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can anyone recommend a decent translation companyWe aren't allowed to do recommendations like that here, so my advice would be to look for a company with whom you can communicate and feel comfortable. Translators are really only one step in the process. You'd probably want to have a copywriter look at the material as well. If you can find a company that does both, then you'll be better off. Depending on your site and the content you'll probably have to make changes and additions as time goes on, so it's good to work with someone you like {if possible ;)}.
is it worth paying anyone to submit a site to the Japanese search engines?Since the vast majority of the Japanese SE market is taken up by Google, and there are really only a handful of spidering SEs that accept submissions, what would you be paying for? If you were talking about directory submissions then I would say it might be worthwhile for a bit of traffic, but not a whole lot. There are paid options like PPC and paid directory listings (with Yahoo & LookSmart) as well. It all depends on what service is being offered...
Do you want to do a full site or just some selected pages?
Regarding submission to Japanese search engines, with the possible exception of Yahoo.co.jp, it is not normally worthwhile submitting to the Japanese language search engines.
If the site is linked to by other sites in Google then Google will just do its thing and you will be picked up as a matter of course.
Getting a Yahoo.co.jp submission right is very difficult and should not be considered until you have had the Japanese language site operating for several month with it in Google.
There are various websites out there that tender out translation services and also several communities frequented by translators. One that comes to mind is [http://proz.com]Proz[/url] but there are several others. You might be able to find something there.
As Bill says, finding native speakers who understand your product and how to promote it is not an easy task. Good Luck.
There may be people here who could help you but we have policies against directly addressing those issues in the forums. So, if anyone has ideas on specific translators, or even wishing to offer their own services, please sticky atco2 direct. Thanks all.
Onya
Woz
As for recommending translators, I appreciate this can't be done on this board so if anyone has any I'd appreciate a direct contact.
Thanks to all.
Even with a paid listing it is really important how the listing is crafted. It must meet the Yahoo style and have the most effective keywords. This is not always easy to achieve and you must really know the keywords (in Japanese)that are going to really work for you.
These days if your site is business related then it is almost impossible to obtain a free listing and therefore not worth the effort.A Japanese language business listing in Yahoo Japan must be paid for unless you're somehow lucky enough to have an editor list you for free.
Getting a Yahoo.co.jp submission right is very difficultIt's just as difficult as getting one done for the English version of Yahoo. You want to craft a title and description that not only contain the keywords that you want, but that is good enough that the Yahoo editor will not alter it too much. You could write an incredibly good title and description, but if the editor changes it you don't have much chance to appeal.
...and should not be considered until you have had the Japanese language site operating for several month with it in Google.I'm not sure I completely agree with that. It can help to some degree I guess, but if you have a good, full site up in Japanese and you pay your ¥52,500 they'll list you.
For example there is less value in putting in a keyword that you may have the top position in Google when there are other words that you do not have a good positon.
