As companies widen their operations to the world, reaching out to global populations becomes imperative. One of the best ways to achieve this is by providing a multilingual website that offers content in various languages. A multilingual website not only increases user experience but also boosts search engine rankings, enhances engagement, and gains credibility among various audiences.
WordPress, the most widely used content management system, has a number of solutions for adding multilingual support. Two of the most commonly used plugins are WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) and Polylang. Both of these plug-ins simplify adding more than one language to your website without the need for high-level technical knowledge.
In this post, we are going to cover the need for multilingual support, WPML vs Polylang, and how to pick the most suitable plugin for your company needs.
Why Multilingual Support is Critical for WordPress Sites
Expanding Global Reach
Companies that seek to have international customers need to present content in different languages. Having a website with multiple languages means that customers from various areas can view and interpret information in their own language, leading to more engagement.
Improving SEO Rankings
Search engines like Google prefer websites that cater to multilingual communities. By implementing multilingual SEO tactics, such as hreflang tags and geo-targeted keyword optimization, businesses can improve their ranking in different regions as well as increase their organic traffic.
Enhancing User Experience
Travelers prefer reading websites written in their native language. If users find content that resonates with them linguistically, they are more likely to stay on the site, navigate through different pages, and engage with their content, reducing bounce rates.
Boosting Conversion Rates
A site that effectively speaks the native language of a user helps establish trust. When users are at ease with the content, they tend to respond more readily, be it making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or completing a contact form.
Competitive Advantage
In a digitized global economy, companies providing multilingual customer support are one step ahead of their counterparts without it. Having a localized site reflects dedication towards catering to global customers and supports brand trust.
WPML vs. Polylang: Choosing the Right Multilingual Plugin
When it comes to implementing multilingual functionality in a WordPress site, WPML and Polylang are among the most used plugins. Both have their features, strengths, and best uses. Here’s a comparison to assist you in determining which is best for your needs.
WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin)
WPML is a high-end, professional-grade plugin for full multilingual support. It offers a professional system for translation management and supports all WordPress themes and plugins.
Main Features:
- Supports over 60 languages with the facility to add custom languages.
- Compliant with WooCommerce, so perfect for eCommerce websites.
- Automatic and manual translations are provided.
- SEO friendly with multilingual sitemaps and proper use of hreflang tags.
- Translation management features are provided for large websites.
- Pricing: WPML is a paid plugin with a cost of $39 per year.
Best For: Companies, eCommerce websites, and websites that require high-end multilingual support with seamless integration.
Polylang
Polylang is a simple and adaptable multilingual plugin available in free and paid versions. It’s the best for small to medium sites that want a basic solution for adding more than one language.
Key Features:
- Permits users to write content in various languages manually.
- Compatible with the majority of WordPress themes and plugins.
- Offers SEO-friendly functionality, such as compatibility with Yoast SEO.
- Compliant with custom language switchers for improved user navigation.
- Free version available with basic multilingual functionality.
- Price: Polylang has a free version, and the premium version costs €99 per year.
Best For: Small business owners, bloggers, and startups who need a cost-effective multilingual solution.
How to Add Multilingual Support to Your WordPress Website
Installing a multilingual plugin is an easy process. To integrate multiple language support on your WordPress site, follow these steps:
Step 1: Select the Right Plugin
Make a decision on whether WPML or Polylang suits your requirements. WPML is suitable for businesses and e-commerce sites that need advanced features, whereas Polylang is more appropriate for small sites and bloggers who want a free or affordable solution.
Step 2: Install and Activate the Plugin
After selecting a plugin, download it from the WordPress plugin repository or the original developer’s website. Upon installation, activate the plugin to proceed with the multilingual settings.
Step 3: Language Settings Setup
Install the default language on your website and include other languages you wish to support. Most multilingual plugins support adding flags or dropdown menus to easily switch between languages.
Step 4: Translate Content
Begin translating your website content, such as pages, posts, menus, categories, widgets, and custom post types. You can either translate manually or use automatic translation services depending on the plugin.
Step 5: Multilingual SEO Optimization
Make your website SEO multilingual best practice-compliant. Apply hreflang tags to notify search engines of language differences, create multilingual sitemaps, and employ local keywords for enhanced visibility.
Step 6: Test and Publish
Prior to publishing the site live, verify the translations for accuracy. Go through various language versions, review for formatting errors, and ensure all content is translated correctly. After everything is ready, deploy your multilingual site.
Conclusion
A multilingual WordPress site is a strong support base for connecting to global audience engagement, search engine optimization optimization, and optimizing the use experience. By virtue of a plugin for a multilingual WordPress such as WPML or Polylang, enterprises have the opportunity to deliver a deeper engagement to consumers worldwide.
WPML is appropriate for companies with a need for a feature-loaded, professional-class translation solution but that are smaller sites can save money with the lightweight alternative presented by Polylang. With whatever plugin you decide to install, adding support for multiple languages will make your WordPress site grow worldwide and turn into a top player on the global market.
