Thanks to the internet, your website can be seen by anyone from anywhere in the world, so it is important that you can offer your content in different languages to eliminate barriers.
Also, if you have a project or business in mind that you want to expand internationally, it is of course in your interest to translate your site into several languages, so today we bring you the best language tools to make this possible.
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what to consider when creating a multilingual website?
Before showing you the tools to create a multilingual website, here are a few things you should bear in mind. The first is that having a website in another language does not mean taking your texts and translating them literally. This is because in each language the expressions and way of speaking is different, and you have to take into account that the type of customer will not be the same either. You cannot address a Spanish audience in the same way as a French one.
So you will have to research the different markets you want to target, find out for yourself or hire a person to do the translations, who knows and understands the way they speak and express themselves. This is also where the creation of different buyer persona profiles for each country you want to reach comes in.
Remember also that if you have images or videos they should also be translated, or have the option of subtitles, so that people who see them understand them. Your users from other countries will have a greater connection with you if they understand your visual content as well as your written content.
Finally, keep in mind that your SEO strategy should be tailored to each market, for example, you will need to do keyword research in that language to increase your chances of being found.
Language tools
There are different ways to get a multilingual website, such as translating it directly with a translator, using plugins or hiring translation services.
The first option, as we have explained before, is not the best, since an automatic translator does not adapt to the way of speaking of each country. Also, although its technology is very advanced, there can always be some grammatical errors, so you should keep an eye on it anyway.
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Choose multilingual themes
In wordpress you have the possibility to choose themes that allow you to make a website in several languages. Not all the templates that you will find on this platform allow this, so we recommend that you look for a theme that is designed for this purpose.
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Use plugins
- wPML is a manual translation plugin, that is, it allows you to create a multi-language website. It is used in wordpress, it is easy to use, and it allows you to create a different SEO strategy for each language you use. It is not a free tool.
- ponylang: Like the previous one, it is a manual translation plugin. The big difference with WPML is that it does have a free version, which is why many opt for this option. It translates pages, posts, menus, widgets, etc. More than 100 languages can be found.
- weglot: The first in this list that combines manual and automatic translation. This plugin is capable of translating all content into another language, i.e. it generates a translation automatically, but can then be checked manually. It is easy and simple to use. The free version is too limited, as it only includes one language. This tool is prepared for SEO optimisation.
- Lingotek: This option is an automatic translation in the cloud, although it is designed for wordpress, it can be used on other platforms. This tool includes a dashboard so you can create different projects so you can translate the contents of different pages. You have the option of creating manual translations, but only if you have Polylang installed and activated. Lingotek has the option of hiring professional translators.
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Professional translation services
You always have the option of finding a person to translate your website, but it can be difficult if you have to find one person for each language you want to use, so we recommend these options:
- textmaster is a startup that offers professional translation services, as well as proofreading and content writing, i.e. you hire translation services. Registering on this site is free, you will only have to pay for the translations they do for you.
- iCanLocalize: This professional translation service only works if you have the WPML plugin. It is simple to use, you send the content you want to translate and they send it back to you. The cost will depend on the size of the text, but you can ask for a quote.
As you have read there are many options to make the task of creating a multilingual website easier, but the most important thing, and the one you should always keep in mind, is to create the content first. You should pay attention to your texts and make them according to the audience you are going to address.
If you use any of the automatic language tools, we recommend that you check your translations manually to make sure, above all, that the expressions and phrases are correct.
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