Case study · Website and digital identity
dePapier Translations: a credible home for a certified translator
Cristiana Alves, a certified translator, was running her business from a free Google Sites page with no business email. In about seven weeks she had her own domain, one consistent identity and a bilingual website.
At a glance
- Client
- dePapier Translations, certified translator and interpreter, Portugal
- Services
- certified, legal and literary translation; proofreading
- Scope
- digital identity and a bilingual website (PT/EN)
- Timeline
- about seven weeks
- My role
- positioning, design and build, copy in both languages, SEO
The problem
Cristiana's work had a good reputation, but nothing online backed it up. Her business name appeared in different versions across directories, and there was no website or email in her own name. For someone about to send a legal document to a translator, that is a reason to hesitate.
Before
Free Google Sites page, no own domain, no business email, her name in different versions online
After
depapiertranslations.com, business email, one consistent name, bilingual site
What I changed
One name, one home
Everything now starts from the same name, "dePapier Translations", with its own domain, a business email and the same details on every directory profile. Clients and search engines find one business instead of several versions of it.
One voice, a coordinated team
Cristiana wanted to present herself as a team. I suggested one voice instead: "I'm Cris", backed by a team of linguists. It reads as more personal and more credible, and the site lists all ten language pairs openly, saying which ones she translates herself.
Quotes instead of price lists
The old site published per-word prices. The new one explains the four factors behind every quote, so clients understand the price before they ask and Cristiana keeps room to quote each job properly.
Written by hand, in both languages
I rewrote the copy for the web in European Portuguese, then wrote the English version myself, adapted rather than translated word for word. On a translator's website, a plugin translation would undercut the business.
A lighter design, built from her own identity
I started from her logo, palette and Instagram icons. After a first, bolder mockup, she asked for something lighter, so the final site is mostly white, with a soft blue hero and small icons.
Built to be found
Every page has its own title and description in both languages, structured data and a short FAQ, so Google and AI assistants have clear answers to quote.
What's next
The site's job now is to be found. The groundwork is in place: one consistent name, pages in both languages and answers that search engines and AI assistants can quote. Next come deeper local SEO, the first blog articles and AI search work. I will add enquiry and visibility results once the site has real data to show.