When it comes to translating sports betting websites, you only need to look at the biggest names in the industry to get an idea of how it should be done. The likes of William Hil, bet365 and Unibet have gotten where they are today because they understand how to tap into a truly global audience.
To help illustrate this point, we are going to show you three of the things all the top sports betting brands have in common when it comes to translation.
#1: Prominent language selection
bet365 features a prominent language selection menu in the left column of its website.
Generally speaking, the best practice when it comes to language selection is to use geotargeting to pick up a user’s location and automatically select the language for their area. However, this method is not fool-proof and the best back-up is to have a prominent language selection menu so people can manually select their language of choice.
Don’t forget people take holidays, while many live abroad or speak a language different to the locale – so make sure you consider these audiences.
#2: Perfect translation
Of course, it should go without saying at this point that any successful sports betting company is going to need perfect translation to connect with audiences worldwide. Ideally, you want to find an agency that specialises in sportsbook translation so you can get the industry knowledge and experience you need to create the most effective workflow.
Implementing translation for sports betting sites can be a little more complex than other niches and it pays to have the right expertise on board.
#3: Localised content
Unibet features horse racing at the top of the English (British) version of its site.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with sports betting is simply translating your pages and then delivering the same content to everyone. While football is the world’s most popular sport, it’s by no means the most popular choice everywhere. You don’t want to be missing out of the NFL action in the US or the cricket for fanatics in various parts of the world.
Unibet uses a different mix of sports on the Italian version of its site.
Instead, localise your content to suit the local interests of each market and target audiences with the most popular sport in their region. Location is not the only factor to consider either. The popularity of different sports varies throughout the year and major sporting events take the spotlight at different times: World Cups, Grand Slams, NBA finals, Champions League finals, etc.
All the major sports betting brands have built global audiences – something else they have in common. This does not happen by accident, either. It takes some solid market research, creative marketing campaigns and flawless translation to bring all the pieces together.