7 Reasons to Have a Multilingual Website
Having a website in multiple languages may seem unnecessary given the international language for business is English. Today, many businesses online are shifting away from this mentality. Companies are starting to understand how much multilingual content can improve their websites.
Spanish is the second largest language in terms of native speakers and the fourth most spoken language in the world, with over 540 million speakers. While many of these people speak at least some English, most people are far more comfortable accessing content and doing business in their native tongue. As a result, companies that refuse to adapt are losing a significant market share as these customers seek out Spanish-speaking competitors.
If you are unsure whether or not creating a multilingual website is the best option for your business, we are here to discuss a few reasons and ways to build a multilingual website.
1. Reach a Wider Audience
First and foremost, a multi-language website will help you broaden your reach and establish a much bigger audience. Considering that only a quarter of online users is native English speakers, you must start making an effort to understand and meet the demands of the other seventy-five percent. Combining this with traditional marketing can make a huge difference. By offering your content in several languages, your company may increase its sales and earnings by a noticeable amount. While it’s understandable to want to capitalize on opportunities in your native language, you shouldn’t neglect the vast market abroad. Communicating in more than one language is an asset in today’s globalized world.
2. Improve Conversion Rates and Lowering Bounce Rates
As the CSA reported in their survey titled “Can’t Read Won’t Buy,” 71.9% of customers prefer to shop on sites in their native language. Customers from other countries are less likely to purchase from your site if they cannot find content in their native language. Additionally, customers who believe they have a solid grasp of the content of your website are less likely to leave. And one of the best ways to ensure that is the case is to have multilingual capabilities on your website. Again, the CSA’s findings support this idea: 74% of respondents stated they were more inclined to purchase a product if it included information in their preferred language.
3. Gain a Larger Competitive Advantage
Now, more than ever, companies must set themselves apart from the competition. Too many websites and companies compete for consumers’ attention, so getting noticed is a significant accomplishment. Companies need to be resourceful to get attention. With that said, having multilingual capabilities on your website is one way of setting yourself apart from the competition. That is because customers who don’t speak English are more likely to choose your website if you offer content in their native language.
4. Focus on the Customer
A multilingual website is essential to a customer-centric strategy. That is because a firm’s level of customization is becoming increasingly vital in gaining clients and sales. Website visitors will feel valued and appreciated if you cater to their needs by offering material in their language. Furthermore, in terms of web design, having multiple language versions of your website will boost conversion rates, which helps your bottom line, especially true if your competition doesn’t offer the same option.
5. Enhance Global SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential to the success of any business with an online presence. Search engine rankings are important because they determine your website’s visibility to potential customers. That, in turn, affects your bottom line. Naturally, many of you may already be experts in SEO and crushing it on a local level. However, if you build a multi-lingual website, you can target clients in other countries who may use a different language in their searches. That will, without a doubt, boost your ranking even further, making it easier to establish yourself as an expert in your field
That said, it’s not enough to just translate your site’s content. It’s not enough to optimize it for international SEO; you also need to get it indexed on SERPs. That means you must localize your site’s content and related information. Additionally, you need to create separate URLs for each language. Then, you must break them down further into their subdomains or folders. When you finish, search engine crawlers will have an easier time navigating your website, elevating its search engine results page placement. As you can see, this is not a simple process, but it is well worth the effort.
6. Maximize Your Marketing Dollars
In the digital age, a company’s website is usually the central hub of its advertising efforts. What’s more, it’s crucial to realize that advertising what you offer on your website is one of the most effective strategies concerning both cost and exposure. In reality, content marketing on your site may create three times as many leads for sixty percent of the expense of more conventional marketing channels. Therefore, a global marketing strategy must include a website visitors can use in their native language.
7. Enhance Company Reputation
More than ever, companies must be flexible to attract and retain clients. A multilingual website is one way to demonstrate their ability to adapt to the needs of their customers. Customers will have a favorable impression of your company because of the multilingual accessibility of your website, which indicates that it is a global website and hence likely to be comprehensive, sophisticated, and detailed.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many reasons and ways to build a multilingual website. A global strategy that allows you to interact with a larger audience on a deeper level is crucial in this day and age. Increased sales, revenue maximization, and lower overhead are just some of the business benefits of a multilingual website. Therefore, if you haven’t considered this strategy, perhaps now is the time.