I let Google Translate speak for itself

Aaron Schinke

Even Google admits Google Translate isn’t good enough for your dealership.

Even though we already know the pitfalls of relying on Google Translate—from ‘Spanglish’ mishaps to missing key vehicle details. But out of curiosity, I asked Google’s Gemini AI if it recommends using Google Translate for car dealership marketing. Even Google admits its limitations. Here's what it had to say...

I asked: “Would you suggest using Google Translate to car dealers looking to market to Hispanics in the U.S. market?”

And here’s how it responded:

"No, I would strongly advise against relying solely on Google Translate (or any other machine translation tool) for a car dealership looking to market to Hispanics. While Google Translate has improved significantly, it's still not suitable for creating professional, culturally sensitive, and effective marketing materials.

Here's why:

Accuracy Issues: Machine translation often struggles with nuances in language, idioms, and cultural context. This can lead to inaccurate translations that sound awkward, confusing, or even offensive.

Lack of Cultural Sensitivity: Translation is not just about swapping words from one language to another; it's about conveying meaning within a specific cultural context. Machine translation often fails to capture these cultural nuances, which can damage your brand's reputation.

Damage to Credibility: Poorly translated marketing materials can make your dealership appear unprofessional and untrustworthy. This can deter potential customers and harm your brand image.

SEO Issues: While Google can understand some translated content, relying solely on machine translation can negatively impact your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Accurate and natural-sounding Spanish content is crucial for ranking well in Spanish search results.

Legal and Compliance Risks: In some cases, inaccurate translations can even lead to legal and compliance issues, especially when dealing with contracts, disclaimers, and other legal documents.

What to do instead:

Hire Professional Translators: Invest in professional translation services from experienced translators who specialize in the automotive industry and understand the cultural nuances of the Hispanic market.

Work with a Hispanic Marketing Agency: Consider partnering with a marketing agency that specializes in Hispanic marketing. They can provide comprehensive services, including translation, transcreation (adapting content to a new culture), and culturally relevant marketing strategies.

Review and Proofread: Even when using professional translators, it's essential to have a native Spanish speaker review and proofread all translated materials to ensure accuracy and cultural appropriateness.

The Value of Professional Translation:

Professional translation ensures that your marketing materials are:

Accurate and Natural-Sounding: The translated content will read fluently and naturally in Spanish, conveying the intended message effectively.

Culturally Appropriate: The translation will take into account cultural nuances and avoid any misunderstandings or offense.

SEO-Friendly: Professional translators understand SEO best practices and can optimize your Spanish content for search engines.

Consistent with Your Brand: Professional translation helps maintain a consistent brand voice and messaging across all languages.

In short, while Google Translate might be useful for quick personal translations, it's not a viable solution for professional marketing. Investing in professional translation is essential for building trust, establishing credibility, and effectively reaching the Hispanic market. It's an investment that will pay off in the long run by generating more leads and sales. "

So if you trust Google, don’t trust them with your dealerships’ translations.

We're just waiting on them to realize you don't need to pay for an expensive professional translation service either 😉.