Crowdsourcing is not just a long funny word, it is also localization trend. Did you manage to try it yet?
Most of Crowdin customers did, and after observing thousands of successfully localized projects we realized that it would be great to analyze some accumulated experience on how to motivate volunteers and share it with our precious readers. Here are some ideas we came up with in getting all this tricky motivation organization without a lot of efforts and money wasting.
1: Rewards
Sure,we think of voluntary crowdsourcing translations as of free translations.
Nothing in life is for free, thought. Probably the one of the most determinative factors for the crowdsourcing translators are bonuses. Think what can be free for you but is so valuable for a contributors. You can offer one month free usage of your application, invitation for some event at your office or sweet “Thank you” card (which is not so monetary, but pleasant anyway).
For example one of our customers eMagicOne company are giving FREE Primary Licenses to those who do the best native language translations in their project Store Manager for PrestaShop.
Moreover, translators that are patient enough to translate new versions of a software over again is getting 3 - 6 month of free update service. A little effort is making awesome results and great motivation.
2: Acknowledgment
Everybody loves compliments.
Don’t you think your volunteers would you like to be rewarded with a big noticeable “best translator” image at your app background? :)
Yeah yeah, probably I have exaggerated it a bit. But still…
People need to understand that their work is appreciated. Apart from external motivators such as free licenses, free service updates, gifts, etc volunteer should be internally motivated and eager to participate. This can range from desire to share language skills and aspiration to be recognized within community to an ambition in developing talents.
The most successful online sites create an internal motivation for crowdsourcers, such as possibility to show off and get some acknowledgment.
Talking about crowdsourcing in translations here is the concept: make your translators be proud of themselves and they will come back over and over again. Separate app screen or web page with names of best contributors will bring joy and high self-esteem to your translators lives.
3: New Experience and Reciprocity
Receiving something in exchange for an effort, is crucial - balance should be kept despite of any circumstances.
Crowdsourced translations are not just routine job it is also an involvement of personal energy and language skills. Give your translators a right to be an expert in their language, possibility to develop their skills and get the best form the crowdsourcing experience.
Teach, give recommendations and feedback about the software translations criteria. Ask your certain language proofreaders to tutor same language translators make their best while translating. Once your people feel they are really learning you will get reliable contributors and they will get precious reciprocity.
4: Fun
To attract the crowd you can make process of translation to become a game like. Can you imagine how your contributors compete against each other in a world of Star Wars?
Spirit of competition will motivate volunteers for the better results. Also it will make the translation process fun and interesting.
Follow the example of Google Image Labeler that created some label game, where the user get points for trying to guess what way the others will label the same image. It turned incredibly boring process into something fun and exciting.
5: Affiliation
Everyone needs to belong, it is an internal psychological need.
Regard all the translators aspiration to have your software in their language, strongly support language-patriotic points of view, get all of the participants feel as they belong to something bigger and exceptionally valuable. Treat your crowdsourcers as a family and they will treat you this way back.
Pay attention to these motivational approaches and you will attract more translators to your project and reach visible results faster.
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