English now powers barely half of all web pages (49%), while 76% of shoppers prefer product info in their own language.
In the next few minutes you’ll see exactly how to create a multilingual website. You’ll learn how to:
In the next few minutes you’ll see exactly how to create a multilingual website. You’ll learn how to:
- choose the right website builder (and why it matters)
- plan languages that actually bring ROI
- translate your content the smart (and fast) way
- design for every language, including right-to-left
- …and optimize your multilingual site for SEO, conversions, and scaling!
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Who needs a multilingual site & why it pays off
Here’s what goes the moment you add a (at least) one language to your website:
1. More visitors (for free)
English powers about 49% of websites, but over 80% of the world doesn’t speak it fluently. That means the majority of global users either bounce or rely on external plugins like Google Translate - which kills trust and UX.
Add Spanish, German, or Japanese to your site (Spanish alone gives you access to 500+ million native speakers), and suddenly you’re showing up in search results your competitors don’t even rank for.
Add Spanish, German, or Japanese to your site (Spanish alone gives you access to 500+ million native speakers), and suddenly you’re showing up in search results your competitors don’t even rank for.
2. Higher trust = higher sales
Shoppers don’t just prefer their own language - many won’t buy without it.
You don’t need flawless human translation. Even “good-enough” native-language content outperforms perfect English when it comes to conversions.
- 76% say product info in their native language makes them more likely to purchase.
- 40% won’t buy at all from websites in other languages.
- 56% say clear language matters more than price.
You don’t need flawless human translation. Even “good-enough” native-language content outperforms perfect English when it comes to conversions.
3. Cheaper ads & SEO wins
Multilingual SEO is one of the lowest-effort, highest-ROI growth hacks. Keywords in non-English languages are less competitive, which means cheaper Google Ads and faster rankings.
Companies that translate landing pages and ads see ~20% more conversions. Plus, multilingual websites tend to rank in multiple markets at once - Google loves useful content in local languages.
Companies that translate landing pages and ads see ~20% more conversions. Plus, multilingual websites tend to rank in multiple markets at once - Google loves useful content in local languages.
4. Better user experience
72% of users spend most of their time on sites in their own language, because it just feels easier. Localized buttons, forms, and navigation remove friction and clear checkout flows reduce drop-off, especially for mobile users.
5. Competitive moat
Early movers dominate niche languages. If your competitors aren’t offering Japanese or Polish yet - you can become the default. The internet is global, but most websites aren’t. Remember, multilingual sites build trust and loyalty faster, because users feel seen.
6. Future-proof growth
Once your multilingual setup is in place, you don’t have to “translate from scratch” ever again. Every new page, blog post, or product description can be duplicated and localized automatically - especially if you’re using a builder like BOWWE with built-in AI translation and Dictionaries.
The 8-step guide: How to make a website multilingual
1. Plan your languages
Before you even start, pause and think: which languages actually make sense for your audience and goals? You’re aiming for a product–market fit… in language form.
This step is critical whether you're trying to create a multi language website for a blog, small business, client, or online store.
This step is critical whether you're trying to create a multi language website for a blog, small business, client, or online store.
1.1. Check your numbers
Creating a multilingual website starts with seeing where the demand already exists.
Open up Google Analytics or Search Console and look at where your visitors are coming from. You might be surprised, maybe 10–15% of your current traffic is already from Spanish-speaking countries. If so, that’s the easiest win.
Open up Google Analytics or Search Console and look at where your visitors are coming from. You might be surprised, maybe 10–15% of your current traffic is already from Spanish-speaking countries. If so, that’s the easiest win.
1.2. Match the persona goals
Tailor your language plan based on who you are (or who you're building for):
- Independent creator - Add the language that unlocks the biggest relevant audience. (Spanish or Portuguese for lifestyle niches; German for tech.)
- Small business owner - Mirror the languages you already get emails, phone calls, or contact forms in. If customers reach out in French, give them a site in French.
- Freelancer - Ask your client where their biggest export market is. That one extra locale can justify a higher project fee.
- E-commerce store owner - Use heatmaps or analytics to check where users drop off - if French customers bounce at checkout, translate that flow first.
1.3. Size up the payoff vs. effort
Some languages give you massive reach for minimal effort. Others are more niche but higher-value. Think:
Pick one or two to start - especially if you're on a tight budget or doing it solo.
- Spanish covers Spain, Mexico, most of Latin America = big volume, one translation.
- Dutch or Hebrew = smaller audience, but high purchasing power.
Pick one or two to start - especially if you're on a tight budget or doing it solo.
1.4. Gather keyword insight
Want to know what people actually search for in other languages? Take your keywords and check them in tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner.
- Switch the language/location filters
- Check volume and competition
- Build your multilingual keyword list
⚡Growth Hack:
traffic × buying intent ÷ translation cost
If that number looks lopsided in your favor? It’s a green light to translate.
If that number looks lopsided in your favor? It’s a green light to translate.
2. Pick the right builder (or plugin)
Your platform is your foundation. Once you choose it, everything else - translations, SEO, updates - builds on top of it. So make sure it’s not just easy to use, but easy to scale.
