The internet is becoming more multilingual every day, which means global businesses can’t afford to ignore website localization. Modern website translation tools like translation proxies and AI-powered translation management systems offer a fast and efficient way to translate websites at scale while maintaining quality. With the right translation system, global brands can reach more people, improve user engagement, and stay competitive in evolving global markets.
This article will provide a simple step-by-step guide on how to translate a website from English to Spanish and will cover the best website translation methods available so that your business can maximize its global reach.
Top Methods for Translating Websites into Spanish
Companies translating a website into Spanish have access to two main methods: human translation and machine translation. Here’s how these approaches compare:
Human translation
Human translation relies on professional linguists to manually translate text from English to Spanish. One of the main benefits of human translation is contextual understanding; translators take into account tone, intent, and cultural differences. Professional human translation often yields higher accuracy and engagement for marketing copy, branding materials, legal documents, and customer-facing content.
However, human translation services are more time-consuming and can be more expensive than automated solutions. For large-scale website translation, you may be better off using machine translation or a combination of the two approaches, such as Smartling’s AI Human Translation.
Automatic translation
Machine translation (MT) automates the process, making it faster and more cost-effective than professional human translators. However, traditional MT translates text directly without human intervention, often producing literal translations that can lose context or produce unnatural phrasing. It is useful for bulk translations, but MT typically requires human editing to improve quality.
Advanced MT engines employ cutting-edge AI translation tools to enhance website translation software. Examples include translation extensions like Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, and DeepL. They analyze large datasets to generate translations, offering greater fluency and contextual accuracy. Still, results vary depending on the language pair and content complexity.
Machine translation with large linguistic models
Some AI-based machine translations further improve on traditional MT by leveraging large language models (LLMs) to enhance the output.
Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are designed to understand and generate human-like text, not just ecuador whatsapp number data 5 million for translation. Instead of strictly following word-for-word combinations, LLMs analyze the context of entire sentences to create natural, conversational translations. They are better at handling idioms, cultural references, and complex sentence structures.
If you’re evaluating multiple website translation services , Smartling provides a complete solution. Our robust suite of language translation services caters to a variety of website translation needs.
How to translate a web page into Spanish in 5 steps
Translating from English to Spanish can be challenging , especially for companies entering international markets. Fortunately, Smartling’s translation management system makes this process simple. Our managers can monitor if a shelf is running low step-by-step guide will help you get started:
1. Capture website content for translation
First, you need to integrate Smartling’s TMS with your content management system (CMS) so that it can capture text from your website for translation. Here’s how to use it:
In your project, go to the Settings tab.
Click on “Domains” in the menu on the left.
Select the domain that gambler data contains the content you want to translate.
If you are capturing content for the first time, click the > icon on the source domain and select “Capture Content”.
If you are retrieving updated content from the site, click the > icon on the localized domain and select “Grab Content” again.
Navigate through all the pages on your site the same way a visitor would, and GDN will automatically capture the content, including drop-down buttons, text boxes, and forms.
2. Create a translation job
The captured content will appear in Smartling’s GDN project. From here, it’s ready to be processed through a translation job. Grouping content into jobs helps you manage translation workflows and track progress. Here’s how to create a translation job:
In your GDN project, go to the “Strings” tab.
Use filters to find untranslated content (for example, selecting “Waiting for authorization”).
Select the phrases you want to translate and click “Request translation”.
Give the job a name, set a due date, and choose Spanish as the target language.
3. Authorize the translation work
Before translation begins, you must review and authorize the work.
Go to the Jobs tab in your GDN project and use the filters to find the job. Enter the job name in the search bar and set the “Job Status” filter to “Waiting for Authorization.” Review all information to ensure accuracy before proceeding. This includes:
Target languages
Due date
Word Count and Cost Estimates
Visual context and attachments to assist translators
Additional details (e.g. job descriptions, reference numbers or other notes)
List of strings
Once all details have been confirmed, click “Authorize” to approve the translation request. A summary of the estimated delivery costs and times will be displayed, allowing for a final check before proceeding.
4. Select the workflow
Now you can select a translation workflow. Your content can be translated by a professional translator for greater accuracy and nuance, converted to a new language with AI-powered machine translation for faster processing, or processed using a hybrid approach where human translators refine AI-generated translations. You can apply the same workflow to all languages, or choose a different one for each language.
Once everything is finalized, click “Confirm” to start the translation process. The job will move to the selected workflow and our translation team will start working on the content.
5. Publish and review the translated page
Once the translation is complete, the Spanish version of your website will be automatically updated. You can visit your localized domain to review the translated page and make improvements. If anything needs to be adjusted, you can edit the text directly in Smartling and the changes will instantly appear on your website.
Get started with Smartling
Smartling’s Global Delivery Network (GDN) will help you launch a fully localized Spanish version of your website. The platform automatically captures content, offers flexible translation options, and updates your site in real-time. Whether you want human translation, AI translation, or both, Smartling makes it easy.
If you’re looking for the best approach to website translation, download “ The Complete Guide to Translation Services .” This eBook details the modern translation process and helps you choose the right strategy for your business to avoid wasting time and money on outdated translation methods.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spanish dialect should I use?
Spanish varies from region to region. The appropriate dialect depends on your target audience. If you are targeting Mexico, Mexican Spanish would be appropriate. If you want to attract European customers, you might choose peninsular Spanish.
How will translation affect my website’s SEO?
performance in search results for Spanish-speaking users. Translation also improves engagement and time spent on your site among Spanish speakers, which can boost rankings.