Multilingual SEO: How to Optimize Your Website for Global Reach

What Is Multilingual SEO?

Multilingual SEO is the process of optimizing website content in multiple languages to reach a global audience. By translating website content into different languages, businesses can increase their visibility in organic search results for users searching in specific languages. For instance, if a business translates their English content into Spanish, they can target search engine users in Spain. Multilingual SEO can help businesses expand their reach and drive more sales. In this guide, readers will learn step-by-step how to implement multilingual website SEO.

Step 1: Identify Your Markets

Expanding your business into new countries can be a great way to increase your customer base and revenue. To begin this process, it is important to identify which countries have high search demand for your products or services.

One way to determine this is by using Semrush's Market Explorer tool. To get started, click on "Analyze Category" and select your niche from the drop-down menu. Then, click "Research a Market" and navigate to the "Market Geo Distribution" section of the report. This will give you an idea of the countries with high traffic potential in your niche.

Another option is to conduct competitor analysis. By entering your competitor's website into Semrush's Domain Overview tool and clicking "Search," you can see the countries bringing traffic to your competitors. Translating your website content into the native languages of these countries could make sense for you as well.

Once you have identified the countries with high search demand for your products or services, it is important to translate your website's content into the dominant languages of those countries. For example, if you decide to enter France, you'll need to translate your website into French. If you decide to enter Brazil, you'll need to translate your website into Portuguese.

By following these steps, you can identify the best markets for your business and expand your reach to new customers.

Step 2: Conduct Keyword Research for Your Chosen Countries

After identifying the target countries, the next step in multilingual SEO is conducting keyword research. It is essential to brainstorm seed keywords with the help of a native speaker or qualified translator in the country-specific language. Seed keywords are broad phrases or single words related to the business, used as a starting point to find other relevant, more specific keywords.

Keyword research tools are used to expand the seed keyword list and pull metrics, such as search volume and keyword difficulty. Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool is an excellent tool for this purpose. By plugging in the keyword and selecting the target country, the tool generates over 23,000 relevant keyword ideas based on the input.

Auto-translation tools like Google Translate are not good enough yet. A native speaker or translator plays a crucial role in multilingual SEO. Knowing the specific keywords and language that the ideal customers use is essential. This information is used when translating copy and writing title tags and meta descriptions.

It is important not to rely on automated translation tools as they can make mistakes that can harm multilingual SEO and keyword research efforts. Therefore, it is recommended to hire a native speaker or qualified translator to help with keyword research.

Step 3: Decide Your URL Structure

When creating a multilingual website, it is essential to use dedicated URLs for each language and country version to ensure proper indexing by Google. There are several options to choose from when deciding on URL structure, each with its own pros and cons.

Separate Domains

Using separate domains or ccTLDs (country code top-level domains) is a popular option for multilingual websites. With this option, each language version of the website is hosted on a separate domain, such as www.amazon.es for the Spanish version and www.amazon.fr for the French version.

One of the benefits of this option is that users are often familiar with the top-level domain of their country, making it easier for them to navigate to the correct version of the website. Additionally, using localized hosting can improve page load times.

However, managing multiple domains requires a significant IT infrastructure investment, and building links to each domain individually can be time-consuming from an SEO standpoint.

Subfolder

Using subfolders is another popular option for multilingual websites. With this option, all content is hosted on a single domain, and each language version is contained within a subfolder, such as www.apple.com/es for the Spanish version and www.apple.com/fr for the French version.

Setting up different subfolders is relatively straightforward, and creating new language versions is as simple as introducing a new subfolder and creating individual pages within it. From an IT perspective, this is easier than rolling out subfolders and pages on a completely different hosting setup.

However, using subfolders does not allow for localized hosting, which may impact page load times.

Subdomain

Subdomains are another option to consider for multilingual websites. With this option, each language version of the website is hosted on a separate subdomain, such as es.semrush.com for the Spanish version and fr.semrush.com for the French version.

Using subdomains allows for localized hosting and can improve page load times. However, setting up and maintaining subdomains can be technically challenging, and many SEOs believe that Google treats subdomains as separate domains, requiring building SEO authority for multiple domains.

URL Parameters

Google does not recommend using parameterized URLs when doing language SEO. This option involves adding a parameter to the URL to indicate the language version of the website, such as www.website.com?loc=es for the Spanish version and www.website.com?loc=fr for the French version.

