Social media messaging by nature are meant to act as a hook for the audience to take some specific action. It is why they are short, precise and punchy. For instance, the role played by Spanish translator on Facebook plus other popular platforms like Instagram and twitter for creating and expanding business brand awareness cannot be under-estimated in any sense.
The Costly Nature of Translation Mistakes
Consequently, a lot of care must be taken to ensure that the messaging is conveyed from one language to another in a precise and accurate manner. Any translation mistakes can be very costly and may lead to the collapse of a prosperous business.
No one in their right senses would want to take such a gamble by attempting to translate their messages into a language they are not so familiar with. And correct translation being a trade that requires high skills and specialization, it is always better to let qualified professionals handle translating tasks at all times and in every situation.
Why Mistakes Are Magnified in Social Media Updates
Many organizations rely on a mixture of different languages like Portuguese translation on Facebook updates to run their operations, and so, if mistakes occur in translating a social media update for business purposes, the consequences can be disastrous. And since by design social media updates are meant to grab the attention of potential customers, a misnomer in stating something is often easy to spot but almost impossible to correct.
Examples of Irreparable Translation Errors
If not for the horrific damages that accompany wrong translations, most of them would be hilarious. In the following examples, you can see why it is imperative to use expert services.
Wrong Diagnosis of a Patient
Some time back, a Spanish speaking patient was wrongly diagnosed and treated for food poisoning while he was actually suffering from brain damage. The wrong diagnosis was a result of a mis-translated word. A medical orderly translated the Spanish word “intoxicado” to mean “intoxicated”, and the wrong medication the patient received led to permanent paralysis. In a court ruling, the patient was awarded over $70 million in damages for malpractice.
Had the hospital engaged a skilled Medical Interpreter, the institution would not have paid such a huge settlement fee. Or take the case of Pepsi which also caused consternation when it’s catch phrase “Pepsi Brings You Back to Life” came out in Chinese as “Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave”
Wrong Brand Messaging
An international toothpaste brand, Colgate, once caused an uproar when the name of its leading brand was wrongly equated to “Cue” a pornographic publication in France. Can you imagine the public outrage that accompanied such horrible mistakes?
The Step to Take to Avoid Negative Publicity
The digitization of most activities online and the ubiquity of social platforms that cater for social interactions, business transactions and entertainment necessitate a constant flow of information in various languages. Therefore, to avoid the backlash of negative publicity due to poor translation of social media updates, businesses must spare no expenses for hiring the right translation.
It might be cheaper to rely on a friend who knows another language, but the cost of a poorly translated message can be so enormous. The best translation services are those provided by certified professionals. So, don’t take the risk of going it alone. Engage experts.