Here’s what to look for in a multilingual-friendly website builder:
Here’s what to look for in a multilingual-friendly website builder:
- Built-in translation tools or plugin support – Can you easily add multiple languages without extra coding?
- SEO support for multiple languages – Does it handle hreflang tags, translated URLs, and localized metadata?
- Content reuse and scalability – Will it let you manage and update translations efficiently across your entire site?
- No-code or low-code flexibility – Can non-devs manage multilingual content without a steep learning curve?
- Speed and localization – Is the translated version of your site fast and culturally adapted (images, buttons, layout)?
⚡Growth Hack:
With BOWWE’s Multi Language Builder feature, you can store every translation and reuse it site-wide. That means every new blog post or page is auto-prepped for multilingual launch. It’s like global publishing… on autopilot.
3. Choose what to translate & localize
Before you start translating your website or pay a freelancer by the word, take 10 minutes to map out what actually needs translating - and in what order.
Think like a strategist, not a perfectionist: translate the pages that drive revenue, trust, and traffic first.
Think like a strategist, not a perfectionist: translate the pages that drive revenue, trust, and traffic first.
a) Revenue pages first
These are your money-makers. Skimping here can cost way more than it saves.
- Homepage
- Product or service pages
- Pricing page
- Checkout
- Contact forms
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b) SEO & trust builders
These help users find you and decide to trust you.
- Blog posts, long-form guides
- Meta titles & descriptions
- Schema markup
- Alt-text
- Button labels, nav items, CTAs
c) Legal & compliance
This content keeps your business out of trouble and builds credibility.
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Refund/Shipping policies
- Cookie banners
d) Media & micro-copy
Looks small, but makes a huge impact.
- Image banners with text
- Infographics and PDFs
- Email confirmations & receipts
- Subtitles or closed captions
4. Translate with localization in mind
You’ve picked your languages. You’ve mapped your pages. Now comes the big question:
How do you actually translate your multilingual website?
The right choice depends on your content type, goals, timeline, and budget. Here's a breakdown of the main approaches to help you choose what fits best:
How do you actually translate your multilingual website?
The right choice depends on your content type, goals, timeline, and budget. Here's a breakdown of the main approaches to help you choose what fits best:
4.1. Machine Translation (MT)
Is the fastest and most budget-friendly option. It's great for translating bulk content like FAQs, internal tools, or alt text.
However, the downside is accuracy - grammar can be clunky, tone may be off, and the results may not always be SEO-friendly. It's quick, but often too rough for customer-facing content.
However, the downside is accuracy - grammar can be clunky, tone may be off, and the results may not always be SEO-friendly. It's quick, but often too rough for customer-facing content.
4.2. Professional Translation Agencies
They offer the highest quality. Ideal for legal pages, branding copy, or sensitive content, agencies ensure accurate, culturally appropriate language with the right tone.
You’ll get polished, SEO-aware translations - but this comes with higher costs and longer timelines.
You’ll get polished, SEO-aware translations - but this comes with higher costs and longer timelines.
4.3. Machine Translation + Post-Editing (MTPE)
This solution provides a balance between speed and quality. You use AI for the first draft and then have a human editor refine the output. This is a solid middle-ground for things like product descriptions, blogs, or landing pages.
It’s more affordable than full manual translation but still requires oversight to catch nuance or errors.
It’s more affordable than full manual translation but still requires oversight to catch nuance or errors.
4.4. BOWWE AI Translation & Dictionary
BOWWE AI Translation gives you a unique all-in-one solution that combines speed and simplicity. With one click, you can translate an entire site visually, making it easy to manage and adjust content in context. It’s efficient and user-friendly.
5. Create language-specific pages & URLs
Your URL structure matters a lot. Search engines need one clear, unique address for each language version of a page.
Here are three common structures to choose from:
Here are three common structures to choose from:
a) Subdirectories – example.com/es/ or example.com/fr/about
Fast, cheap, and the go-to for 95% of sites. Great if you already rank well on a single domain and just want to bolt on more languages.
b) Subdomains – es.example.com
Useful when each language team wants its own analytics or hosting, but you’ll work harder to transfer link equity.
c) Country-code domains (ccTLDs) – example.es
A strong “local” signal for Google, yet pricey to maintain and risky if you later add more countries that share the same language.
⚡Growth Hack:
I recommend using subdirectories. They’re simple, quick to launch, and easy to scale. Unless your legal or brand team requires country-specific domains (like .fr or .de), subdirectories are the safest option.
That’s also the approach we chose at BOWWE, it’s SEO-friendly and makes it much easier to track and analyze performance across different language versions.
That’s also the approach we chose at BOWWE, it’s SEO-friendly and makes it much easier to track and analyze performance across different language versions.
Don’t forget to tell Google who’s who with hreflang. This basically says “This is the same page, just in another language”. Without it, your site might rank in the wrong language or not at all.
Add a self-referencing tag for every language, keep the list symmetrical, and you’ll dodge duplicate-content headaches.
Add a self-referencing tag for every language, keep the list symmetrical, and you’ll dodge duplicate-content headaches.
