A bilingual German English copywriter – must be easy to find, right?
Whether for website content, blog posts, or product descriptions – companies often need someone to write persuasive content in German and English. In reality, it’s not quite so simple. Here’s why it is so difficult to find a bilingual English-German copywriter, and what you can do instead.
The hidden challenge of bilingual copywriting
That’s because copywriting isn’t easy, even in your native language. Writing copy in a foreign language, even one in which you are fluent, is exceptionally challenging.
I’ve been in Germany for over thirty years, and if you were to hear me speak, you might think that I am a native German speaker. I even have a local Franconian accent.
As soon as we start communicating in the written form, you will see that my grammar and syntax in German is not always perfect. I understand the nuances of the German language, and can express myself fluently when speaking to someone. But I could never write professional and persuasive content for my clients in German.
What is a bilingual copywriter exactly?
Professional copywriters and translators generally write only in their native language. Even when they speak their second language fluently.
You might have come across the terms ‘bilingual’ or ‘multilingual’ copywriting and translation. We normally use bilingual for someone who speaks two languages, and multilingual for someone who speaks more than two languages.
When we are talking about a copywriter or a translator, bilingual and multilingual have a slightly different meaning.
What's the difference between a bilingual and a multilingual copywriter?
A bilingual German/English copywriter creates content in both languages. They probably grew up in a bilingual home or went through a bilingual school system.
A multilingual German/English copywriter communicates in the client’s language, but creates content only in their native language. They most likely learned their additional language(s) in school or college.
Multilingual copywriters often also provide translation or transcreation services (a creative mix of copywriting and translation).
I was born and raised in Scotland, for example, and didn’t start learning German until I moved here at age 19 years. That’s why I describe myself as a ‘multilingual copywriter’, not a ‘bilingual copywriter’.
As an aside – even when a person is raised in a bilingual home, they often have one language that is stronger. This has been my experience as the mother of bilingual children.
Expectations vs reality – The search for a bilingual German English copywriter
When companies search for a bilingual English German copywriter
I often see job advertisments on LinkedIn from companies looking for a German/English copywriter. The concept is great – one person for everything. Unfortunately, there is a significant gap between their expectations and reality.
German companies often hope to hire someone who can write content in German and English. As I’ve explained above, that isn’t as easy as they might think.
There are, of course, some bilingual copywriters in Germany, but they are rare. And most of them are freelancers.
The reality is that it’s really difficult to find a bilingual copywriter English German. It is much simpler to find a copywriter who writes well in their native English, and understands the cultural nuances of the German language – if you know what you are looking for.
But you don't have to be a native speaker to write English content, do you?
No, of course not. But the result will rarely be as good, as fluent, and as professional as texts from a native English speaker. Particularly for marketing content, where it’s all about tone, word choice, and even rhythm – things that are deeply rooted in the native speaker’s feel for their language.
If you need English content that presents your company or brand as professional and trustworthy, it’s best to work with an English native speaker who understands your target audience.
The best solution for your needs
If you need content in English and German
It’s quite rare, in my experience, to find companies with a full-time copywriter on staff. Even organizations who need a lot of content often work with one or more freelance copywriters. Or they have a member of their marketing team write the copy.
If this is what you are looking for, then I would hire someone with excellent German writing skills and good English skills, and have an experienced German to English translator (ahem, me for instance) transcreate the content into English.
If you only need content in English
Multinational companies in the DACH region, or those who have an extensive international client base, often don’t need their content in both languages. If the company internal language is English, it might not be worthwhile distributing information in both languages. Whether website content, presentations, blog articles, or trade fair materials, it’s often enough to the content in English for international marketing and events.
It’s also common to use English as the base language for additional translations into other languages.
If this is the case, then I would suggest working with a freelance native English speaking multilingual copywriter (ahem, me again).
Whatever you decide, it’s best to communicate with your copywriter or translator in your native language. Don’t try to explain complicated concepts in English – that’s why you are hiring a multilingual copywriter or translator.
Ok, that all makes sense, but what if you really do just want to work with one person?
Even having read all of the above, you may still be thinking that you’d prefer to deal with just one person, request one quotation, provide one purchase order, and register one service provider. I get it – we all want to make things as efficient and simple as possible.
I work with a number of excellent German copywriters and translators. If you prefer, we can provide our services together, with one purchase order and invoice.
Are you looking for an English copywriter in Germany? Then get in touch with me.
If you have questions, or want to know more about my work as a native English copywriter and translator, I’d be happy to hear from you. Let’s have a chat to see if I am the right person for your project.
