In today's globalized world, creating a multilingual website is an important step for attracting and retaining an international audience. However, beyond just translating content, there are other factors to consider, such as SEO.
The specialists at GeniuStudio have decided to share the best practices and tools for multilingual websites that are fully optimized for search engines.
Choosing the Right URL Structure
This is one of the first steps when creating a multilingual website. For SEO, it is recommended to use either subdomains (ua.example.com, eu.example.com) or subdirectories (example.com/ua, example.com/eu). Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, so the choice depends on your business and website specifics.
Proper Meta Tags
This is a key SEO element for each page of your multilingual website. Make sure that all pages have unique meta tags, including title and description in the relevant language. Use keywords and phrases tailored to the region to increase your website’s visibility in search engines.
HTML Language Attributes
To indicate the language of content on your multilingual website, use HTML attributes. For example, set the "lang" attribute for each content block or element on the page. This will help search engines correctly recognize the language and display the resource in relevant search results.
Content Localization
Simply translating content is not always enough for successful SEO optimization of a multilingual website. It also involves adapting the pages to the specific culture and preferences of the target audience. This includes using appropriate keywords, formatting dates and times, currencies, and units of measurement.
Using Hreflang
Hreflang is an HTML attribute that allows search engines to understand which version of the page should be shown to users of a specific language or region. Make sure to include hreflang on each page of your multilingual website. This helps search engines properly index and display the correct version in the results.
Tools for Multilingual Websites
To monitor the ranking of your multilingual website, there are several useful tools.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides many helpful tools for SEO optimization. It even includes an hreflang feature to manage different language versions on your website.
SEMrush
This is a great tool for keyword research, competitor analysis, and tracking the rankings of your multilingual website in search engines.
DeepL
This plugin is one of the best online translators. It can help you produce more accurate and high-quality content for localizing your multilingual website.
Overall, creating such a website requires not only translating the pages but also considering SEO optimization for each language version. By following best practices and using the right tools, you can achieve better visibility for your website in search engines and attract a target audience from various countries and regions.
