How to Build a Multilingual WordPress Website

Do you wish to build a multilingual WordPress website? If yes, there is a solution for you when using WordPress. The case is the same if all you need is to translate your website into a multiple language one. But how do you go about this?

Choose a multilingual plugin

The first step is obviously to choose the right multilingual plugin. There are so many plugins you can use but not all of them are reliable. The best plugin to use to build a multilingual WordPress website is one that makes it easy to manage translations without unnecessary difficulty. The best plugins so far are:

  • TranslatePress
  • WPML
  • Polylang

Creating multilingual website using TranslatePress

This is without any doubt one of the best plugins you can use on the market. With most plugins, you will have to create your posts in multiple languages in order for the plugin to translate. This is not the case with TranslatePress. The plugin enables you to create translations at the same time. There is also a live editor to help translate the visual aspects of your WordPress website. You can also combine human and machine translations with TranslatePress.

Creating multilingual website using WPML

This is one of the oldest plugins for creating a multilingual website. You first need to install and activate this plugin. After installation, click on the ‘WPML’ label. You will be directed to the plugin’s settings wizard. WPML will detect the language of your website automatically. You can then select the languages you want your website to be translated to. With WPML, you will be able to translate your pages, posts, tags, themes and categories into any language you want.  

Creating multilingual website using Polylang

This is a free WordPress multilingual plugin that has over 500,000 active installs. It makes it easy for you to build a multilingual WordPress website without buying a premium version. You need to install and activate the Polylang plugin then go to Languages>>Languages page to configure it. Add a default language and select all the languages you would want your website to be translated into. With polylang you will be able to translate the web content, categories, tags as well as custom taxonomies.

Having a multilingual WordPress website offers many benefits. Being able to serve the same content in multiple languages will help expand your market reach. Plugins also save you a lot of time and money because you don’t have to do the translation manually. Finding the right translation plugin and configuring it properly is the most important thing you should do.

Build a multilingual WordPress website