In today’s digitally connected world, geographical boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. Businesses are no longer confined to local markets, and online visibility has become synonymous with global reach. This presents a significant opportunity for those willing to embrace a multilingual approach.
A multilingual website, as the term suggests, is a website that offers content in multiple languages. This simple yet powerful strategy can be a game-changer for businesses aiming to expand their reach and engage a diverse, international audience. By providing content in their native language, you create a more inclusive and welcoming online experience for potential customers around the world.
Wix, a leading website building platform, understands the importance of catering to a global audience. To empower its users in creating multilingual websites seamlessly, Wix offers a dedicated solution: Wix Multilingual. This powerful tool simplifies the process of translating your website content, allowing you to unlock new markets and reach customers in their preferred languages.
Table of Contents
- Getting Started with Wix Multilingual
- Wix Multilingual Features and Benefits
- Managing and Customizing Your Multilingual Site
- Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started with Wix Multilingual
Embarking on your multilingual Wix website journey is surprisingly straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:
Step 1: Accessing Wix Multilingual
- Log in to your Wix account: Begin by logging in to your Wix account and navigating to your website’s dashboard.
- Visit the Wix App Market: Locate and click on the “App Market” tab, usually found on the left-hand side of your dashboard.
- Search for Wix Multilingual: In the App Market’s search bar, type in “Wix Multilingual” and click on the app when it appears.
Step 2: Adding Wix Multilingual to Your Site
- Click “Add to Site”: Once you’ve opened the Wix Multilingual app page, click the “Add to Site” button. This action will install the app onto your website.
- Confirm the Addition: A pop-up may appear, prompting you to confirm the app installation. Click “Add” or “Confirm” to proceed.
Step 3: Setting Up Your Main Language
- Language Selection: After successfully adding the app, you’ll be guided through a setup process. The first step will be to confirm your website’s main language. Choose the language in which the majority of your existing content is written.
- Flag Selection: Select the appropriate flag to visually represent your chosen language. For instance, if your main language is English and your target market is the United States, you would choose the US flag.
Step 4: Adding Secondary Languages
- Click “+ Add Language”: To introduce additional languages to your website, click on the “+ Add Language” button, usually found below the main language settings.
- Language Selection: A dropdown menu will appear, showcasing a comprehensive list of available languages. Select the language you want to add.
- Visibility Settings: Decide whether you want to make the newly added language immediately visible to visitors or keep it hidden until it’s fully translated. Wix Multilingual offers this flexibility.
- Translation Method: Choose between “Automatic” or “Manual” translation for the newly added language. Automatic translation leverages machine translation to quickly translate your content. Manual translation gives you full control over the translation process.
Wix Multilingual Features and Benefits
Wix Multilingual is packed with features designed to simplify the creation and management of your multilingual website. Let’s explore some of the key features and their benefits:
Automatic Translation:
- Machine Translation Integration: This feature leverages the power of machine translation to automatically translate your website content. This means that as soon as you add a new language, Wix Multilingual gets to work, swiftly translating your text, headings, and other site elements.
- Time-Saving Solution: Automatic translation is a significant time-saver, eliminating the need to manually translate every single word. This feature is particularly beneficial for websites with a large volume of content.
- Word Credit System: Wix Multilingual provides a certain number of free word credits for automatic translation. If you need to translate a large amount of content exceeding this limit, you can explore affordable package options to purchase additional credits.
Manual Translation & the Translation Manager:
- Translation Manager Dashboard: Wix Multilingual offers a centralized dashboard called the Translation Manager, where you can efficiently manage all your translations.
- Manual Translation Option: While automatic translation is convenient, it’s not always perfectly accurate or suitable for every type of content. Wix allows you to manually translate or edit any automatically translated text, ensuring accuracy and cultural relevance.
- Editing Capabilities: The Translation Manager provides a user-friendly interface to edit and refine your translations. You can replace automated translations, add missing words or phrases, and ensure your content sounds natural and engaging in every language.
Customizable Language Menu:
- Automatic Menu Addition: A user-friendly feature of Wix Multilingual is the automatic addition of a language selection menu to your website. This menu provides a clear and intuitive way for visitors to switch between the available language versions.
- Flexible Layout Options: Wix gives you control over how your language menu is displayed. You can choose from various layout options, including dropdown menus, horizontal lists, or even custom button placements.
