【WordPress】Plugin Guide for Building Multilingual Sites

Websites published worldwide come in many forms, from small individual blogs to large-scale corporate and e-commerce platforms.

For companies with their sights set on global markets, providing multilingual support is an essential challenge. That said, there isn’t just one single way to build a multilingual site.

In this article, we will introduce the different types and features of plugins that can help you build a multilingual website using WordPress.

Why WordPress is Chosen: Overwhelming Market Share and Strengths in Multilingualism & SEO

43.5% of websites worldwide are built with WordPress, and its share of the CMS market reaches 61.6%. This figure exceeds the combined share of all competing CMS platforms.

Furthermore, many of the top-ranking sites with high traffic volume have adopted WordPress, and it is estimated that over 500 new WordPress sites are born every day.

Even for site construction aimed at overseas markets, it is chosen by many companies for its flexibility and SEO strengths. It can be said that the background of this growth lies in its ease of multilingual support and its SEO superiority.

WordPress Multilingual Plugins: Two Types of Management Methods

There are broadly two methods for building a multilingual site: “Automated Translation” and “Manual Translation.”

① Automated Translation: Switching Languages with Easy Settings

< Multilingual Automated Translation Tool “Linguise” (Also supports WordPress plugin)>

With automated translation plugins, simply installing the plugin on a WordPress site built in a single language (such as an English site) and completing simple settings allows the content to be automatically converted to the target language based on the language selection on the front end.

However, as there are limits to the accuracy of machine translation, manual review and correction are necessary for important pages.

② Manual Translation: Building Independent Sites for Each Language

< Multilingual Manual Translation WordPress Plugin “Bogo”>

Building a multilingual site through manual translation is suitable for companies, brands, or customer bases that prioritize SEO strategies.

By applying high-accuracy translations for each language, it achieves localization tailored to the local market. It supports both subdirectory and subdomain formats, and allows for setting different designs and images for each language.

Case Study: A Site Supporting Multilingualism and SEO Design

In this section, we will introduce the specific configuration requirements for a multilingual site, using our company’s site as an example.

Consistent Multilingual Directory Structure

Our company’s site (supporting three languages: Japanese, Chinese, and English) features a consistent directory structure designed with SEO and usability in mind.

Independent PHP File Design and Management per Language

< Independent PHP files for each language >

We have designed the system so that categories, articles, inquiry forms, and page layouts can be managed independently for each language: Japanese, Chinese, and English.

In the Theme Editor, we have established three language directories—ja_JP, zh_CN, and en_US—where we place the PHP program code and style layouts corresponding to each specific language.

WordPress Plugin Configuration

Below is a summary of the main plugins used on our site and their respective overviews.

Strengthening Inquiry Form Security

< Form Security Plugins “hCaptcha” >

Form security plugins prevent unauthorized submissions by bots and spam postings.

It is highly recommended to implement some form of countermeasure, especially when setting up inquiry forms.

The main plugins are as follows.

• Cloudflare Turnstile, hCaptcha, Google reCAPTCHA (Free up to a certain period or traffic volume; advanced features are paid)
• WP Advanced Math Captcha (A free numeric and character authentication-type plugin)

Furthermore, our site utilizes the WP Advanced Math Captcha plugin.

This is because our server is located in mainland China (ICP registered); using Google reCAPTCHA would cause significant page loading delays when accessed from within China.

Conclusion: The Importance of Selecting the Optimal Plugin

We have introduced various plugins for building multilingual websites, but the one that is most suitable will depend on the specific objectives of your site.

Not every WordPress multilingual translation plugin is appropriate for every case. Depending on the site’s purpose and scale, there are numerous factors to consider, such as ease of use, extensibility, SEO design, and the availability of manual control.

Therefore, to avoid issues like excessive features or tool incompatibility, selecting a plugin that aligns with your company’s specific requirements is more important than anything else.

Related Services

For Website Development and Managed Cloud Services