If you want to reach customers abroad or address international partners, you need a website in several languages. A good multilingual website is more than a translate button. It is built so that visitors and search engines can clearly find every language.
Every language gets its own addresses
Each page should have its own URL in every language, for example /kontakt/ in German and /en/contact/ in English. That way search engines can show both versions separately, and visitors can share links in their language.
Translating means adapting
Texts should not be transferred word for word. Terms, examples and tone differ from market to market. Machine translations are a good draft but should be checked by someone who knows the language and the industry.
Make switching languages easy
The language switch belongs clearly visible in the header and should lead directly to the same page in the other language, not back to the home page. Forms, confirmations and emails should also appear in the selected language.
SEO for every language
Page titles, descriptions and image texts are written separately for each language. Search terms often differ more than expected. What people search for in German is not always a literal translation in English.
Plan for maintenance
The biggest challenge comes after launch: new content has to be maintained in all languages. Decide who translates and how quickly new pages appear in the second language. Fewer pages that are fully maintained are better than many half-translated ones.
We build multilingual websites with a clear structure and easy maintenance. Learn more about our services or send an enquiry.