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A multilingual website is essentially several parallel versions of the same product. On the one hand, this approach allows businesses to reach a wider audience. On the other hand, it is important to ensure easy management and prevent pages in different language versions from competing with each other. That is why it is important to assess a website builder’s capabilities for multilingual website development from the very beginning. What parameters should be considered before making a choice, and what solutions do popular platforms offer? We will explore these questions below.

What to consider when choosing a website builder for a multilingual website

Unlike an article or a news website, a multilingual web resource cannot be reduced to simply translating its content and navigation. Adding new languages changes the requirements for the website’s structure and management, SEO, and technical implementation. Therefore, choosing a website builder for such a project requires a preliminary assessment of its capabilities, not only for the initial launch but also for future scaling.

• Number of language versions. If a website is expected to have more than two or three language versions, it is important to check whether the website builder has any limits on the number of languages supported.
• Content management. Ideally, the platform should not only allow users to create translations but also make it easy to update them when the original content changes.
• SEO capabilities. Since different language versions may require separate meta tags, headings, and other SEO settings, it is important to check whether the website builder allows them to be managed independently for each page version.
• URLs and hreflang. Each language version should have its own URL and a correctly configured hreflang attribute to help search engines identify the relationship between pages.
• Performance. The number of language versions should not have a significant impact on page loading speed.
• Cost. It is worth checking whether additional fees apply to language versions or other features required for a multilingual platform.

When planning multilingual website development https://www.yelk.io/services/multilingual-website-development/, the possibility of scaling the project is often overlooked as a secondary criterion. However, if the website is expected to gain new sections or expand into additional markets in the future, the chosen website builder should make it possible to scale the site without having to switch platforms entirely.

Popular website builders for multilingual websites

The choice of website builder largely depends on how multilingual functionality is going to be implemented. Some platforms offer built-in localization tools, while others allow users to connect specialized services or plugins. Among the most popular solutions are Weglot, Webflow, and WordPress with a multilingual plugin.

Weglot’s popularity is well justified, as it is a specialized solution for creating multilingual versions of an existing website. Its functionality allows users to automate content translation while making targeted editorial changes when necessary. In addition, all language versions can be managed through a single interface.

Webflow offers a different approach as a full-fledged website builder with localization tools integrated into its overall website management system. The platform allows users to create separate language versions of pages, configure their URLs and SEO settings, and manage localized content.

Technically, WordPress is not a multilingual website builder, but this functionality can be implemented using specialized plugins. Some of the most popular options include WPML and Polylang. They allow users to create different language versions of a website and manage translations. This approach is suitable for projects with large volumes of content and complex structures, but it requires more manual configuration and greater control over the compatibility of the website’s components.