- Display Customization: Beyond the layout, you can customize how the languages are presented within the menu. You can opt to display flags only, language abbreviations (e.g., EN, ES, FR), full language names, or a combination of these elements.
- Design and Animation: To ensure your language menu aligns seamlessly with your website’s design, Wix Multilingual allows for design customization. You can adjust colors, fonts, and even add subtle animations to the menu, making it visually appealing and engaging.
SEO Optimization for Global Reach:
- Importance of Multilingual SEO: Creating a multilingual website is just the first step; ensuring it ranks well in search engines for your target languages is crucial. This is where multilingual Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into play.
- Separate SEO Settings: Wix Multilingual empowers you to optimize each language version of your website independently. This means you can tailor your SEO strategy based on the specific keywords and search trends for each target language.
- Meta Descriptions and Keywords: You can craft unique meta descriptions and assign relevant keywords for each language version, making your website more discoverable to the right audience.
- URL Structure Options: Wix Multilingual offers different URL structure options for your language versions:
- Subdirectories: This structure uses a folder-like approach (e.g., www.example.com/en/, www.example.com/es/).
- Subdomains: This structure uses language-specific subdomains (e.g., en.example.com, es.example.com).
- Language Parameters: This structure adds a language parameter to the URL (e.g., www.example.com/?lang=en, www.example.com/?lang=es).
Each structure has its own advantages and considerations, and Wix provides the flexibility to choose the most suitable option for your website.
Managing and Customizing Your Multilingual Site
With your languages added and Wix Multilingual set up, you can further customize your site’s multilingual experience:
Content Translation Best Practices:
- Clarity and Cultural Relevance: Strive for clear, natural-sounding translations that resonate with the target culture.
- Localize Beyond Language: Go beyond translating words – adapt images, dates, currencies, and even color schemes to match regional preferences.
- Review Automated Translations: Treat machine translations as a starting point, always double-checking for accuracy and making edits for a natural flow.
- Professional Translation: For content that requires absolute accuracy and cultural sensitivity (legal, technical, etc.), professional translation is advised.
Manual Translation Options:
- Use Translation Tools Wisely: Google Translate or similar tools can aid in understanding the gist of a text but shouldn’t be solely relied upon for final website content.
- Hire Professional Translators: For high-quality, culturally appropriate translations, especially for marketing materials or crucial website sections, consider hiring professionals.
- Collaborate with Native Speakers: If possible, involve native speakers of your target languages to review translations, ensuring they accurately reflect local nuances and terminology.
Testing and Publishing:
- Thorough Testing is Crucial: Never skip thorough testing of each language version of your site. Check for broken links, layout inconsistencies, and ensure the language switching functionality works smoothly.
- Preview All Language Versions: Navigate through your website as if you were a visitor using each language. This helps identify any hidden issues or areas for improvement.
- Welcome User Feedback: Once your multilingual site is live, actively encourage feedback from your international audience to further enhance their experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my site’s main language after I’ve set it up?
No, the initial choice of the main language in Wix Multilingual cannot be altered later. If you need to change your main language, you’ll need to rebuild your site with the desired language as the primary one from the start.
Is it possible to have different currencies displayed based on the selected language?
As of now, Wix Multilingual doesn’t support language-specific currency displays. Any change to your default currency setting will be reflected across all language versions of your website.
Can I send email notifications to users in their preferred language?
Yes, you can translate the content of email notifications sent from your Wix website. If a user has chosen a specific language, they will receive emails from your site in their preferred language, enhancing user experience and engagement.
What types of content are not automatically translated by Wix Multilingual?
While Wix Multilingual automatically translates a vast amount of content, certain elements often require manual translation due to their dynamic nature or the need for a more nuanced, human touch. These include:
- Contact Forms: Fields in contact forms are often dynamic and might not be accurately captured during automatic translation.
- Product Descriptions and Information: Persuasive and engaging product descriptions often benefit from human translation to accurately convey brand voice and product benefits.
- Blog Posts: Blog content, with its conversational style and potentially complex topics, usually requires human review and translation to ensure accurate meaning and engagement.
By following these steps and leveraging the capabilities of Wix Multilingual, you can effectively create a website that transcends linguistic barriers and resonates with a global audience. This, in turn, can lead to increased brand visibility, stronger customer relationships, and ultimately, greater business success in the international arena.