In brief:
In the digital age we live in today, having a multilingual website is crucial for businesses. Multilingual websites have the potential to transform your business and will become increasingly important from a competitive perspective. The benefits of having a multilingual website include reaching a larger audience, reducing bounce rates and improving conversion rates, establishing a competitive advantage, optimising for international search engines, being customer-centric, cost-efficient marketing, and improving brand image.
A website that is available in multiple languages can expand your reach to new markets and customers that you may not have had access to before. It’s important to make sure your website is translated into all of the languages your customers speak in order to provide them with the best user experience possible.
In a global market, territorial boundaries are no longer barriers to business. The internet has made it possible for businesses to transcend borders and reach customers anywhere in the world. However, to tap into this vast market potential, business owners must overcome the language barrier by creating multilingual websites.
What is a multi-language website?
A multilingual website is a website that is available in multiple languages. This can help businesses reach new customers who speak different languages than they do. It also helps businesses to be more customer-centric by making sure their customers can access the website in their own language.
Having multilingual websites makes it easier for users to understand the content and navigate the site without having to use an automatic translation service or switch languages manually. This not only increases user engagement but also helps boost conversion rates, as users are more likely to complete purchases or take other desired actions when they understand the content.
8 reasons why you need a multilingual website
Here are 8 reasons why multilingual websites are essential for businesses today.
1. Reach a wider audience:
A multilingual website gives you the opportunity to target customers in multiple markets around the world. This not only expands your customer base but also helps you establish a global presence for your brand.
2. Boosts SEO rankings:
Adding new languages to your website can help you rank higher for search queries in those languages. This is because search engines like Google take into account factors such as region and language when determining search results.
3. Improves conversion rates:
Customers are more likely to make a purchase on a website that is in their own language. A study by Common Sense Advisory found that 72% of consumers are more likely to buy a product online if the site is available in their own language.
4. Enhances credibility:
By providing content in multiple languages, you are sending the message that your company is credible, professional and dedicated to meeting the needs of an international audience.
5. Facilitates communication:
A multilingual website allows you to communicate directly with your customers in their own language. This helps build trust and strengthens relationships with customers around the world.
6. Reduces costs:
A multilingual website allows you to communicate directly with your customers in their own language. This helps build trust and strengthens relationships with customers around the world.
7. Streamlines management:
Once you have created a multilingual website, managing translations can be streamlined using Translation Management Systems (TMS). These systems allow you to manage all your translations from one central platform, making it easier to keep track of updates and ensure consistency across all your translated content.
8. Increases sales:
Ultimately, the goal of any business is to increase sales and grow revenue. A multilingual website can help you achieve this goal by giving you access to new markets around the world and increasing your conversion rates among international audiences
Mathilde Pons
French translator (EN to FR) | Content Writer
I’m a bilingual translator with over 5 years of experience, specialising in translations from French to English and vice versa. I have a keen eye for detail and a knack for delivering high-quality translations that are both accurate and natural. I’m also experienced in SEO translation, which means I can help you make your website or audiovisual content more visible to French-speaking audiences.
Things to keep in mind when making a multilingual website
Making a website that caters to multiple languages can be a daunting task. Not only do you have to worry about the technical aspects of creating a multilingual site, but you also need to consider the cultural nuances of each language. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making a multilingual website:
First and foremost, you need to make sure that your website can actually support multiple languages. This means ensuring that your web hosting, domain, and CMS are all set up to handle multiple languages. Once that’s taken care of, you need to start translating your content. This is where things can get tricky, as you not only have to worry about translating the words themselves, but also making sure that the meaning is conveyed accurately. It’s also important to consider the cultural context of each language when translating. For example, some idiomatic expressions may not translate well literally, so it’s important to find equivalent expressions in each language.
Finally, don’t forget about localising your design. This includes everything from the images and videos on your site to the layout and navigation. By keeping these things in mind, you can create a multilingual website that is culturally sensitive and user-friendly.
My top 3 multilingual websites
IKEA
As a polyglot, I’m always interested in how companies handle marketing in multiple languages. IKEA is a great example of a company that does it right. Not only do they have a multilingual website, but they also make an effort to localise their marketing efforts. This means that even though the jokes in their ads may only work in English, they put in the extra effort to make sure that their French audience can still enjoy them. As a result, I think that IKEA’s marketing is more effective than many of their competitors.
McDonald's
McDonald’s is another multilingual website that stands out. Not only do they have a multilingual website, but they also localise their content to the different markets they operate in. This includes everything from their menu offerings to their restaurants’ designs. As a result, McDonald’s has been able to successfully establish itself as an international brand and maintain a consistent presence across multiple markets.
Airbnb
Finally, I’d like to mention Airbnb as a multilingual website. Not only do they have websites in 18 different languages, but they also offer multilingual customer support and localised listings for each market. Additionally, their platform is designed with multilingual users in mind, with features like automatic translation and multilingual search. This makes it easy for users from around the world to find what they’re looking for, no matter where they are.
In conclusion:
A multilingual website can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to expand their reach and connect with customers from all over the world. By translating your content into multiple languages and localising your design, you can create a website that is not only user-friendly but also culturally sensitive. When it comes to making a multilingual website, it’s important to keep in mind the cultural nuances of each language and to take care when translating content. With the right tools and planning, you can create a multilingual website that will help your business grow internationally.
Reference Sources
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