Build a multilingual site with WordPress

In most of the world, multilingual web is no exception, it's the norm. About two-thirds of the world's population uses more than one language in the real world, so it is not surprising that they use online language as well. People often assume that English is the de facto language of the web, but most Internet usage is now happening in a language other than English. As more and more people joining the online world from Russia, China and developing countries, who will lead the business grow. For adapt to global markets, as well as the organization seeks to foster customer loyalty at home, operate a website in various languages, at the same , becomes increasingly confused localisedMany common.

AdvertisementMultilingual vs. multilingual site with a website that serves unilingual in a language other than English, a local website. Building local site with WordPress is quite easy. WordPress Language File Repository stores the language pack for more than 70 languages, including Klingon Welsh, and even Japan. And if you do not see your language, you can always contribute your own language pack.

WordPress works with the number of characters, including Latin, Cyrillic and Arabic and also handles right-to-left languages. At written today, you need to download a version of WordPress is really local, or upload only the language packs. One of the improvements planned for the coming WordPress 3. 3 is a quick way to add new languages right from admin interface panel. A screenshot of what may look like a language pack on 3.

3 Multilingual WordPress vs. multiregionalGeo-localization is another term that is often confused with multilingual. Often a company to build a large separate sites for each country in which they operate and they operate in different languages. This multi-regional, but it's not quite the same as multilingual. Using the language, geography and politics do not overlap perfectly.

Strategies to contthe way some entThere to manage your website for quick and dirty way is to add plug-in translation tool automatic or automatic multilingual translation content. The, such as Google Translate. It's easy and free, but this translation is not reliable and not very professional. However, it is a practical option to choose blog. Other small personal site to a partial solution.

Some bloggers bilingual build a site in a single language but later wrote a post in an alternative language, sometimes translating themselves. However content, professional websites will require a more robust strategy. The interface will need to function in multiple languages and content may mirror. Human translation is a must, but it is possible to crowdsource use online services such as translation and myGengo Smartling. It easy to add Google Translate to get started websiteTechnical considerationsBefore, you need to consider the following.

In language that wouldYou serve the content? What about the interface and admin panel? You will probably need a way to switch between languages. You can also consider some form of persistence of language, often through a cookie so that visitors do not have to choose the language at each visit. You have to think about the structure of your URL. Plus you will need to consider the alphabet that you will use and text direction. PoliticsYou will also want to think about the political use of language.

For example, the switch uses the flag many languages, but this is not recommended. Using language and nation-state entities do not overlap perfectly and very easy to offend people when you make that assumption. You also might want to look at the cultural considerations in terms of design elements such as color choice. A third consideration is choosing the default language. Sometimes this is an easy option, but in areas where there isn'ta dominant language, or where the disputed language option, you can not always havea single language default.

An option that is common in Canada, for example, has a splash page with a choice of languages. It's not ideal for SEO, but it's much better than a bunch of angry visitors. Multilingual homepages are common in Canada, where language issues can contentiousWhat about SEO Google has some detailed information about what is expecting to see a multilingual site. ? He wanted the language to be clear. That means not mixing languages on one page.

Google also suggest blocking the automatic translation of search engines, because they can be so unreliable that they confuse the search engines crawlers. Google show separate language by the URL, either by using a different subdomain, subdirectory or a completely different domain. Google also wants the language to be easily found. Each page must be cross-linked to other language versions. Uses cookies to store the language selection is not recommended, and use JavaScript to do the same thing can be tricky, unlessGracefully.

Google JavaScript lowering inhibit automatic redirection based on the language of the visitor's browser or by geo-mapping of IP addresses, and block the search engines. It makes the language too difficult to implement persistence. Google also ignores the language of the labels on your site HTML. What about the theme you need to have a local WordPress theme or internationalization? Or you will need to localize your own theme. WordPress Codex contains information about how to localize WordPress itself, but the information also applies to the first step is to make your theme themes.

The translated. WordPress uses localization framework using GNU gettext to translate the WordPress core. It can also be used in themes. Every chunks of text in your theme should be wrapped in gettext calls. This means that the section through one of two PHP functions.

