While many digital product makers choose machine translations for the very start (and it’s a standard best practice for early stages of development where MT-pre translate is a rational decision), they often forget that machine translation alone yields subpar results.
It’s vital to focus on the highest possible quality of translation when it comes to product interfaces and product marketing. But enlisting professional translators is not a silver bullet solution. You need to be diligent and prepare a sound basis for successful localization.
These are best practices to ensure the best translation quality:
Read how to Make your translators happy to cooperate
Prepare your glossary
Prepare your style guides
Upload screenshots of your product to improve the context
Make sure there are multiple rounds of quality assurance. You can e.g., follow the first round of translations with proofreading.
Perform thorough localization testing