Stefano Bernardi headshot
Hey, global marketers!
Need to balance the cost, quality, and turnaround time of your translation projects?
Sign up for our webinar today!

Writing for Translation: 15 Best Practices for Creating Content That’s Easy to Translate

Contents
How to Write Content That’s Easy to Translate: 15 Practical Tips

If you're preparing marketing, sales, or technical documents that will be translated into multiple languages, you need more than just great writing—you need writing that’s ready for translation.

This guide is for content creators, marketers, and localization managers who want to simplify their translation workflow while ensuring their message remains clear, accurate, and culturally appropriate across languages.

Here are 15 practical tips to help you create content that’s easy to translate—saving you time, reducing costs, and ensuring your brand message shines through in every language.

How to Write Translation-Friendly Content

Your writing style directly affects how easily your content can be translated. Follow these best practices for clear, consistent messaging across languages:

  1. Use Clear and Simple Language
    Avoid idioms and jargon. Instead of "Let's hit the ground running," say, "Let's get started right away."
  2. Keep Sentences Short and Direct
    Aim for sentences under 20 words to ensure clarity—especially for machine translation.
  3. Use Proper Grammar and Punctuation
    Maintain grammatical accuracy to avoid misunderstandings during translation.
  4. Avoid Ambiguity
    Be specific. Replace vague phrases like "This can be changed later" with "Users can update this setting anytime in their account preferences."
  5. Maintain Consistent Terminology
    Choose specific terms (e.g., "product tour") and stick to them throughout the document.

Best Practices for Formatting Documents for Translation

Thoughtful formatting can significantly reduce translation time and prevent layout issues. Here’s how to optimize your document layout:

  1. Use Automated Tables of Contents
    Avoid manual formatting. Automatically generated TOCs adapt better post-translation.
  2. Separate Text from Graphics
    Keep text layers distinct from visuals, especially in tools like InDesign, to ease extraction and translation.
  3. Apply Styles Instead of Manual Formatting
    Use paragraph and character styles to ensure consistency across different language versions.
  4. Design for Text Expansion
    Some languages require more space than English. Build in extra room for text growth.
  5. Build Tables with Editors, Not Tabs
    Avoid manually spaced layouts—use table tools to maintain formatting integrity during translation.

Adapting Content for Cross-Cultural Compatibility

Beyond language, cultural context plays a key role in how your content is received. Keep these localization tips in mind:

  1. Review Names, Colors, and Symbols
    Ensure your content doesn’t unintentionally carry a different meaning in another culture.
  2. Avoid Slang and Colloquialisms
    Stick to neutral expressions. For example, replace “We’re killing it!” with “We’re performing exceptionally well.”
  3. Spell Out Acronyms on First Use
    Not all acronyms are universal. Provide full definitions upfront.
  4. Use Multilingual-Friendly Fonts
    Make sure your fonts support character sets for target languages like Arabic, Chinese, or Cyrillic.
  5. Provide Context for Translators
    Use comments or notes to clarify meaning and reduce misinterpretation.

Final Thoughts: Build a Translation-Ready Content Strategy

Writing for translation isn't about simplifying your message—it's about strategically crafting your content so it's ready for global distribution.

By using these best practices, you can:

  • Minimize translation time and costs
  • Improve content consistency
  • Avoid localization pitfalls
  • Ensure your message resonates across markets

The earlier you plan for translation, the more efficient your localization process will be.

Need Help Managing Translations?

If you manage translations regularly, a Translation Management System (TMS) can streamline your workflow. Redokun enables teams to collaborate easily, translate faster, and stay on budget.

Discover how Redokun works today to see how we can simplify your translation process.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

InDesign Translation Traps: 10 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Download guide
Blue arrow pointing right
No email required
Icon of an eye
Stefano Bernardi HeadshotStefano Bernardi Headshot
Save your spot for our free webinar
Book your free 30-mins demo with one of the founders
(not a random salesperson).
Book a demoREGISTER NOW

Get started with a free trial

See how you can ensure quality and speed at every step of your marketing translation with a free trial.

Start free trial
Webinar

Addressing the 6 pain points of your document translation management

A professional headshot of Stefano

Stefano Bernadi

Co-founder of Redokun

Choose your session

Streamline your translation workflow with zero downtime. Discover how.