But getting your web site translated can be an expensive exercise. Rates can vary between 0.04 US$ and 0.12 US$ per source word, depending on target language, length and subject matter being translated.

However, translation is a must if you want to reach foreign Internet users, who actually make up a larger slice of your target market pie.

The following is a guide on how you can translate your web pages 'for free', or how visitors to your web site can translate your web pages themselves.

1) Finding partners

This is obviously best solution - optimum, using a latinism. Using a human translator guarantees authenticity.

Luckily there are many freelance translators 'eager' to find a partner, especially one who is a web designer. Most translators are aware that having their own web site can enhance their business success. They will often accept a plan for creation or enhancement of their web site in exchange for translation of yours.

Before you look for a suitable partner, consider which language you would like your web site translated into. By far, Spanish is most widely spoken language on Internet. However, if your web site is science-orientated, then translating into German is probably more effective.

I recommend you choose a freelance translator rather than go through an agency, as freelance translators are usually less demanding.

To find a partner, browse following newsgroups:

sci.lang.translation sci.lang.translation.marketplace

2) Using online dictionaries

There are several web sites offering online dictionaries. Some of them allow you to copy their dictionary interface and place it on your web page. This is a good solution for foreign users who know English, but are not familiar with specific technical terms.

This is part of awards programs that is, well, both interesting and extraordinarily dull. The creative work has all been done. What remains is to examine each site that applies for your award and determine if they are good enough to deserve to be recognized.

So how does this work? It's pretty simple, really. It all starts from your criteria.

Let's use an example of a pretty standard set of criteria:

- Reasonable download time - Understandable navigation - Readable text - Not under construction - No broken links - Good quality content - Way to turn off music - Good HTML - Viewable in all screen resolutions - Does not violate copyright or steal bandwidth - No sites which promote illegal activities, pornography, hacking or warez.

What I like to do is set aside a few hours a week to go through my list of sites. Then you visit each and every site and compare it to criteria that you have created for your award. You should also keep in mind whether sites must meet ALL criteria or just most of them!

This is so important that I will repeat it again: compare applying site against your criteria and only your criteria. In fact, you should only compare it against criteria that you had posted at time site was submitted.

So let's check a site against criteria. You surf to it and find that it seems to download very slowly. This, at first glance, appears to violate your criteria - but spend a couple more seconds to make a judgment call: is this result of site design or something beyond webmasters control (such as slow server)? If page has 500kb of graphics, then site flunks immediately - go on to next one. If page looks reasonable (and it will not take long to figure this out), then continue with it.