When setting up a new WordPress website, most people only think about creating it in one language, English, ignoring the fact that your visitors come from different countries and speak different languages, and they prefer to view content in their native language.
Ignoring this can be a costly mistake. If visitors can’t understand your content, they are more likely to leave your site quickly. On the other hand, when you offer content in multiple languages, you make it easier for people to read, understand, and connect with your business.
Today, we’ll talk about multilingual websites – what they are, why they matter, their benefits, and how to create one using multilingual plugins.
What is a Multilingual WordPress Website?
A multilingual website is simply a website that offers content in more than one language. Instead of having just English.
For example, you have an online store that not only speaks in English but also has Spanish, French, German, or any other language your visitors speak, so everyone can understand what you’re selling.
Why Are Multilingual Websites Important?
Here are some important facts:
- Only 25% of internet users speak English as their first language
- 75% of people prefer to buy products in their own language
- 60% of people rarely or never buy from English-only websites
This means if your website is only in one language, you might be missing out on many potential customers.
Let’s understand this-:
Imagine a travel agency in France promotes holiday packages to different countries. Tourists from Germany, Italy, or Japan may want to book, but they don’t know French, but the website is only in French, so they struggle to understand the offers, prices, and booking conditions.
With a multilingual website, the agency can show the same packages in multiple languages, making it easy for international visitors to book trips confidently without worrying about misunderstanding important details like cancellation policies or what’s covered in the price.
Till now, you must have understood about a multilingual website and a little bit about why it is important. Now, let’s discuss about its benefits in detail.
Benefits of Having a Multilingual Website
1. Reach More People Around the World
A website in one language automatically limits who can fully understand it. By adding more languages, you open the doors to completely new audiences. For example, adding Spanish doesn’t just make your website useful for people in Spain. It also makes it accessible to visitors from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and more than 20 other Spanish-speaking countries.
This means your business is no longer tied to just one market, you can start reaching people across continents. The more languages you add, the larger your global presence becomes, even without opening physical offices in those countries.
2. Build Trust with Your Customers
Trust is one of the most important factors in business. If visitors land on your site but struggle to understand the language, they may feel uncertain or even leave. On the other hand, when they see your content in their own language, they immediately feel more comfortable.
It sends a clear message that you care about them. This emotional connection builds trust and makes customers more willing to interact with your brand, subscribe to your services, or complete a purchase.
3. Get Ahead of Your Competition
Most websites are still available in only one language. If your competitors only offer English but you provide English, Spanish, and Portuguese, you instantly stand out. This small step can give you an advantage, especially when targeting international markets.
4. Improve Search Engine Visibility
Search engines like Google try to match people’s searches with the most relevant content. If someone searches in French, a French version of your site is far more likely to show up than an English-only page.
This is why multilingual websites perform better in search results. You’re not just competing for one language, you’re competing in several. As a result, more people can find your website without you having to spend extra money on advertising. It’s a long-term benefit that keeps attracting visitors naturally.
5. Boost Sales and Revenue
When people clearly understand what you’re offering, they are more confident about buying. If your website shows product descriptions, prices, and checkout pages in a visitor’s language, the whole buying process feels smooth and trustworthy. This can directly increase your sales.
6. Enhance Customer Experience
Good customer experience is about making things easy and enjoyable. When your website is available in a visitor’s language, they don’t have to guess, translate, or struggle to understand your content.
Instead, they can focus on exploring your products or services. They will spend more time on your website, feel more confident about their choices, and are more likely to come back again. A positive browsing experience often leads to loyal, repeat customers.
Now that we have discussed everything about a multilingual website, but how to create one?
How to Create Multilingual WordPress Websites?
I know it is not easy to create and manage a multilingual WordPress website. There are lots of reasons why people avoid translating website, because of cost, complexity, and more.
But modern translation tools make it affordable and easy. You can start with just one additional language and add more as your business grows. Many can translate your entire website automatically, and you can edit translations later.
- Know Your Audience: Look at your website statistics to see which countries your visitors come from. Start by adding the languages spoken in those countries.
- Start Small: You don’t need to translate everything at once. Begin with:
- Your main homepage
- Product or service pages
- Contact information
- Important policies
- Use Translation Tools: Choose the translation plugin to start translating your WordPress website automatically.
Tip: There are lots of translation tools that you can use to translate your website in minutes. Check the top ones here.
So, having a multilingual WordPress website isn’t just nice, instead, it’s necessary for growth. Whether you run a small local business or a large company, speaking your customers’ languages will bring you more visitors, increase your sales, build stronger customer relationships, give you an advantage over competitors, and help your business grow internationally.
