translate text segments without any distractions. 

**Both Editor views feature have**:

- Advanced filtering options for fast searching. You can manage the segments by the list of values: project name, branches, labels, etc. 
- Side panel. This update sees significant changes to the side panel, with a variety of sections that you can configure to see only what you need at the moment.


### Modern design and day and night modes

Just take a look at our brand-new, fresh and modern design. You can choose your preferred color scheme – day or night mode all the time, or it can change depending on the time of day. 

### Multi editor

Translate a few languages simultaneously inside the editor context panel. See the statuses of all the translations, and change the status with the bulk action.

<br>

### Editor preferences

Set up the editor view based on your convenience. Control the font size, cell display, density, and whitespaces to have the perfect interface for effective work. 

### Manage projects with groups

With Lingohub, you are not restricted by the number of projects. In the new UI, you can organize projects into thematic groups to easily access the ones you need. Set colors for each project, mark your favorites, and easily navigate between projects inside the interface.


### New Dashboard
 
We changed the dashboard logic; in the old version, it only showed project data. Now, all this info is available in a separate "Projects" page, while the new dashboard provides an array of important information about your projects – notifications, latest orders, and managed projects. You can also add notes to keep all vital information in a single place. 


### Monitor critical activities with Audit and API logs

Get information about activities throughout your projects, and keep an eye on important changes. Monitor and collect information on your team’s actions (who, when, and what). The Audit log stores data for five years to provide customers with comprehensive information about all their projects.


### Improved security with two-factor authentication:

You can’t be too careful when it comes to the safety of your organization’s data. In the previous version of Lingohub, only passwords were required for authentication. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to verify account ownership, to protect data from unauthorized access.

### Separate tab for label management

Labels are one of the most important tools for segment management. Lingohub has always allowed you to create as many labels as your projects require. With the new UI, label management is on a separate page that enables filtering by name or date so you can find what you need faster. 
<br>

---

## New Features and Integrations
Check out the new features that the updated application offers.

### Control the project versions with branching 

The new version of Lingohub adds branching support to help keep your projects clean. Now you can work with different project versions independently, and rest assured that logic is not violated. Synchronize your projects with repositories, push all changes or create pull requests directly to Git. 


### Export and import XLIFF files for all projects

Now Lingohub supports the XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format). Export the projects, send them to contractors (e.g., translation agencies), and re-import them into the system.

### Roles with flexible permission sets

In the Lingohub Next, you can create and manage user roles yourself. Create the roles (permission set) and provide the list of accesses for each. Assign roles to project members or give unique permissions to each user.

### Marketplace
 
The Marketplace is a new big addition inside Lingohub. It combines well-known translation orders with new features like:

**1. Contracts**. Contracts are your starting point for managing the financial side of the localization process. Contracts, both active and inactive, can now be accessed inside the user profile. The localization manager can set up general and specific rates per word inside the contract, and all future activities will be counted based on this information.

**2. Transactions**. Forget about manual price calculations; Lingohub now does it (all) for you. Based on the contract rates, you can create a transaction for a translator in one click. All activities and costs will be available to them so you get a seamless invoicing process and complete transparency for your team. 

**3. Text edits reports**. We know how much our users already enjoy the reports that give an overview of their team’s activity. We’ve taken reports to the next level by adding a text edits feature. Here you can find not only preliminary information about the changes inside your projects, but also:
- Information about transactions by segment
- Summary by users
- Ability to export data in CSV format 
- Highlighted differences between segments' text versions



### Gain the advantages of Figma and provide context

Localize your Figma project with Lingohub. With our new [plugin](https://www.figma.com/community/plugin/1091712683693829044/Lingohub), you can quickly push your text segments straight from Figma to Lingohub and pull them back. The Figma integration allows you to quickly check context and fit text, and Figma screenshots are automatically uploaded to the appropriate text segments to keep your translation teams better informed.


---


## Even More Updates


### More notification preferences and better settings

We know how notifications facilitate the management process. Before the update, you could choose between only three types of notifications (daily, weekly, and general). Now you can select which notifications to receive: discussions, translation orders, resource syncs, etc., and when – always, or only during working hours.


### Quality checks

The LingoChecks you know and love is now [quality checks](/features/quality-checks). We kept all the power of LingoCheck, and you can rest assured that your source and target texts, markup, placeholders, and all other features are defined by the predetermined criteria.


### File-based translation memory with TMX support

In addition to the "smart" [translation memory](/features/translation-memory) that learns directly from your projects, we now provide a file-based translation memory. Already have translations in TMX format? Import them inside Lingohub, and your projects will use them immediately.



### Improved [term base](/features/term-base) for a better experience

**a. TBX format**
We added support for TBX files, which you can use to simplify the distribution and maintenance of terminology databases.  

**b. Context images** 
Upload images term by term to provide more information to the translating team.

**c. Terms matching for improved pretranslation**
Enjoy full control over the parameters (fuzzy, prefix exact, custom) for your term matching. This determines how the system will recognize terms and which suggestions it will provide.

**d. Case sensitive**
Decide how the system will match terms when providing them to translators. For example, a case-insensitive search for "cat" will also recognize and provide for "Cat," "CAT," and "caT."

**e. Advanced info**
Provide any additional information about terms that you think might help your translators in their work.



## Bottom line

We understand the importance of a convenient and powerful tool in localization work, and we’re constantly striving to make your Lingohub experience even better. Try the [Lingohub Next](https://app.lingohub.com/) and check all improvements right now. If you have any questions about the new version or want to provide feedback, write to us at info@lingohub.com.

**Disclaimer**<br>
*The new UI is currently in public beta. Lingohub reserves the right to change interfaces and functionality as needed. All features highlighted in this article are available regardless of your subscription plan during the beta, but the included features for each plan will change after the final transition to a new UI. More information on our new subscription plans will be available soon.*

Take a look at the updated Lingohub application. Get more abilities for users and make the localization even better.