How to add and set up a multilingual website in WordPress?

Creating a multilingual website in WordPress is crucial if you want to reach users from different countries. In this step-by-step article, we’ll go over how to add and set up a multilingual version of your website.

Why create a multilingual website in WordPress?

With a multilingual WordPress website, you can increase traffic to your website, improve SEO, and build more trust with your audience. It will also allow you to reach a diverse audience from other countries.

Choosing the right plugin for multilingualism

WordPress does not offer a built-in multilingual feature, so it is necessary to use the right plugin. Here are some popular options:

1. Polylang – A free and easy-to-use plugin that allows you to create multilingual pages and posts.
2. WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) – An advanced, paid plugin with many features and technical support.
3. TranslatePress – A plugin that allows you to translate content directly from the visual editor.

Choosing a plugin depends on the needs of your website and the level of sophistication of the features you want to implement.

Polylang Installation and Configuration

Step 1: Installing the Polylang plugin

1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
2. Go to the Plugins > tab Add a new one.
3. Search for “Polylang” and click Install.
4. Once the installation is complete, click Enable.

Step 2: Add languages

1. Go to Languages in the admin panel.
2. Click Add new language, select a language from the list, and then click Add new language.
3. Repeat this step for each language you want to add.

Step 3: Translate your content

1. Go to Pages or Posts.
2. Select the page or post you want to translate.
3. In the editor panel, you’ll notice a flag icon symbolizing the available languages. Click the icon to add a translation.
4. Enter your translated content and click Publish.

Language visibility and language switcher settings

To add a language switcher to your page:

1. Go to Appearance > Widgets.
2. Add the Language Switcher widget to the appropriate area (e.g. main menu, footer).
3. Save your changes.

SEO optimization for a multilingual website

To improve the SEO of your multilingual website, take care of the following:

1. URL structure – Use readable URLs with language tags (e.g. example.com/pl/ or example.com/en/).
2. Hreflang tags – Plugins like Polylang or WPML automatically add hreflang tags to let search engines know about language versions.
3. Metadata Translation – Make sure you translate titles, descriptions, and keywords for each language version.

Summary

Adding and setting up a multilingual WordPress website is relatively simple with the right plugins like Polylang or WPML. A multilingual website will help you reach a global audience and improve your search engine rankings. Remember to optimize SEO for each language version to get the most out of your website.