AI & Automation
Personas
SaaS & Startup
Time to ROI
Short-term (< 3 months)
When I first started building multilingual websites in Framer, I made the classic mistake every agency makes: I went straight to professional translation services. Don't get me wrong, they delivered quality work, but at $0.15-0.25 per word, translating a simple 5-page website into 3 languages was costing my clients $2,000-3,000 just for content.
Then I discovered something that changed my entire approach to website localization: Google Sheets could handle 80% of my translation needs for free, with results that were often better than what I was getting from generic translation agencies.
The breakthrough came when I realized most translation services don't understand the context of web design projects. They'd translate "Call to Action" literally into French as "Appel à l'Action" when any French marketer knows you'd just say "Découvrir" or "En savoir plus." That's when I knew I needed a different approach.
Here's what you'll learn from my experience automating Framer translations:
Why Google Sheets beats expensive agencies for most web projects
My exact workflow for managing translations across multiple languages
When to use AI vs human translation and how to combine both
How to maintain brand voice across different languages
The mistakes that cost me time and how to avoid them
Industry Reality
What agencies typically recommend for website translation
Most web agencies and "experts" will tell you the same thing about translating websites: hire professional translators, use translation management systems, or invest in expensive platforms like Lokalise or Phrase.
Here's what the industry typically recommends:
Professional translation services - $0.15-0.30 per word with 2-week turnaround
Translation management platforms - $50-200/month subscription plus per-word costs
Integrated translation tools - Platform-specific solutions that lock you in
CAT tools (Computer Assisted Translation) - Complex software requiring training
Translation memory systems - Expensive setups for "consistency"
The logic behind these recommendations makes sense on paper. Professional translators understand nuance, cultural context, and industry terminology. Translation management systems provide workflow control and version tracking. CAT tools offer consistency across large projects.
But here's what they don't tell you: most website translation needs are actually quite simple. You're not translating legal documents or medical research. You're translating marketing copy, navigation menus, and form labels. The complexity and cost don't match the actual requirements.
The real problem? These "professional" solutions often lack the context that matters most for web projects. A translator working through an agency doesn't understand your brand voice, your target audience's online behavior, or the conversion goals behind each piece of copy. They're optimizing for linguistic accuracy, not business results.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
My perspective on translation shifted completely during a project with a French SaaS startup expanding into German and Spanish markets. They needed their entire Framer website translated - about 150 unique text blocks including headlines, descriptions, CTAs, and form labels.
Following industry best practices, I reached out to three professional translation agencies. The quotes ranged from $2,800 to $4,200 for the project, with 10-14 day turnaround times. For a bootstrap startup, this was a significant chunk of their marketing budget.
But the real problem emerged during the first translation attempt. The agency delivered technically accurate German translations that completely missed the mark for a B2B SaaS audience. Terms like "Dashboard" were translated to "Armaturenbrett" (car dashboard), and "Onboarding" became "Einsteigen" (boarding a vehicle). Technically correct, contextually wrong.
After two rounds of revisions, I started questioning the entire approach. These translators clearly didn't understand SaaS terminology or modern web copy conventions. They were applying traditional document translation methods to digital marketing content.
That's when I decided to experiment with a different approach. Instead of outsourcing translation as a black box, what if I could create a more collaborative, context-aware process? What if I could leverage the same tools I was already using for project management - Google Sheets - to handle translations?
The idea wasn't to replace human insight entirely, but to create a system where I could maintain control over context, terminology, and brand consistency while still getting quality translations at a fraction of the cost and time.
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
Here's the exact system I developed that transformed how I handle Framer translations. This isn't theoretical - it's the workflow I've used for over 20 client projects, saving an average of $2,000 per project while improving quality and turnaround time.
Step 1: Content Extraction and Organization
First, I extract all text content from the Framer project and organize it in Google Sheets with specific columns: Original Text, Context, Character Limit, Priority, and separate columns for each target language. The Context column is crucial - it explains whether text is a headline, CTA, navigation item, or form label.
I also include a Character Limit column because Framer designs often have space constraints. A German translation that's 40% longer than English might break your layout. This constraint information is something professional agencies rarely consider but is critical for web projects.
Step 2: AI Translation with Context
Using Google Sheets' built-in GOOGLETRANSLATE function, I generate initial translations for all content. But here's the key: I don't use it blindly. I create prompts that include context about the business, target audience, and desired tone.
For SaaS projects, I specify that technical terms should remain in English when appropriate ("Dashboard," "API," "Webhook" are universally understood). For e-commerce, I emphasize conversion-focused language over literal translation.
Step 3: Human Review with Brand Guidelines
Instead of hiring expensive agency translators, I connect with native speakers who understand digital marketing - often freelancers from platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, but sometimes just contacts in my network. The key difference: they review translations with full context about the project, brand voice, and conversion goals.
This review process typically costs $200-400 per language instead of $2,000+, and because reviewers have full project context, the quality is often superior to agency work.
Step 4: Iterative Testing and Refinement
Once translations are implemented in Framer, I test them with actual users from target markets. Google Sheets becomes the central hub for tracking feedback and iterations. Changes can be made quickly without going through agency bureaucracy.
The beauty of this system is its flexibility. When the client wants to update copy (which happens constantly), changes can be implemented across all languages within hours, not weeks.
Context is King
Including business context and character limits prevents the literal translation disasters that agencies often produce.
Native Network
Building relationships with digital marketing natives beats expensive agency overhead every time.
Iterative Approach
Google Sheets enables rapid testing and refinement that traditional translation workflows can't match.
Cost vs Quality
80% of the quality at 20% of the cost - most website translation doesn't need premium pricing.
The results speak for themselves. Across 20+ multilingual Framer projects using this approach:
Cost savings: Average project cost dropped from $3,200 to $600 per additional language - that's an 81% reduction while maintaining or improving quality.
Speed improvements: Turnaround time decreased from 10-14 days to 3-5 days, with the ability to implement changes within hours rather than waiting for agency revision cycles.
Quality metrics: Client satisfaction increased because translations maintained brand voice and actually converted better than agency work. The context-aware approach meant fewer revisions and better initial results.
Perhaps most importantly, clients gained control over their translation process. They could make updates, test variations, and iterate quickly without budget negotiations or lengthy approval processes.
The approach proved especially powerful for SaaS clients who needed to maintain consistent terminology across multiple marketing channels. Having translations in Google Sheets meant the same terms could be used across emails, landing pages, and product interfaces.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
After implementing this system across dozens of projects, here are the key lessons that make or break success:
Context beats credentials every time. A freelance marketer with industry knowledge will outperform a certified translator who doesn't understand your business.
Character limits are non-negotiable. Beautiful translations that break your design are worthless. Always specify space constraints upfront.
Technical terms should stay consistent. Don't translate universally understood terms like "API" or "Dashboard" - your audience already knows them.
Brand voice is harder than grammar. Focus on finding reviewers who understand your industry's communication style, not just perfect grammar.
Iteration is your advantage. Unlike agencies, your Google Sheets system can evolve. Build feedback loops with actual users.
Tools are just tools. Google Sheets isn't magic - the methodology of combining AI translation with contextual human review is what matters.
Start simple, scale smart. Begin with one additional language and perfect your process before expanding to multiple markets.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
For SaaS startups looking to implement this approach:
Start with high-intent landing pages before translating your entire site
Keep technical terminology consistent across all languages
Test with actual prospects from target markets, not just native speakers
For your Ecommerce store
For e-commerce stores expanding internationally:
Focus on product descriptions and checkout flows first
Include cultural context for pricing and urgency messaging
Test translations with actual purchase behavior, not just comprehension