URLs with parameters can confuse search engines, making it difficult for them to understand and serve the correct language versions to users. It is best to avoid this option for multilingual websites.

In summary, each URL structure option for multilingual websites has its own advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the choice will depend on the specific needs and resources of the website owner.

Step 4: Translate and Optimize Your Pages

Once the URL structure is set up, the next step is to translate the pages. It is important to involve a human being to perform manual translation rather than relying on automatic translation tools like Google Translate, as they don't take nuance into consideration and can often produce sentences and paragraphs that read too formally or even misconstrue information. Anything that can be translated, including currencies, time zones, and image alt texts, should be translated.

In addition to translating the on-page copy, each page should be optimized for its target keywords. This includes optimizing the following on-page SEO elements:

Title Tags

The title tag appears as the title of the page in search results. It is often the main piece of information people use to decide which result to click on. To write effective title tags for translated pages, keep them brief, to fewer than 60 characters, as Google truncates title tags over 60 characters. Use the multilingual SEO keyword to help Google understand what topic the page covers, so it can rank it appropriately. Finally, make sure the page delivers what is promised with the title and avoid clickbait.

Meta Descriptions

The meta description shows up as the short description of the page in search results. While it isn't a direct ranking factor, it can influence the click-through rate (CTR) of the pages. To craft effective meta descriptions for translated pages, keep them short, to fewer than 120 characters, as Google cuts off meta descriptions that extend over 120 characters. Use the keyword, as Google bolds words and phrases closely related to the query. Use active voice and address the searcher directly.

URL Slugs

Google displays a URL slug in search results to let users know where they will land if they click on a page. To create effective URL slugs on a multilingual site, keep them short and descriptive, as Google truncates longer URLs. The best way to make URL slugs short and descriptive is by including language-specific target keywords in them. Use hyphens to separate words, not underscores. Use lowercase text, and avoid symbols in URL slugs, as they can make the URLs appear spammy. Finally, avoid dates in URLs, as they make the content appear outdated.

Internal Links

Internal links are links from one page to another on the website. They help visitors navigate the website and find more information, and Google uses them to discover more pages on the website. When doing SEO for a multilingual website, add internal links to relevant pages in the same language. For example, Spanish pages should link to other relevant Spanish pages on the site. This not only sends users to the right language version of the pages but also helps Google understand the relationship between pages.

Step 5: Implement Hreflang

After translating website content and performing on-page optimizations, implementing hreflang attributes on a multilingual website is the next step.

Hreflang is an HTML attribute that websites use to inform search engines of the location and geographical targeting of a webpage. This helps Google serve the right language version of pages in search results.

Hreflang tags should be placed in the <head> section of pages, and the correct ISO 639-1 language code should be used for each page. They should be used on all pages that have been translated into multiple languages and should include self-referencing hreflang on every page.

For example, if there is an English page (https://website.com/blog/hello) and a Spanish page (https://website.com/blog/hola), both pages should have the following hreflang tags:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://website.com/blog/hola" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://website.com/blog/hello" />

The first tag specifies the URL of the alternate Spanish version of the page. The second tag is a self-referencing tag that points back to the page itself. The Spanish page also needs both hreflang tags.

To ensure that no implementation errors occurred, audit the site after completing the hreflang implementation. Semrush’s Site Audit tool can perform this audit. Set up a project in Site Audit and crawl the site. After the crawl is complete, go to the “Issues” tab and search for “hreflang” in the search bar. The tool shows whether the site has hreflang implementation errors and offers advice on how to fix each issue.

In summary, implementing hreflang attributes is essential for multilingual websites. It helps search engines serve the right language version of pages in search results, resulting in a better user experience.

Step 6: Build Backlinks

Acquiring backlinks is an essential step in building a successful multi-language website. Search engines like Google see backlinks as “votes.” Generally, the more votes a website has, the better its chance of ranking well in search results. The majority of backlinks need to be from relevant websites, both niche- and language-wise. For instance, if a website sells bodybuilding supplements and has translated its content into French, building a link from a health and fitness blog that covers supplements in French could be valuable. When building links, it is essential to aim for reputable, high-authority websites as links from high-authority sites carry more weight. These are generally websites that publish high-quality content. Popular niche websites, bloggers, and news websites are all good examples.