__ Used when a piece, called a message in the codex, is passed as an argument to another function; _e usedremaining time. You also need to enter text-domain, which serves to identify the pieces as belonging to your specific theme. That means that your theme will include pieces of text that looks like this: root __The including Gettext callsNext theme file, you must create a PO file for each language you plan to use. A recurring theme has come up with commercial po file. For popular languages.

If not, or if you use a custom theme, you can use a tool like poedit to generate a file with all the requirements wrapped in gettext calls. Some themes such as an empty root including several languages PO files and you can use this to get started. After you have a PO file, you will want to make the MO file to speed up the process of translation gettext. Tools such as poedit can do this for you too. More details here: urbangiraffe.

com / articles / translating-wordpress-themes and plugins /. The theme of the root containing the POT, PO and MO file for the installation of several multi methodOnce your languagesThesome content translated and local themes you need to start building your site. One way to do this is by creating a network of sites, one in each language. If you wish, you can use multisite functionality built into WordPress. WordPress Codex has information about enabling this feature, but quite as simple as just plug-in you will need to build a multilingual site with this option is the language switcher.

If you only use two languages, you can use the linker Bilingual plug-ins. If you can use the Language Switcher plug-in, although plug-in is no longer maintained. Since 2010 If you go with multisite option, you can use the multisite Language Switcher plug-in. The multisite Language Switcher plug-in allows you to configure the switcher on the site basisThere several advantages to this solution. It is very stable.

This allows for content to be identical in language, or not. But that could mean more care. You can reduce theUsing multisite feature so you only need to update a single WordPress installation and theme. You can also use the theme of the child if you need to change the color scheme for cultural reasons, for example. But you still need to manage content across multiple sites.

And note that some shared hosting providers do not allow multisite installation on their servers. If you are not using a multisite, you can try ManageWP Workers' plug-ins to access all of your sites through a single dashboard methodAnother installation options for building a WordPress site using a single plug-in. There and some multilingual. plug-ins available but Multilingual WordPress Plug-in is arguably the best. There is a free version, but if you want to translate the menu and use the latest version, you will need to pay $ 79 for a commercial version of CMS.

Plug-in allows you to translate the WordPress posts and pages that make up your site. It creates a separate post and registration page for eachage and allows you to connect them to each other. It also allows you to translate the menu, widgets, as well as plug-ins. There is a plug-in that works in a similar manner, but they have one major drawback. They write all the languages to the same database tables, and then show only one version of content to the visitor at a time.

That means that if you ever decide to remove the plug-ins, you must manually delete all the other language versions of each page and post WordPress. It can be very time consuming. The installation method has the advantage of a single solution. The WPML plug-in is very easy to use and to install. It makes it easier to keep the contents of your site, because you only need to use administration panel and one can easily jump from one language to another version.

You can translate the plug-ins are not available in your language. In fact, almost every part of your site can be translated using the plug-in interface. However, some more complex plug-ins, ee-commerce plug-in, will not work with WPML. The WPML Plug-ins can also be trained. There are some built-in troubleshooting tools, but they are hard to find and not very user-friendly to a Multilingual clients.

WordPress Plugin allows you to operate the site in several languages with a single installationAdvanced featuresJust because your site is' does not mean simple multilingual needs. I have not personally tried all of the following tools and plug-ins in multilingual installations, but I list them here to give you an idea of what can possible. eCommerce complicated with multilingual site if you need to keep track of inventory, for example. You can integrate WordPress with Magento or PrestaShop, a multilingual. If you are using WPML, you can use MarketPress or CartPress.

E-commerce such as the integration of WP WPML E-Commerce and shopp that in the beta and alpha development. If you need email marketing solutions in two languages, you can do that too. CakeMail offer bilingual products, although a little pricey. If you are using to monitor your campaign, you can use multiple sub-accounts for each language. You can also use the installation of some PHPList.

If you need complex shapes, both online services Wufoo and WordPress plug-ins can provide forms those. There Gravity is also a number of solutions for multilingual forums and wikis, although you often need multiple installations of each . . .

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