Taking WordPress to the World: Options for a Multilingual Site

Presented by Shannon Smith at WordCamp Toronto 2012.

About two thirds of the world population speak more than one language and most of the world doesn’t use the Internet in English. This presentation will cover what components are needed for a successful multilingual WordPress site. We’ll compare different set-ups, review key plugins and examine common pitfalls. Then we’ll look at advanced features like e-commerce and email marketing. This presentation will be accessible to anyone with a basic understanding of WordPress. No coding necessary.

Shannon Smith is the founder of Café Noir Design, a boutique Montreal web design company specializing in multilingual web development. She builds beautiful, functional websites that her clients can update themselves and that are easy for search engines to find.

Transcript

1. September 29, 2012
   Taking WordPress to the World:
   Options for a Multilingual Site
   WordCamp Toronto 2012
   

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2. Shannon Smith
   Web Developer at Café Noir Design
   www.cafenoirdesign.com
   @cafenoirdesign
   

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3. What We’ll Cover
   ✤ Introduction
   ✤ Strategies for Content
   ✤ 2 WordPress Set-ups
   ✤ Key Plugins
   ✤ Advanced Features
   

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4. Introduction
   

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5. Why design multilingual sites?
   Photo: nevsred
   

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6. Defining Multilingual
   ✤ Multilingual vs.
   Unilingual (but not
   English)
   ✤ Multi-lingual vs.
   Multi-regional
   Image: wpbeginner
   

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7. Strategies for Content
   

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8. Automated Solutions
   ✤ Google AJAX
   Translation Plugin
   http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-ajax-
   translation/
   ✤ Website Translator
   by Google
   http://translate.google.com/translate_tools
   

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9. Partial Solutions
   ✤ Posts in alternating
   languages, interface in
   one language
   ✤ Posts in alternating
   languages, interface in
   multiple languages
   

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10. Complete Solutions
    ✤ Different content for
    each language
    ✤ Completely mirrored
    sites
    

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11. Two WordPress Setups
    

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12. Technical
    Considerations
    ✤ Interface language
    ✤ Content language
    ✤ Language switcher
    ✤ Language persistence
    ✤ URL structure
    ✤ Alphabet
    ✤ Text direction
    Photo: jerebu
    

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13. Political Considerations
    ✤ Use of flags
    ✤ Design and cultural
    considerations
    ✤ Default language
    ✤ Splash page
    

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14. What About SEO?
    ✤ Make the language obvious
    ✤ Don’t mix languages
    ✤ Block automated
    translations from search
    engines
    ✤ Use separate URLs
    ✤ Make the language
    discoverable
    ✤ Cross-link each page
    ✤ Don’t use cookies to show
    translated versions
    ✤ Be careful using javascript
    ✤ Avoid automatic
    redirection based on the
    user’s language
    Further reading: Google’s Advice on Multi-regional and multilingual sites
    http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=182192
    

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15. URLs for Search
    Engines
    1. Different subdomains
    de.example.com
    en.example.com
    2. Different subdirectories
    example.com/en/
    example.com/de/
    3. Different domain names
    example.com
    exemple.fr
    Photo: jack dorsey
    

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16. Prepping for
    Multilingual
    ✤ Internationalize
    http://codex.wordpress.org/I18n_for_WordPress_Developers
    ✤ Localize
    http://codex.wordpress.org/Translating_WordPress
    ✤ Language Packs
    http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_in_Your_Language
    Photo: scazon
    

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17. Dual-Installation Method
    ✤ Two WordPress
    installations
    (can be Multisite)
    http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network
    ✤ Content can be identical
    or not
    ✤ Requires a language
    switcher plugin
    ✤ Stable choice
    ✤ Extra maintenance
    

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18. Single-Installation Method
    ✤ One WordPress installation
    ✤ Content can be identical or not
    ✤ Requires a multilingual plugin
    ✤ Can be less stable
    ✤ Can involve less maintenance
    

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19. Key Plugins
    

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20. Single-Installation Plugins
    ✤ WPML
    ✤ Easy to use
    ✤ Easy to install
    ✤ Translates content,
    interface, plugins
    ✤ Sometimes buggy
    ✤ Other plugins (qTranslate)
    can NOT be easily
    uninstalled
    http://wpml.org
    

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21. Dual-Installation Plugins
    ✤ Bilingual Linker
    (2 languages only)
    http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bilingual-linker/
    ✤ Multisite Language Switcher
    http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/multisite-language-switcher/
    

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22. Advanced Features
    

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23. e-Commerce
    ✤ Magento
    ✤ PrestaShop
    (with or without plugin)
    ✤ WPML & WooCommerce
    ✤ WPML & MarketPress
    ✤ WPML & JigoShop
    ✤ WPML & WP E-Commerce
    ✤ Other WPML e-Commerce
    solutions on the way
    

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24. Email Marketing
    ✤ CakeMail
    ✤ Campaign Monitor
    (2 sub-accounts)
    ✤ MailChimp
    (2 accounts)
    ✤ PHPList
    

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25. Other
    ✤ Forms and surveys:
    Wufoo Forms
    & Gravity Forms
    ✤ Forums
    (multiple forums)
    ✤ Wikis
    (multiple wikis)
    ✤ BuddyPress
    (WPML in beta)
    

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26. Closing
    

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27. Shannon Smith
    Web Developer at Café Noir Design
    https://speakerdeck.com/u/cafenoirdesign
    http://www.netmagazine.com/tutorials/
    build-multilingual-site-wordpress
    www.cafenoirdesign.com
    @cafenoirdesign
    

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28. Thank You
    Image: woodleywonderworks
    

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