The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2021 - 33

GS
I also use the Instagram

particularly on Twitter. I use

Stories feature to share

LinkedIn more passively,

inspirational posts I've

primarily to announce new

seen. I'm also trying to use

books and projects.

this function more to share

Most of what I tweet are

things about myself, my

links to articles or resources.

business, and the " bigger

If I really like them, I tend

picture. " For example, just

to spend quite a bit of time

last week I hosted my first

preparing those tweets,

Q&A session on my Stories

including researching the

where my followers could

Twitter handles of the

ask me anything about

authors or other people

translation, freelancing, or

who might be mentioned

my professional journey. It

in the article or resource

got really good feedback, so

in question. My hope is

it's definitely something I'll

to start conversations

do again.

with journalists or other

Most of my current

stakeholders, which

followers are fellow freelance

happens rather frequently.

translators or language

(This might be because I

professionals. I also like

have a reasonably high

to follow accounts that

number of followers,

provide marketing tips and

which I think helps get you

support freelancers. At some

noticed when you reach

point, I would really like to

out to others.) I see my

transition my account to

function as a cheerleader

attract more potential clients,

to communicate a better

especially since I specialize

way of thinking and writing

in marketing and digital

about translation than how

services. At the moment,

it's typically perceived by

however, I enjoy connecting

the outside world.

with other freelancers and

discussions that get too

my Instagram account

heated because, in my

hasn't yet directly attracted

opinion, their outcome is

clients in the same way my

not very productive. The jobs

LinkedIn page has, it has

I get through my Twitter

led to referrals from other

presence are based on

freelancers who have seen

potential clients' perception

what I do and allowed me to

of me as someone with

make meaningful connections

industry knowledge. While

with other people in the

some of those offers have

translation industry.

been translation jobs, more
are in the area of consulting,

Twitter
Jost Zetzsche
twitter.com/Jeromobot

speaking engagements, and

I only use LinkedIn and

on Twitter, which includes

Twitter. I'm happy with

perusing news items I might

that limitation because it

or might not tweet about.

focused use of my efforts,
www.ata-chronicle.online

should definitely open
twitter.com/translationtalk
and start following-
regardless of whether you
have a Twitter account.
(Hint: it's hands-down one
of the best Twitter accounts
for translators and
interpreters out there!)

NOTES
1	
Desjardins, Renée. Translation and Social Media (Palgrave
Macmillan, 2017), http://bit.ly/Desjardins-Palgrave.
2	

Venuti, Lawrence. The Translator's Invisibility (Routledge,
2008), http://bit.ly/Venuti.

3	

ATA Webinar Series: " How to Utilize LinkedIn Strategically to
Reach Your Ideal Clients, " http://bit.ly/LinkedIn-clients.

Veronika Demichelis, CT is an ATA director
and chair of ATA's Professional Development
Committee. An ATA-certified English>Russian
translator, she is an adjunct professor in the
Translation and Interpreting Program at Houston
Community College. She also co-hosts the Smart Habits for
Translators podcast. veronika@veronikademichelis.com
Ilduara Escobedo is a freelance translator
(English<>Spanish) from Guatemala City,
Guatemala. ilduara.escobedo@translationexpert.blog

I actively shy away from

sharing experiences. While

allows me a much more

Drechsel and I have passed
our administrative duties for
the TranslationTalk Twitter
account into the enthusiastic
and capable hands of Andie
Ho, Deepti Limaye, and
Nadine Edwards. On the off
chance you don't know about
that Twitter account, you

collaboration.

Chloe Stout is a French>English and
Italian>English translator and subtitler
in the United Kingdom.
chloestout.translations@gmail.com

Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo, CT is
ATA president-elect and chairs the Governance
and Communications Committee. She is the
owner of Accessible Translation Solutions
and a Spanish>English and ATA-certified
Portuguese>English translator.
madalena@accessibletranslations.com

I would guess I spend about
30 to 40 minutes per day

Oh, and while we're
talking about Twitter: Alex

Jost Zetzsche, CT is chair of ATA's Translation
and Interpreting Resources Committee and an
ATA-certified English>German translator. He
is the author of Characters with Character: 50
Ways to Rekindle Your Love Affair with Language.
jzetzsche@internationalwriters.com
American Translators Association

33
http://www.twitter.com/translationtalk http://www.bit.ly/Desjardins-Palgrave http://www.bit.ly/Venuti http://www.bit.ly/LinkedIn-clients http://www.twitter.com/Jeromobot http://www.ata-chronicle.online
The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2021

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