So far in this series we’ve talk about why the traditional translation model breaks down in today’s socially-driven online environment and how new technologies now allow you to translate content quickly, cost-effectively and accurately. But there’s one critical piece that’s missing – the ability to do all of this directly from your website. The ability to translate needs to be accessible at the right time to the right people in the right place.

We need to bring the power to translate to the content and community rather than taking the content out of its native environment and forcing it awkwardly though broken translation channels. There are several requirements for an integrated translation tool to be feasible.

1. CMS integration - The right technology must be capable of seamlessly integrating with the site's existing Content Management System (CMS). Drupal modules or Wordpress Plugins are good examples of how site owners can add new functionality to their site in a quick, seamless manner.
2. Quick installation - While translation is important, site owners often don't have large budgets to custom code an integrated translation solution nor do they have the programming man hours available. They'd rather spend their time and money focused on their core focus of their product or service. For a translation technology to be widely adopted it must be easy to install and require minimal programmer and IT load.
3. Seamless User Interface - The translation functionality on your site should be invisible. It needs to be easy to find when needed, but blend into the background when unnecessary. It shouldn't take you out of the existing user experience but flow naturally along with the existing interface. There should be no perception of leaving the site or disruption in the user's experience.
4. Integrated translation functionality - All the translation technologies should be integrated into one interface. Having to click different locations or go to different sites for each feature will confuse the user, create frustration, and cause them to go elsewhere. Whether the reader wants to choose a different language, view a Machine Translation, or volunteer to translate the content, they must be able to access all these features through a unified interface.
5. Retain ownership of translated content - Once the content is translated site owners want to retain ownership and host it on their site. If translated content is hosted by a third party, it won't have any search engine benefits to the site owner. By retaining content, site owners can rapidly grow their search engine presence through the creation of additional translated pages of content.

Let's look at a service that puts all these pieces together. Lingotek Inside allows for the translation of content directly from your site.

If the content hasn't already been translated, there are a few main options available. First they can choose to see an instant machine translation. Second, they can volunteer to translate a section of content themselves using the advanced translation technologies mentioned earlier in this series. They can access all these translation tools without leaving the site. Third, they can nominate a section of content for traditional translation. All this happens without leaving the site on which the content resides. It’s a seamless, simple, and elegant way for users to consume content however they choose.

By making the translation function integrate seamlessly into your existing content, Lingotek has unlocked a whole segment of the translation market. Previously site owners could never conceive of a way to translate the ongoing flow of content in a quick, effective, cost-efficient manner. It simply wasn’t possible. Now translating content and consuming translated content can be as organic as the social online world itself. Users self-select which content is worth translating and the best method for translating it. Motivated bi-linguals can volunteer to instantly translate content as they read it using the most advanced translation technologies to help ensure quality. All this is accomplished while minimizing management and supervision by the content owner.

This development in translation technologies and platforms will literally transform how companies approach the translation process. By leveraging these technologies and the power of the crowd, site owners can now reach any segment without being restricted by cost or limited resources. The future of translation is here.