Creating a website accessible in multiple languages presents unique challenges for search engine optimization (SEO). Successfully navigating these complexities requires careful attention to technical details, particularly when utilizing JavaScript-powered sites. The data indicates that improper implementation of multilingual features can lead to reduced visibility and lost revenue. This article details key considerations for building and optimizing multilingual websites, focusing on technical SEO aspects relevant to U.S. businesses expanding their global reach.
The Benefits of Multilingual Support
Expanding into new language markets can significantly broaden a website’s audience. While English remains prominent online, a substantial portion of internet users prefer content in their native language; approximately 72.1% of consumers reportedly spend most or all of their time on websites in their own language. Offering content in multiple languages allows businesses to tap into previously inaccessible markets and improve user engagement, potentially reducing bounce rates as users interact more readily with familiar content. Furthermore, language-specific pages can improve visibility in region-targeted search results.
Technical Challenges in Multilingual SEO
Several technical issues can hinder the SEO performance of multilingual websites. These include automatically redirecting users based on IP address, misconfigured hreflang tags, incorrect URL structures, and failing to account for regional variations in keyword research and currency. JavaScript-based websites introduce additional complexities, as search engines must be able to crawl, render, and index JavaScript-powered content effectively.
Implementing Internationalization with Next.js
Next.js simplifies the process of internationalization (i18n) with built-in routing and the next-i18next library. Implementing this involves installing necessary libraries via npm (npm install next-i18next react-i18next i18next) and configuring language settings in a next-i18next.config.js file. This configuration defines the supported locales (e.g., ‘en’, ‘fr’, ‘es’) and the default locale. The Next.js configuration must then be updated to utilize the i18n settings.
URL Structure for Multilingual Content
The source materials emphasize the importance of using distinct, indexable URLs for each language version of a page. Serving all language versions from a single URL using dynamic content (JavaScript or cookies) can prevent search engines from correctly indexing the translations. Examples of proper URL structure include example.com/en/ for English and example.com/fr/ for French. Utilizing local domain extensions (e.g., .de for Germany, .fr for France) is also suggested as a potential strategy.
Hreflang Tags: A Critical Component
Hreflang tags are essential for informing search engines about the language and regional targeting of each page. Incorrect or missing hreflang tags can confuse search engines, leading to reduced visibility. Proper implementation involves adding annotations to the HTML, specifying the language and target region for each page. An example provided is <link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es” href=”https://example.com/es/” />.
JavaScript SEO Considerations
Many modern websites rely heavily on JavaScript to generate content and links. However, if JavaScript SEO is not implemented correctly, these websites may underperform in search results. JavaScript SEO involves optimizing JavaScript-powered elements for efficient discovery by search engines, identifying and resolving issues that hinder understanding and processing of JavaScript content, and minimizing the impact of JavaScript on website performance and user experience. The data suggests that as much as 80% of eCommerce stores in the U.S. already used JavaScript for generating content in 2019, and this number is likely higher today.
Avoiding Common Multilingual SEO Mistakes
Several common mistakes can negatively impact the SEO of multilingual websites. These include:
- Improper Hreflang Tag Usage: Skipping hreflang tags or implementing them incorrectly can lead to indexing issues.
- Reliance on Automatic Machine Translation: Using machine translation without human review can result in inaccurate or culturally insensitive content. Human translators are recommended for key pages.
- Failure to Create Separate URLs: Serving all language versions from the same URL prevents proper indexing.
- Ignoring Local SEO: Failing to carry out local SEO in target regions can limit visibility.
- Using Flags as Language Selectors: This practice is discouraged.
- Badly configured hreflang tags: This can confuse search engines.
- Not catering to the user's local currency: Important for ecommerce websites.
Testing and Launching a Multilingual Website
Thorough testing is crucial before launching a multilingual website. This includes verifying that the website offers a seamless user experience in every language, checking for accurate translations, and ensuring that all language switching mechanisms function correctly.
WordPress Multilingual Solutions
The source materials differentiate between various multilingual solutions available on WordPress. Multisite solutions, which completely separate sites through subdomains or subdirectories, are considered compatible with multilingual SEO. JavaScript plugins that dynamically translate content without reloading the page are deemed incompatible with multilingual SEO, as they do not change the URL and prevent proper indexing. “Source Codes” plugins, which manage hreflang tags, are considered perfectly compatible with multilingual SEO.
Conclusion
Successfully implementing multilingual SEO requires a meticulous approach to technical details. Utilizing frameworks like Next.js with i18n libraries, employing distinct URLs for each language version, and correctly implementing hreflang tags are crucial steps. For JavaScript-powered websites, prioritizing JavaScript SEO is essential to ensure proper crawling and indexing. Avoiding common mistakes, such as relying solely on machine translation and neglecting local SEO, will further enhance the website’s visibility in international search results.