Today's modern society witnesses the continuous growth, expansion, and rapid interconnection of the human race like never before. With just a click or tap, you can delve into the life and legacy of individuals who lived centuries ago. It's truly awe-inspiring to contemplate.
However, this enhanced connectivity also brings forth the challenge of language barriers. Despite crafting content in English, research indicates that only 20% of the global population is proficient in the language, rendering your website inaccessible to the remaining 80%, which amounts to approximately 6.6 billion people.
To address this issue, it's essential to develop your next website as a multilingual platform that caters to a global audience, or at least your target demographic. But how can you accomplish this? What hurdles and achievements must you navigate, and what functionalities should your website incorporate?
To kickstart this journey, here's a comprehensive guide encompassing all the essential information you need.
Commencing the Process
Initially, prior to commencing website construction, focus on the content itself. Translation is paramount. While tools like Google Translate are continually advancing and updating, they may not deliver the professional touch you seek. Ideally, engaging a human translator to refine and adapt your content is recommended. Numerous options are available for this.
You could opt for translation agencies like International Translating or Big Assignments to handle the translation on your behalf, provided it fits your budget. If dealing with extensive content, this approach can be costly, necessitating alternative solutions, such as hiring a long-term freelancer from Upwork or Uk writings.
If you opt for self-translation or plan to do so, remember to thoroughly proofread your content to maintain a professional image. Recent data reveals that59% of individuals distrust a company or service with website errors. Therefore, meticulous proofreading and editing are crucial for your business reputation.
Integrating Language Switching Features
Every multilingual website must offer users the ability to switch between languages. Typically, websites utilize a conventional drop-down menu prominently displayed in the header or footer for this purpose.
While the placement of this feature is flexible, ensure its immediate visibility upon page loading, as visitors will likely seek language options promptly.
Additionally, consider incorporating flag icons in the drop-down menu. Although visually appealing, this approach presents challenges, as flags represent countries, not languages, and many nations have multiple official languages.
Lastly, refer to each language in its native form for clear identification. For instance, German should be denoted as 'Deutsch,' French as 'Français,' and Spanish as 'Español.'
Evaluating Readability
While selecting fonts for your website, you may have chosen one that enhances readability for English readers. However, ensure that the font remains legible when displaying other languages.
Translator Sarah Stanford from Paper Fellows emphasizes...
“One common issue encountered by multilingual websites is selecting a fine, relatively small font that may become illegible when translated, especially with certain language symbols like the 'n' in 'Español.'”
To address this concern, verify your character encoding, typically located in the page header. Unicode, particularly UTF-8, is recommended for supporting multiple languages and preserving readability.
Considering Reading Direction
Many misconceptions exist regarding language reading directions. While most languages read from left to right (LTR), scripts dictate the reading direction. For instance, Arabic script reads from right to left (RTL), contrasting with European languages.
Although the majority read LTR, accommodating RTL readers necessitates mirroring website pages entirely, encompassing all elements.
Therefore, menus, icons, navigation layout, buttons, and even scrollbars must be mirrored to align with the reversed reading direction. Various online resources offer simple coding solutions tailored to your website's development framework.
Customizing Your Website URL
Consider the URL structure when switching languages on your website. Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) correspond to specific nations; for instance, .fr signifies France, and .es denotes Spain.
Customizing URLs is crucial for search engine optimization, aiding users in locating relevant content efficiently. While this adjustment may impact your budget, the long-term benefits outweigh the costs.
For detailed guidance on implementing ccTLDs, subdomains, and subdirectories, refer to this Google guide.
Establishing a Multilingual E-commerce Platform
If your website focuses on product sales rather than content, specific considerations are essential. Evaluate whether all products are available in regions targeted for sales. Adjust product availability based on language, depending on your chosen platform.
SEO expert Tom Dewis from Ox Essays emphasizes,
“Consider the currency options for your customers. Product prices must automatically convert based on the selected language or offer a user-friendly currency selection feature.”
Additionally, review shipping and delivery policies to align with language-specific regions. Clearly communicate product availability in various languages within your terms and conditions.
Attention to Cultural Nuances
Respect cultural differences when translating content to avoid offending individuals. Be mindful of diverse perspectives on topics like humor, sexuality, gender equality, and symbolism across cultures.
For interactive website elements such as Captchas, ensure they are available in multiple languages, not solely in English. Similarly, when incorporating citations, tools like Cite It In can assist in maintaining accuracy across languages.
Finalizing Content Preparation
As your multilingual website nears completion, focus on refining content to ensure readiness for publication. Verify accurate translation through tools like Easy Word Count, comparing original and translated word counts to ensure completeness.
Additionally, check translated content for plagiarism to prevent breaches. Utilize plagiarism detection services such as Academized or Plagium to ensure originality and compliance.
Concluding Remarks
Designing and constructing a multilingual website entails numerous considerations tailored to your website's purpose, industry, and target audience. This guide covers essential aspects to provide a solid foundation for creating a successful multilingual website.
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