How to Create a Multilingual Website on WordPress

Learn how to create a multilingual WordPress site and why you should offer your site in multiple languages.

If you serve a large and diverse customer base, you’ve likely been looking for ways to create a multilingual WordPress site, but in a much simpler way.

Although English is the most popular language on the Internet, accounting for 58.8% of all websites, offering your site in multiple languages can help you attract more customers and create meaningful interactions with them. Overcome language barriers and show customers how much you care with a multilingual WordPress site.

Defining a Multilingual Website

You have two options for creating a multilingual website. Consider these options to find the one that’s right for you.

1. OFFER CLIENTS A TRANSLATION TOOL

WordPress offers plugins to help you provide instant translation of your site to different pages for any preferred language. This powerful tool allows customers to view the site in their preferred language, reducing reading fatigue and increasing engagement.

And the best part is, you don’t have to do all the work. Translation software will do this for you. The catch is that the site is not multilingual. Your customers will still have to work a little harder to see content in their preferred language.

2. TRULY MULTILINGUAL WEBSITES

True multilingual sites allow the user to switch between languages while navigating. In this case, the site is presented in the default language, but the user can select the desired language.

How many languages to offer is up to you, but with true multilingual sites you will have to create web pages in each language you plan to offer.

This approach to creating websites in different languages has both pros and cons. The benefit is that you know the content is well translated because you are in control of the process. The downside is that you will have to pay for the services of a real translator to make the language sound natural. However, no matter what, you will be sure that the content meets the needs of your customers and helps them connect with you.

Although it seems complicated at first, once you have everything set up, you will be able to easily manage the site. If you’re intimidated by the translation part of the project, know that you can start with content from a plugin like TranslatePress and have a translator check it for accuracy so you don’t have to start from scratch for every language you plan to offer.

Benefits of a multilingual website

Now that you know how to make a website multilingual, you may be wondering why you should do it. Take a moment and learn about the benefits of creating a multilingual website.

1. IMPROVED USER EXPERIENCE

Reading and viewing content in your native language is less tiring. Additionally, it helps create a sense of trust and safety among customers when shopping online. A European study found that 44% of customers who visit websites in a language other than their native language feel they don’t understand some of the content because they don’t fully understand it.

Even if you cater solely to a US audience, offering multiple languages can benefit your business in building better relationships with customers. This is because many Americans speak multiple languages in their homes. Only 78% of US households speak primarily English, while 10% speak primarily Spanish. The remaining US households are a mixture of different languages, representing less than 1 percent of the total population.

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2. MULTILINGUAL SEO

Google is a global company, which means that people come to the site to search for information in different languages. If your site is only in English, it will provide English-language SEO benefits, which means you may miss out on opportunities if your customers search for you in other languages.

A multilingual website will help you reach these users and get SEO rankings in multiple languages, not just English. This means that Google will start showing your content in other languages as soon as you publish it.

3. SOCIAL ACTIONS

Users are more willing to share content in their native language. This gives you greater visibility without having to pay for advertising. This increases your brand awareness and ROI on each sale because you don’t have to pay to acquire customers.

Steps to Creating a Multilingual WordPress Website

Armed with information about multilingual websites and how they work, you can start creating a WordPress site in different languages for the best customer experience.

1. SELECT YOUR PRIMARY LANGUAGE AND SET UP YOUR WORDPRESS SITE

You need a monolingual site as a starting point for creating a multilingual site. Once you set up the content and design the way you need it, you’ll be ready to translate it into different languages.

Ideally, this should start with a solid foundation in the form of a custom site theme that ensures speed and responsiveness. Otherwise, consider a premium WordPress theme that provides SEO value and ease of use.

The design you choose will apply to different versions in other languages that you choose. Therefore, do not skip this important step and take your time to complete it in time for the translation stage.

Get your content to the point where you feel it is complete and needs minimal changes. The more changes you make after translation, the more work you will have to do.

2. USE A MULTILINGUAL PLUGIN TO HELP WITH TRANSLATION

Once the basics of a monolingual site are in place, you are ready to make it multilingual. Install a plugin like TranslatePress to help you manage different versions of your site.

Select the languages you want to translate your site into. Most plugins require a paid subscription to translate into more than one language, so choose your options carefully.

Most plugins can then make adjustments to the various translations to make the site sound as natural as possible to a native speaker. This is where a professional translator comes to the rescue, who will help you understand the nuances and context so that the content sounds easy and understandable.

If you can’t afford professional translation for all languages, you can leave some languages with auto-translation.

3. SETTING THE LANGUAGE SWITCH

Translation plugins come with options for language switcher. You can add convenient features such as a country flag to help users identify the language they want without having to read. You can also choose where and how to display the language switcher so that it fits well with your site’s design.

4. METADATA TRANSLATION

To reap the SEO benefits of a multilingual site, you need to translate the metadata as well. Depending on the plugin you choose for your site, it may do this automatically. Just make sure the metadata is translated for different versions of the site before you mark the project as complete.

Creating multilingual, customer-focused websites

Eye Advertising has helped many multilingual companies meet the needs of their clients with websites written in the client’s native language. Schedule a free consultation to get a website strategy that includes everything from development to multilingual translation.

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