Mirela
Crowdsourcing translation is an appealing model in the world of localization. You’re basically opening up translation tasks to a global pool of bilingual volunteers or semi-professional contributors. In theory, a company can scale quickly and cost-effectively using this type of translation. But is it perfect, and does it work for everyone? Let’s break down the pros and cons of crowdsourcing translation and see just what it’s all about.
The pros of crowdsourcing translation
We’ll start with the advantages of crowdsourced translation.
Speed and scalability
With crowdsourcing, you can gain access to hundreds or thousands of contributors simultaneously. It’s thus possible to localize large amounts of content in a fraction of the time compared to traditional translation methods. For fast-moving industries like tech, gaming, or media, this speed really makes a difference. Giant tech companies like Facebook, Wikipedia, Duolingo, and Google (just to name a few) use crowdsourced translation successfully for their large-scale projects.
Cost efficiency
Traditional localization through agencies or professional translators can get really expensive. For some companies, too expensive. Crowdsourcing reduces costs, especially when volunteers are motivated by community loyalty (as with open-source projects or fan communities). Even when monetary rewards are provided, the rates are often lower than agency fees. That’s why indie game companies working on a tight budget are taking advantage of this translation option too.
Community engagement
Crowdsourcing has the power of connecting people. It fosters a sense of ownership and loyalty. Users who contribute translations feel more invested in the product. This community-driven approach can be a powerful retention tool in gaming and open-source software.
Diversity of input
Because contributors come from different regions and backgrounds, crowdsourced translation can surface localized terms, slang, and cultural preferences that professional translators might overlook. Furthermore, contributors also represent different user demographics. A professional translator may not be a gamer, a developer, or a healthcare worker, but a community contributor might be.
The cons of crowdsourcing translation
Now let’s move on to the disadvantages of crowdsourced translation, because it’s not all rainbows and butterflies.
Quality inconsistency
As you might expect, the biggest drawback is uneven quality. Crowdsourced translations are likely to vary in grammar, tone, or terminology. Contributors may be fluent in a language but that’s not enough if they lack professional translation skills. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that texts that are technically correct can sound very awkward and inconsistent with your brand voice.
Lack of accountability
Crowd translators are often anonymous. They’re not professional translators who sign contracts and have quality standards they must adhere to. So, if a translation does not meet your expectations, is there really something you can do about this? It would be difficult to enforce accountability for errors, omissions, or malicious submissions.
Terminology drift
Another con is the potential inconsistency that often occurs when multiple contributors use different terms for the same concept. It’s not only a cosmetic issue but also one that can cause confusion and break functionality. That’s why, if you’re set on going the crowdsourcing route, you definitely need to enforce a glossary that defines approved terms and is accessible to all contributors.
Feedback is a must to make crowdsourcing work
These raw contributions that you typically receive from crowdsourcing can be refined into a consistent, high-quality product. However, you can only do it through structured feedback. Discuss your requirements and preferences to help your contributors develop the right skills. You want them aligned with your project’s needs.
You must keep in mind that contributors often join with enthusiasm but without professional training. Luckily, you can turn them into stronger translators over time by giving constructive feedback. You should highlight your preferred terminology, tone, and phrasing; they’ll soon pick up on your brand voice and style. Plus, you want to retain your contributors; acknowledge their work and they’ll be more likely to remain engaged.
How to crowdsource with POEditor
To crowdsource your software translation using POEditor, the process is straightforward and can be summarized in a few key steps.
First, you need to set up your localization project in the POEditor platform and add all the desired translation languages, making sure to include your source language. Next, import the strings that require translation from your language file. If your file contains keys and existing translations, importing these will allow you to designate a Default Reference Language.
The crucial step for crowdsourcing is to make the project public. This is done in the project’s Settings > Advanced area, where you enable the ‘Public Project’ option and configure the accompanying settings.
Once public, POEditor generates a unique join page link. By sharing this link across your website, social media, or forums, you allow contributors to join the project and start translating, effectively crowdsourcing your software localization effort. Easy, right?