⚡Growth Hack:
BOWWE auto-generates accurate hreflang tags as soon as you enable a new language - no extra work required on your end.
6. Design for every language & culture
When you build a multilingual website, it’s not just about translating words. You also need to make sure the design works for every language and every visitor.
6.1. Make the language switch easy to find
Your visitors need to find the language switcher in a second or they’ll leave.
- Put the language menu at the top of your site (in the header). On mobile, use a floating button or dropdown.
- Show languages in their own name (like “English”or “French”) - not flags or just “EN/FR.”
6.2. Plan for long text & Right-to-Left languages
Some languages take up more space. Others read from right to left. This can break your layout if you’re not ready.
- German and Spanish can make buttons and titles up to 30% longer.
- Arabic or Hebrew flips the entire layout - menus, text, and all.
6.3. Use fonts that work for every language
Make sure your site can show every letter and symbol correctly. If your font doesn’t support a language, letters may break or disappear.
- Add "meta charset" your site’s code: (this helps display all languages).
- Use Google Fonts and filter by script (Latin, Arabic, Korean, etc.) to find fonts that support every language you need.
6.4. Watch out for images, icons & colors
What looks normal in one country can feel strange in another.
- A thumbs-up emoji is fine in the U.S. - but rude in some countries.
- Color red means “sale” in the U.S., but “danger” or “warning” in other places.
- Photos and graphics should feel familiar to your audience.
7. Nail international SEO
A multilingual website won’t help much if no one can find it.
International SEO makes sure that each version of your website shows up in search results for people in different countries and in the right language.
International SEO makes sure that each version of your website shows up in search results for people in different countries and in the right language.
Here’s how to get it right:
7.1. Write meta tags in every language
Don’t leave your SEO titles and descriptions in one language across all pages.
- Write unique meta titles and meta descriptions in every language.
- Use local keywords that people actually search.
- Do the same for Open Graph (OG) tags so social previews also show the right text.
7.2. Create language-specific sitemaps
A sitemap tells Google which pages to crawl. When you add more languages, you need to update the map. Most platforms, like BOWWE, do this automatically.
7.3. Keep your site fast
Adding more languages shouldn’t slow your site down. Speed is part of SEO too.
- Use image formats like WebP or AVIF.
- Lazy-load images that appear lower on the page.
- Host on a global CDN so visitors from every part of the world get fast load times.
8. Scale & iterate
Once your first multilingual website is live and running smoothly, don’t stop there.
This is your moment to scale. Each new language opens the door to new visitors, new markets, and new revenue - without starting from scratch.I
Gather feedback, polish, repeat. Skim analytics once a month: if bounce rate spikes on one section, improve the wording or swap in a culturally sharper image.
This is your moment to scale. Each new language opens the door to new visitors, new markets, and new revenue - without starting from scratch.I
Gather feedback, polish, repeat. Skim analytics once a month: if bounce rate spikes on one section, improve the wording or swap in a culturally sharper image.
How to create a multilingual website - Summary
Creating a website in multiple languages doesn’t have to drain your time or budget.
With BOWWE’s AI Multi-Language Website Builder, most of that heavy lifting becomes a single click. Try it today!
- Start by choosing the languages and markets that matter most.
- Translate only the content that drives traffic and sales.
- Keep your URLs and SEO setup clean and clear.
- Then let the right website builder handle the rest.
With BOWWE’s AI Multi-Language Website Builder, most of that heavy lifting becomes a single click. Try it today!
Go multilingual in minutes - Try BOWWE for free
Get Started!
Multilingual website - FAQ
Can a website be bilingual?
Absolutely. A bilingual site is simply a website that offers its full content in two languages, letting visitors flip between them with a language switcher. You manage just one code-base but deliver two fully localized experiences.
What is a multilingual website?
A multilingual website (sometimes called a multi language website) provides the same pages, products, and checkout flow in three or more languages. Each language version lives at its own clean URL ( /es/, /de/, etc.) and signals to search engines via hreflang tags which audience it serves. The payoff is bigger reach, higher trust, and often cheaper ads in non-English markets.
How do I create a website with multiple languages?
Start with one or two key languages based on your audience. Choose a multilingual-ready builder (like BOWWE). Use AI for bulk translation, polish key content, and structure URLs like example.com/es/. Add hreflang tags and test everything before launch.
How do I do SEO for a multi-language website?
Use localized titles, descriptions, and keywords. Add hreflang tags, keep pages fast, and avoid duplicate content. Build local backlinks and track each language’s performance in Search Console to optimize over time.
Article by
Karol Andruszków
Karol is a serial entrepreneur, e-commerce speaker among others, for the World Bank, and founder of 3 startups, as part of which he has advised several hundred companies. He was also responsible for projects of the largest financial institutions in Europe, with the smallest project being worth over €50 million.
He has two master's degrees, one in Computer Science and the other in Marketing Management, obtained during his studies in Poland and Portugal. He gained experience in Silicon Valley and while running companies in many countries, including Poland, Portugal, the United States, and Great Britain. For over ten years, he has been helping startups, financial institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises to improve their functioning through digitization.
