Why Businesses Should Translate Their Website

Having recently completed a client website translation from English to eight other languages, I thought I'd write a quick article about why a business would need to translate their website or web app as we havn't covered this particular topic before.

This particular project was WordPress based, but we've also handled similar projects on other tech stacks. Similar questions and processes will apply regardless of the Content Management System (CMS) or tech stack you use.

Before committing to the cost of translating a site or app, it's essential to ask several critical questions to ensure the investment aligns with your business goals, budget, and long-term strategy. Here are some key questions to consider:

1. Who is my target audience, and are they multilingual?

• Why ask this?: Understanding whether your target market includes non-English speakers or audiences from different regions will help determine if a multilingual site is necessary. If a significant portion of your audience speaks another language, translating your website could lead to better engagement and conversion rates.
• Follow-up: What languages should I prioritize for translation?

2. What is the potential return on investment (ROI)?

• Why ask this?: Translating a website can be expensive, so you need to evaluate whether the potential increase in traffic, sales, or engagement from new language markets justifies the cost. Estimate how new multilingual audiences could impact your bottom line.
• Follow-up: How will I measure the success of my translated site (e.g., increased traffic, sales, engagement)?

3. Do I need professional translation or will automated translation suffice?

• Why ask this?: The quality of translations can vary greatly depending on whether you use professional human translators or automated tools. While tools like DeepL or Google Translate can save time and cost, they may require manual editing to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance.
• Follow-up: Are there specific parts of the website (e.g., legal, technical, or marketing content) that need high-quality human translation?

4. What is my budget for translation and maintenance?

• Why ask this?: Translating a website involves upfront costs for translation and potential ongoing expenses for updating content across multiple languages. The choice between manual and AI-powered translation services, like WPML, Polylang, or Weglot, also depends on your budget.
• Follow-up: Do I have the resources to maintain and update the site’s content in all languages?

5. How often will my website content need updating?

• Why ask this?: Websites with frequently updated content (blogs, news, product descriptions) may incur additional costs, as each update will need to be translated. If you need regular content changes, using an AI translation tool with easy editing features might be a better fit.
• Follow-up: Will I require automatic translation for new content, or will I manually translate updates?

6. How important is multilingual SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to my business?

• Why ask this?: Offering content in multiple languages can improve your SEO performance in international search engines. However, effective multilingual SEO requires more than just translation; it involves optimizing keywords, meta tags, and descriptions for each language.
• Follow-up: Do I have an SEO strategy in place for each language I plan to offer?

7. What are the cultural considerations for the regions I’m targeting?

• Why ask this?: Beyond translating text, it's essential to localize your website for cultural nuances, preferences, and legal regulations. This involves adjusting not just language but also images, colors, payment methods, and more.
• Follow-up: Should I work with a local consultant or agency to ensure my content is culturally relevant?

8. Which translation plugin or service is best for my WordPress setup?

• Why ask this?: WordPress offers several translation plugins like WPML, Polylang, and Weglot, each with different features, costs, and capabilities. Choosing the right tool depends on whether you prioritize manual translations, automatic translation, or a hybrid of both.
• Follow-up: What level of control do I need over the translations, and does the plugin I’m considering offer this?

9. How will I handle customer support in multiple languages?

• Why ask this?: A translated website may attract customers from different linguistic backgrounds, and they will likely expect customer support in their preferred language. Determine whether you have the resources to provide multilingual support via chat, email, or phone.
• Follow-up: Do I have a plan to manage customer inquiries in multiple languages?

10. What impact will a multilingual website have on my site’s performance and UX?

• Why ask this?: Adding multiple languages to your WordPress website can affect its load time and user experience. Certain plugins may add extra strain to the website, making performance optimizations crucial for a good user experience.
• Follow-up: Does the translation plugin I choose work well with my hosting provider and current website performance settings?

11. Am I prepared for the legal and regulatory aspects of serving different markets?

• Why ask this?: Different countries have specific regulations about online content, privacy laws (such as GDPR in Europe), and accessibility standards. Translating your website may require compliance with additional local laws, which could increase complexity and costs.
• Follow-up: Do I need to consult legal experts to ensure my website complies with local regulations in each market?

12. What is my long-term content strategy for a multilingual website?

• Why ask this?: Before translating your site, it’s important to consider the long-term strategy for maintaining content in multiple languages. Plan for how new features, pages, or updates will be translated and integrated over time.
• Follow-up: How will I ensure consistency in tone, message, and quality across all language versions of my site?

