Complete guide to creating a multilingual site on WordPress or PrestaShop

Introduction

These days, it's more important than ever to have an online presence that's accessible to an international audience. A multilingual website allows you to reach customers all over the world, increase your visibility and boost your sales. Fortunately, two popular website-building platforms, WordPress and PrestaShop, offer native functionality and third-party extensions to easily create a multilingual website. In this comprehensive article, we'll take you step-by-step through the necessary steps to create a multilingual website on WordPress and PrestaShop.

Choosing the right platform

Before you start, it's important to choose the platform that best suits your needs. WordPress is an excellent choice for content-driven websites such as blogs, news sites and portfolios. It's easy to use, customisable and offers a wide range of extensions to extend its functionality. PrestaShop is a dedicated e-commerce platform designed specifically for creating online shops. It offers powerful features for managing products, payments and shipping.

Configuring WordPress for a multilingual website

1. Install the multilingual plugin:There are several popular plugins that can help you make your WordPress site multilingual. Some of the most popular options include WPML, Polylang and TranslatePress.
2. Add languages:Once the plugin is installed, you can add the languages you want to use on your site. The plugin will guide you through this process and allow you to configure the specific settings for each language.
3. Translate content:The plugin will allow you to translate your existing content or create new pages and articles in each language. You can translate content manually or use an automatic translation service.
4. Configure the language menu:Add a language menu to your website to allow visitors to choose the language they want to use. The plugin will provide you with options to customise the look and behaviour of the menu.

Configuring PrestaShop for a multilingual website

1. Activate multi-store mode:PrestaShop has a native feature for creating a multi-shop website. To activate it, go to the PrestaShop administration panel and go to Settings > General settings. Activate the "Multi-shop mode" option.
2. Add the languages:In the Settings menu, go to Languages. Click on the "Add a new language" button and select the languages you wish to use.
3. Translate content:PrestaShop allows you to manually translate the content of your shop, including products, categories, descriptions and payment information. You can also use an automatic translation module.
4. Configure the language menu:Add a language block to your online shop to allow customers to choose the language they want to use. You can customise the appearance and behaviour of the block in the administration panel.

Additional tips for creating a successful multilingual website

• Do thorough keyword research:

Use keyword research tools to identify relevant search terms in each language you target.

• Optimise your website for multilingual SEO:

Use hreflang tags and multilingual sitemaps to tell search engines the language of each page on your site.

• Make sure the translation is of high quality:

A poor quality translation can damage your credibility and user experience. Consider using professional translators for accurate and natural translations.

• Test your website on different browsers and devices:

Make sure your website works properly on different browsers and devices, to ensure an optimal user experience for all your visitors.

Conclusion

Creating a multilingual website on WordPress or PrestaShop can help you reach a global audience and grow your business. By following the steps outlined in this article and applying the additional tips, you can create a powerful and attractive multilingual website that will help you achieve your business goals.