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Creating a WordPress Dual Language Site

As the internet continues to connect people from around the world, it’s important to consider the diversity of languages spoken by potential website visitors.

By creating a multilingual website, you can expand your reach to new audiences and increase engagement with current visitors who may prefer a different language.

In this article, we’ll explore the best practices and plugins for creating a multilingual WordPress site.

Creating a WordPress Dual Language Site
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Best Practices for a Multilingual WordPress Site

Before we dive into the technical aspects of creating a multilingual site, let’s discuss some best practices to keep in mind throughout the process.

  • Plan Ahead: Before you start creating a multilingual site, make sure you have a clear plan in place. Determine which languages you want to translate your site into and consider the implications for your content, design, and functionality.
  • Use a Plugin: While it's possible to create a multilingual site manually, using a plugin will save you time and ensure that your site is set up correctly. We'll discuss some popular multilingual plugins later in this article.
  • Use a Language Switcher: A language switcher allows visitors to easily switch between different language versions of your site. Make sure it's prominently displayed on your site to make it easy for visitors to navigate.
  • Translate All Content: To provide a robust multilingual experience, it's important to translate all content on your site, including pages, posts, menus, and widgets.
  • Consider Multilingual SEO: Multilingual SEO involves optimizing your site to rank well in search engines for different languages. Consider using a plugin or working with an SEO expert to ensure your site is optimized for all languages.

Plugins for Creating a Multilingual WordPress Site

Now that we’ve discussed some best practices for creating a multilingual site, let’s explore some popular multilingual plugins for WordPress.
wpml logo

Best WordPress Translation Plugin for Content Sites

Visit WPML

WPML

WPML is a popular paid plugin for creating a multilingual WordPress site. It allows you to translate all content on your site and includes features like language switchers, SEO optimization, and the ability to connect with translation services.
Weglot

Translate Your Website in Minutes

Try Weglot Free

Weglot

Weglot is a paid plugin that automatically translates your entire site using machine translation. It includes a language switcher, SEO optimization, and the ability to manually edit translations.
conveythis_logo

Translator of Websites

Try Conveythis

Conveythis

Conveythis is a freemium plugin that allows you to create a multilingual WordPress site with unlimited languages. It includes features like a language switcher, the ability to translate posts, pages, and categories, and compatibility with popular WordPress plugins.
Translatepress

WordPress translation plugin that anyone can use

Try Translatepress Free

Translatepress

TranslatePress is a freemium plugin that allows you to translate all content on your site using a visual translation interface. It includes a language switcher, SEO optimization, and the ability to translate both front-end and back-end content.
gtranslate

Translate your Website

Visit Gtranslate

Gtranslate

GTranslate is a free plugin that uses Google Translate to automatically translate your site into multiple languages. It includes a language switcher and compatibility with popular WordPress plugins.

How to Translate Your WordPress Site

Once you’ve selected a multilingual plugin for your site, it’s time to start translating your content. Here’s a general overview of the steps involved:

  • Install and activate the multilingual plugin of your choice.
  • Set up the language versions of your site using the plugin's settings.
  • Translate all content on your site, including pages, posts, menus, and widgets, using the plugin's interface.
  • Set up a language switcher on your site to allow visitors to easily switch between language versions.
  • Consider multilingual SEO optimization using a plugin or working with an SEO expert.

It’s important to note that translating your site using a plugin is not the same as a professional translation service. 

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