Good website translation means translating the pages that bring in customers first, setting up each language so search engines can find it, and having a native speaker review every page before it goes live. Machine translation can do the first draft fast, but a person needs to check meaning, tone and local details.
If you sell to people who read other languages, a translated site can open new markets. Done badly, it looks careless and ranks for nothing. This guide covers what to translate, how to handle SEO for each language, and what to check before launch.
Decide which languages and why
Pick languages based on evidence, not guesses:
- Where do your current visitors and inquiries come from?
- Which markets can you actually serve: shipping, support hours, payment methods?
- Do you have someone who can answer emails or calls in that language?
One well-done language is worth more than five half-done ones. Start with the language where you already see demand.
What to translate first
You do not need to translate every page on day one. Prioritize:
- Homepage. The first impression in every language.
- Main service or product pages. The pages that sell.
- Pricing and checkout. Including buttons, error messages and confirmation emails.
- Contact and forms. Labels, placeholder text and the thank-you message.
- Legal pages. Terms, privacy and returns, reviewed by someone who knows local rules.
- Top blog posts. Only the ones that already bring in traffic.
Do not forget the small text: menus, footer, image alt text, page titles, meta descriptions, and text inside images. Untranslated buttons in an otherwise translated page look unfinished.
Translation is not just words
A page can be translated correctly and still feel wrong. Check:
- Units and formats. Dates, currencies, measurements, phone numbers and addresses.
- Tone. Formal or informal address differs by language and audience.
- Examples and references. A local holiday or sport may mean nothing elsewhere.
- Layout. Some languages run longer and break buttons and menus. Right-to-left languages need mirrored layouts.
- Images. Screenshots and graphics with text need new versions.
SEO for each language
Search engines treat each language version as its own set of pages. Set them up properly:
- Separate URLs per language. Use subfolders like /de/ or /fr/, or subdomains. Do not switch language on the same URL with cookies or scripts.
- hreflang tags. Tell search engines which page is the version for which language, and link the versions to each other.
- Translated titles and meta descriptions. Unique per page and per language.
- Keyword research per language. People do not search with a literal translation of your English keywords. Find the terms they actually type.
- Translated URLs. Slugs in the target language where your platform supports it.
- Sitemap. Include every language version.
- Internal links. Link to pages in the same language, and offer a clear language switcher.
For new content written directly in each language, our SEO content service can help after launch.
Why a person must review every page
Machine translation is fast and often good. It also makes mistakes a native reader spots at once:
- Words that are correct but not what anyone would say.
- Product names or brand terms translated when they should stay as they are.
- Wrong formal or informal address.
- Legal or technical terms with a different meaning in the target language.
- Sentences that lose their meaning when shortened to fit a button.
A reviewer who is a native speaker reads every page in context, on the live layout, not just in a spreadsheet. They also check that the keywords chosen for that language appear naturally.
Keep each language up to date
Translation is not a one-time job. Every time you change a price, add a service or update a policy, every language version must change too. Otherwise visitors in one language see old prices, and search engines index pages that no longer match.
- Keep a list of translated pages with the date each was last updated.
- Update all languages together when you change key pages, especially pricing and legal text.
- Send new pages for translation as part of publishing, not months later.
- Watch search data per language. If a version gets no visits, check its keywords and hreflang tags first.
- Make sure someone can reply. Inquiries in each language need an answer in that language.
A simple shared sheet with one row per page and one column per language, showing the date of the last update, is often enough to keep this under control for a small site.
Website translation checklist before launch
- Every page in scope translated, including menus, footer, forms and emails.
- Titles, meta descriptions and alt text translated.
- hreflang tags in place and tested.
- Language switcher works on every page and keeps the visitor on the matching page.
- Layout checked on mobile in each language.
- Forms tested in each language, with replies going to someone who can read them.
- Sitemap updated.
What it costs
At Wooprex, a multi-language website starts at $399 for up to 15,000 words and takes about 10 days. AI produces the first translation; a native-speaking reviewer checks meaning, tone and SEO terms on each page, and a developer sets up the language versions and hreflang tags. You get a fixed price before work starts. See translation for details, or pricing for other tasks.
FAQ
Is machine translation good enough for my website?
It is a good first draft. For pages that sell or explain policies, a native speaker should review the text in the live layout before launch.
Will a translated site hurt my SEO?
Not if each language has its own URLs, hreflang tags and translated metadata. Set up properly, each version can rank in its own language.
How many words does a typical website have?
It varies a lot. Count the pages you plan to translate, including menus, forms and emails, before you ask for a quote.
Should I translate my blog too?
Start with the posts that already bring traffic and relate to what you sell. Translate the rest later if those perform.
Ready to reach customers in their own language? Start a Task and get a fixed price and delivery date within 6 business hours.
