u/Creative_L_8288

I’m a localization manager and we translate our website into different languages through a professional translation agency (we already have a trusted provider, so no promotion please).  However, we handle the more localization-related aspects of SEO, and I’d like to hear from people who are closer to day-to-day SEO experimentation. Apart from the known, basic international SEO/localization practice (e.g. localized keyword research, proper hreflang implementation, localized URLs,  translated metadata, adapting CTAs/currencies/units/cultural references, etc etc), what do you think are the newer or less obvious things that will matter more in 2026? I’m especially curious about the “unwritten” things people are seeing in practice: the kind of insights that show up on Reddit, in tests, or in SEO work, but not necessarily in generic blog posts.

Hi everyone, I’m curious how other localization managers are thinking about this.

Over time, I’ve found myself preferring to delegate the actual translation work to a trusted agency, so I can spend more time on the parts of localization that tend to get messy internally: product readiness, workflows, stakeholder alignment, review processes, terminology, QA, and making sure localization is not treated as an afterthought.

I get the sense this is what many global brands are doing, but I’d love to hear how others here approach it:

How do you usually split the work between your internal team and external partners? And how close do you stay to the translation itself?

P.S. I already have a preferred translation agency, so no sales pitches please 🙂