Machine Translation

Simply don't. It makes you look cheap, and can have the exact opposite effect desired.

Look at this website. Yamagata Prefecture, where I live, has declared that they would like to increase the number of overseas tourists, but somehow they think using a machine-translated site is going to do that. What that means is, they are not in the slightest bit serious about it. If they were, they would put money into creating content that their target market wants, stories from the prefecture that resonate with people and make them want to visit.

What we have now, is an atrocity. With an efficient site, like the Wakayama one, with well-researched keywords and attractive photos, they would be able to target people who search for experiences in Japan, rather than people who search specifically 'Yamagata prefecture'. Right now, if you do that search, the prefectural page isn't the first one to come up, although it is arguably filled with the most information, and it's simply unreadable. Anyone who came across it would think that they aren't really welcome. The prefecture can say they want overseas tourists all they like, but until they implement a proper website, nothing's really going to happen.

ENJOYED THIS? HAVE MORE.

MOUNTAINS OF WISDOM

Subscribe to my yamabushi newsletter

RECENT BLOG POSTS

men in discussion at an event
Making your day longer
Comfort in discomfort
An amendment to Elimination of Cheating

YAMABUSHI BLOG POSTS

Make the stars align
frozen wave against sunlight
Pacing
close up photo of lion s head
Accept. Adapt. Embrace. Empower.

RANDOM POSTS

body of water between green leaf trees
A chance to improve
A little bit of a lot
clear hour glass on frame
It’s temporary
Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi

Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi

Get In Touch

Sakata City, Yamagata, Japan 

tim@timbunting.com

Share this:

Like this:

Like Loading...
Scroll to Top