Multilingual WordPress website
Translate your WordPress website into other languages, with the solution you actually need
You want to sell or get known abroad, but your website only speaks one language. I add languages to your WordPress site or WooCommerce store in three different ways, from a quick automatic translation to a professional multilingual website with SEO in every language. I’ll help you choose the one that fits your budget and your goals.
How do you translate a WordPress website into multiple languages?
There are three ways to translate a WordPress website. The first is an automatic translator such as Google Translate through a plugin: it is fast and cheap, but the translations are not indexed and bring no SEO value. The second is an external automatic translation service: you manage a single language, the others are generated automatically, and each language gets its own URLs that Google can index. The third is WPML, the leading professional multilingual plugin for WordPress and WooCommerce, with translations reviewed by AI or done by a professional translator. WP Sereno installs, configures and delivers any of the three ready to use.
Three options
Choose how your website will speak other languages
The difference comes down to two things: whether Google can find you in each language, and how much control you want over the translated content.
1. Instant automatic translation
A plugin adds a language switcher and translates the page on the fly with Google’s translator.
- Up and running fast, at minimal cost
- Visitors read your site in their own language
- No translations to maintain
Limitation: translations are not indexed, so Google won’t show you in other languages. No international SEO.
Best for: informational sites that just want to make reading easier for foreign visitors.
2. External service with SEO included
I connect your WordPress site to a cloud-based automatic translation service. You manage one language and the rest is generated for you.
- Dedicated URLs per language, indexable by Google
- Hreflang tags and translated SEO metadata
- New content is translated automatically
- You can edit any sentence by hand
Limitation: monthly or yearly subscription based on words and languages, and you depend on the provider.
Best for: small businesses and stores that want to rank in other languages without managing translations.
3. WPML with tailored translation
The leading professional multilingual plugin for WordPress and WooCommerce, with translations stored on your own website.
- Full control over content, URLs and SEO per language
- AI translation with review, or a professional translator
- WooCommerce compatible, multi-currency included
- No per-word fees: the translations are yours
Limitation: requires a yearly license and careful technical setup.
Best for: companies, online stores and international projects that want to rank and sell in every market.
Comparison
Which multilingual option is right for you?
| Automatic translation | External service | Tailored WPML | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEO in every language | No | Yes | Yes, with full control |
| Translation quality | Automatic | Automatic, editable | Reviewed AI or professional translator |
| Day-to-day management | None | One language only | Each language separately |
| WooCommerce stores | Reading only | Yes | Yes, with multi-currency |
| Recurring cost | Minimal or none | Subscription based on words | Yearly license |
Online stores
Multilingual WooCommerce store, ready to sell abroad
Translating a store is about more than translating text. To sell in another country, the whole buying journey has to work in the customer’s language.
Products and variations
Product pages, categories, attributes and variations translated, without duplicating stock.
Multi-currency
Prices in each market’s currency, so customers can buy without doing the math.
Cart and checkout
Checkout, payment gateways and shipping notices in the customer’s language.
Order emails
Confirmations, invoices and transactional emails sent in the language of the purchase.
International SEO
Translated URLs, hreflang, sitemaps per language and Search Console setup for each version.
Legal pages and cookies
Legal notice, privacy policy, terms of sale and cookie banner in every language.
Translation with WPML
AI translation or a professional translator?
With WPML, you decide who translates. I’ve been building multilingual websites for over 15 years, and I’ll recommend one or the other depending on the type of content.
AI translation with review
Fast and affordable, with far better quality than classic machine translation.
- Keeps your brand’s tone and terminology
- SEO-optimized titles, descriptions and slugs
- Ideal for large catalogs and content-heavy blogs
Native professional translator
For content where every word matters and a mistake costs you customers or trust.
- Legal texts, terms of sale and technical sheets
- Key sales and brand pages
- Can be combined with AI for the rest of the site
Always included
- Full backup before we start
- Installation and setup of the chosen solution
- Language switcher integrated into your design
- Menus, forms and theme strings translated
- Checks that nothing breaks in any language
How we work
- You tell me your website, languages and goals
- I recommend an option and send a fixed-price quote
- I set up and translate everything on a staging site
- You review, we go live and I show you how to manage it
FAQ
Questions about translating a WordPress website
Is Google’s automatic translation good for SEO?
No. A translator that translates the page on the fly in the browser doesn’t create pages Google can index, so you won’t rank in other languages. If you want to attract visitors from other countries, you need option 2 or option 3.
How many languages can I add to my website?
As many as you need. Most clients start with one or two languages for the markets where they already have customers, and expand later.
Will translating my website affect my current rankings?
Not if it’s set up properly. Your main language keeps its URLs, and each new language is added with its own URLs and hreflang tags, so Google shows every user the right version.
Subdirectory, subdomain or one domain per language?
For most websites I recommend subdirectories (yoursite.com/fr/), because they build on the authority of a single domain and are easier to maintain. Country-specific domains make sense for projects with a dedicated strategy in each market.
Can a WooCommerce store with many products be translated?
Yes. With WPML and AI translation, large catalogs can be translated quickly, while the professional translator is reserved for the most important pages and texts.
Are plugin and service licenses included?
No, they are purchased separately in your company’s name, so they always belong to you. I’ll help you choose the plan you need so you don’t overpay.
Who maintains the translations when I update my content?
You can do it yourself from the dashboard, or leave it to WP Sereno with a WordPress maintenance plan, which includes updates for the multilingual plugins, backups and support.
Which languages should your website speak?
Send me the link to your website or store and the languages you’re interested in. I’ll reply with the option I recommend and a fixed-price quote, with no obligation.