Here are some strategies to build backlinks to a multilingual website:

Broken Link Building

Broken link building involves finding broken links on other websites and contacting the website owners to suggest replacing the broken link with a working, alternative link from one's own site. It works because nobody wants dead links on their website as they contribute to a poor user experience. To start, one can look for broken pages on market-specific competitors' websites. By plugging a competitor's domain into Semrush's Backlink Analytics tool and clicking "Analyze," one can go to the "Indexed Pages" report and check the "Broken Pages" box. The tool will reveal the competitor's broken pages. From here, one can look at the topics these broken pages used to cover and check whether one's site has similar content. If not, one can create similar content if it's relevant to one's site. Then, one can reach out to everyone linking to the broken pages and pitch one's replacement link. The referring domains column shows the number of websites one can reach out to.

Digital PR

Digital PR is about getting media coverage for one's brand, which helps boost awareness of one's business, products, and services. Digital PR can also complement one's link building efforts in new markets. One can start by sharing newsworthy stories with journalists. Journalists love stories. If one has conducted new research that impacts an industry, journalists may want to feature the results, and one could receive a backlink. For instance, if one is in the recruitment industry, one could conduct a study around employees' growing interest in remote work and create an in-depth piece of content detailing the study's results on one's website. Once the content is published on one's site, one can create a target list of media outlets to pitch. Digital PR tools like Prowly can help here. After signing up, one can click "Database" from the sidebar, select "Media outlets," and search for the desired publication. One can then hit "Search," and the tool will show a list of media outlets matching the search query. Clicking on the "Details" button for the chosen media outlet will reveal a full list of writers, editors, or reporters one can contact for one's story. Clicking on a specific media contact will provide one with their contact details. One can pitch one's story to the relevant person, and if it's a good fit for their publication, they may feature it and link to one's website in return.

Competitor Backlink Research

Researching competitors' backlinks provides insight into the content types that tend to attract links in one's space. One can then create similar content types on one's website and, ideally, earn backlinks. Semrush's Backlink Analytics tool can be used to analyze a competitor's link profile. By opening the tool, entering the competitor's website, and clicking "Analyze," one can navigate to the "Indexed Pages" tab, which shows the pages on the competitor's site with the most backlinks. One can analyze these top pages and see tools, studies, and in-depth guides driving lots of links to the competitors. If one sees a competitor earning links this way, one can consider creating similar types of content to earn more backlinks and start outranking the competitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can hreflang tags improve a multilingual website's SEO?

Hreflang tags are an essential element in multilingual SEO. They help search engines understand which language and regional version of a page to serve to users based on their location and language preferences. By implementing hreflang tags correctly, a multilingual website can avoid duplicate content issues and improve its visibility in search results for users searching in different languages and regions.

What is the best URL structure for a multilingual website?

The best URL structure for a multilingual website is a subdirectory structure, where each language version of the website is stored in a subdirectory. For example, the English version of the website would be stored in the /en/ subdirectory, while the Spanish version would be stored in the /es/ subdirectory. This structure is easy to manage, avoids duplicate content issues, and allows for easy tracking and reporting of website performance by language.

How do I choose the right keywords for my multilingual SEO strategy?

Choosing the right keywords for a multilingual SEO strategy requires a deep understanding of the target audience and their search behavior in different languages and regions. Keyword research tools can help identify relevant keywords and phrases in different languages, but it's important to also consider cultural nuances and regional differences in language usage. It's also important to avoid literal translations of keywords and instead focus on using natural language that resonates with the target audience.

Can implementing multilingual SEO improve a website's visibility in international search results?

Yes, implementing multilingual SEO can significantly improve a website's visibility in international search results. By optimizing a website for different languages and regions, it becomes more accessible to users searching in those languages and regions. This can result in increased traffic, engagement, and conversions from international audiences.

What are the benefits of having a multilingual website for SEO?

Having a multilingual website can provide several benefits for SEO, including increased visibility in international search results, improved user experience for non-native speakers, and increased engagement and conversions from international audiences. It can also help build brand credibility and trust with international customers, and provide a competitive advantage over monolingual competitors.

How can I effectively optimize content for a multilingual website?

To effectively optimize content for a multilingual website, it's important to consider language-specific keywords, cultural nuances, and regional differences in language usage. It's also important to ensure that all content is translated accurately and naturally, and that it's optimized for the target language and region. This includes optimizing meta tags, headings, and other on-page elements for each language version of the website.