With nearly 4 million internet users worldwide, online video consumption is reaching new heights every day. As a result, video localization has become an essential element of the marketing strategy. It helps to optimize the value of your content and reach a global audience. Moreover, making the video globally accessible by translating it into the local languages of your target audience maximizes the overall success of your video campaign.
Choosing a video localization vendor can be a daunting and time-consuming process unless you take some time to clarify what you’re looking for.
Here is a small list of tips to help you get started:
1. Define your purpose
Before choosing a service provider for your localization project, make sure you clearly define the purpose of your recording. It is an effective way to help you understand the things you need to consider before hiring the right talent. These include –
• Type of video content
• The language of the original video.
• What language(s) does the video need to be translated into?
• The native language and cultural norms of your target audience
• Your budget and translation cost.
2. Type of content
The localization vendor you select also depends on the type of video content. For example, professional voice actors are well suited for audiobooks, video games, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and commercials. On the other hand, amateurs work best in case of short videos, website tours, how-to videos, and online training.
3. Skills and traits
A skilled and experienced localization vendor can contribute to the overall success of your video marketing strategy. Below are a few skills you must look for in a prospective candidate.
• The right talent must have a strong command over the language you are targeting.
• He/She must have an attractive, confident, and clear voice.
• In the case of voice-over and dubbing, he/she must possess some acting skills and also read aloud fluently.
• He/She should know how to deal with the various tools and types of equipment required in this field.
• If you’re looking for a subtitle translator, make sure he/she is reliable, accurate, and fast.
4. Samples and auditions
Before hiring the localization talent, make sure to ask them for their voice samples. Samples play a crucial role in deciding the level of skill and versatility in the candidate’s voice. You can either select them via their pre-recorded samples or send them a paragraph from your script and ask them to record the same as an audition. After receiving all the sample tapes from individual candidates and localization agencies, screen them to determine the most appropriate fit for your localization project.
5. An agency or a freelancer?
The next important tip is to determine the right variant for a client. You can either choose a localization agency or a professional freelancer. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but the final choice depends on the needs of your project. For example, in the case of high-volume projects with challenging deadlines, hiring an agency is more suitable. Agencies offer all-in-one service packages and can also manage all the aspects of your marketing communications. But, if you have a tight budget or short-term projects, selecting a freelancer is a better choice.
Hiring the best talent for your localization project can be a difficult and expensive task full of trials, errors, and rework. Therefore, you must follow these simple steps that can help you take your video localization campaign to the next level.
DUBnSUB is Dubbing, Voice-over and Subtitling company with offices in Germany, France, USA, Myanmar and Head Office in Gurgaon (India). We specialize in Dubbing, Voice-over, Audio Description, Post Production, Localization, Subtitling & Closed Captioning in around 100 languages.
For any requirements/queries, please contact [email protected] or give us a call at +91 124 498 2484. We will be more than happy to help!