Multilingual Websites: Opening Up to International Markets
Subfolders, hreflang, staying on the same page when switching language, RTL support and localisation: how to build a multilingual site that ranks.
For a manufacturer that exports, a hotel welcoming tourists or an agency selling services abroad, a single-language website leaves most potential customers at the door. Built correctly, a multilingual site lets you reach users who search in their own language in every market.
A Translation Plugin Is Not Enough
Plugins that machine-translate pages on the fly look like a quick fix, but:
- Search engines often do not index that content as separate language pages,
- Technical terms and brand voice can get distorted,
- User trust suffers.
The right approach is genuinely translated and localised pages, each with its own URL.
Technical Setup
URL structure
The most common and easiest option to manage is subfolders: site.com/en/, site.com/de/. All languages then benefit from the same domain’s authority.
hreflang tags
Every page should point to its equivalents in other languages with hreflang tags, plus an x-default version for users whose language does not match. This lets Google show the right language to the right user.
Staying on the same page when switching language
If a user switches language while on a service page, they should land on the same page in the other language — not the homepage. This small detail makes a big difference to the experience.
Localised URLs and metadata
Titles, descriptions and, where possible, URLs should be in the target language. Each language needs its own sitemap entries and structured data.
Right-to-left languages
For RTL languages such as Arabic, the whole layout must be mirrored, not just the text: menus, arrows and alignment.
Localisation, Not Just Translation
- Currency, date and phone formats,
- Culturally appropriate images and examples,
- Keywords that people actually search in each market,
- Local trust signals (certificates, references).
Which Languages First?
Start with your current and target markets. For many exporters from Türkiye, English and German come first; Arabic for the Middle East; Russian in some sectors. Check your analytics to see which countries already send traffic.
Example: This Site
The DijiText site is live in 10 languages: Turkish, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese. Every page is connected with hreflang, you stay on the same page when switching language and the Arabic version runs right-to-left.
Conclusion
Built with the right URL structure, hreflang, real translation and localisation, a multilingual site is the most efficient channel for international growth. To open your site to new markets, see our web design service or get in touch.