By answering these questions, you can make an informed decision about whether translating your WordPress website is the right move for your business and ensure you choose the best solution for your needs and budget.

In today's globalised marketplace, having a multilingual website can significantly enhance a business's reach and engagement. The internet offers businesses a chance to connect with a global audience, but language barriers can limit a brand's ability to communicate effectively. Translating a website provides many benefits, including enhanced user experience, improved SEO, broader market reach, and the ability to build trust with diverse audiences. With advancements in AI-driven translation technologies, particularly for WordPress users, creating a multilingual site is easier and more cost-effective than ever.

Benefits of Translating a Website

1. Broader Market Reach
   One of the most significant advantages of translating a website is the opportunity to reach new markets. By offering content in multiple languages, businesses can expand beyond their local or national audience. Customers are more likely to engage with content in their native language, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Even if English is widely spoken, 75% of internet users prefer to purchase products in their native language.
2. Improved User Experience
   Offering content in multiple languages enhances the user experience by allowing visitors to interact with the website in the language they are most comfortable with. A localized experience builds trust, reduces bounce rates, and increases engagement. This is particularly important for industries like healthcare, legal, and e-commerce, where clear communication is crucial for user confidence.
3. Enhanced SEO
   Multilingual websites can improve search engine rankings. Google and other search engines favor content tailored to specific regions and languages. By offering translated versions of your website, you can improve visibility on local search engines, increase organic traffic, and outrank competitors in non-English speaking regions. In addition, multilingual SEO strategies, such as targeting specific keywords in each language, provide a significant competitive edge.
4. Brand Trust and Cultural Connection
   A business that offers its content in multiple languages demonstrates cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. This effort helps build trust with potential customers by showing that the company values diverse audiences. Localized content can also reflect regional customs and cultural preferences, making marketing messages more effective and relevant.

Translation Options for WordPress

WordPress, the world's most popular website platform, offers a variety of solutions for translating content, from simple plugins to advanced AI translation services. Here are a few key options available for WordPress:

1. Polylang
   Polylang is a free plugin that allows users to create multilingual WordPress websites easily. It supports manual translation of posts, pages, media, and more. With Polylang, businesses can create separate language versions of their content, providing full control over translations. For businesses seeking complete customization and precise control over their messaging, Polylang is a solid choice.
   This is the option we used for this latest project and has worked well.
2. WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin)
   WPML is one of the most popular premium WordPress translation plugins. It supports a wide variety of languages and integrates with WooCommerce for multilingual e-commerce stores. WPML provides both manual and automatic translation options, making it suitable for businesses that want flexibility. WPML is known for its user-friendly interface and robust support for multilingual SEO.
3. Weglot
   Weglot is a cloud-based translation service that integrates seamlessly with WordPress. Unlike Polylang and WPML, which require manual input, Weglot offers automatic translations. It translates all the content on the website, including text, media, and metadata, within minutes. Weglot’s translations can be edited manually for businesses that want more control. Its ease of use makes it a top choice for companies looking for quick, AI-powered translations.
4. GTranslate
   GTranslate uses Google Translate to provide automatic translations for WordPress websites. The plugin allows for both free and premium versions, with the premium version supporting more features like editing translations and SEO optimization. GTranslate is ideal for businesses looking for a low-cost, automated solution, but it may require more manual editing to ensure high-quality translations.

AI Machine Translations: The Role of DeepL and Others

AI translation tools like DeepL and Google Translate have revolutionized the translation industry. DeepL, in particular, has been praised for its superior accuracy and more human-like translations compared to other AI tools. For businesses, AI translation services offer speed and cost-efficiency, making them particularly attractive for small to medium-sized enterprises.

DeepL can integrate with WordPress through plugins like Weglot or TranslatePress, enabling businesses to leverage high-quality machine translation while maintaining the option for manual edits. While AI translations are not perfect and may require fine-tuning, they can dramatically reduce the time and cost of creating multilingual content.

In conclusion, translating a website is a valuable investment for any business looking to expand its reach, improve user experience, and enhance SEO. WordPress offers a variety of plugins to accommodate both manual and automated translations. With the rise of AI-driven tools like DeepL, businesses can now combine the speed of machine translation with the nuance of human input, resulting in high-quality, multilingual content that resonates with global audiences.

If you would like to talk to use further about your translation requirements, feel free to get in touch: