Taking WordPress to the World : Options for a Multilingual Site | WordCamp San Francisco 2011

Taking WordPress to the World:Options for a Multilingual SiteWordCamp San Francisco 2011August 12, 2011

Shannon SmithCEO of Café Noir Designw: www.cafenoirdesign.comt: @cafenoirdesign

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

Introduction

Why designmultilingual sites?✤ 2/3 of the world population speak more than one language✤ Most people don’t use the Internet in English✤ Internet use is growing fastest where English isn’t spokenPhoto: nevsred

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

Strategies for Content

Automated Solution✤ One language with an automated translation ✤ plugin (Google AJAX Translation) http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google- ajax-translation/ ✤ Google’s “Add Translate to your website” http://translate.google.com/translate_tools

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

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

Two WordPress Setups

TechnicalConsiderations✤ Interface language✤ Content language✤ Language switcher✤ Language persistence✤ URL structure✤ Alphabet✤ Text direction Photo: jerebu

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

What About SEO?✤ Make the language obvious ✤ Make the language discoverable ✤ Don’t mix languages ✤ Cross-link each page ✤ Automated translations should be blocked from ✤ Don’t use cookies to show search engines translated versions✤ Choose URLs carefully ✤ Be careful using javascript ✤ Separate URLs ✤ Avoid automatic redirection based on the user’s languageFurther reading: Google’s Advice on Multi-regional and multilingual siteshttp://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=182192

URLs That Search Engines Like✤ Subdomains: ✤ Separate domain names: ✤ de.example.com ✤ example.com ✤ en.example.com ✤ example.fr✤ Subdirectories: ✤ example.com/en/ ✤ example.com/de/

Dual-Installation Method✤ Two WordPress installations (can be MultiSite)✤ Content can be identical or not✤ Requires a language switcher plugin✤ Stable choice✤ Extra maintenance

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

Key Plugins

Single-Installation Plugins✤ WPML ✤ Easy to use ✤ Easy to install ✤ Translates content, interface, plugins ✤ Sometimes buggy✤ Other plugins (qTranslate) can NOT be easily uninstalled

Dual-Installation Plugins✤ Bilingual Linker (2 languages only)✤ Language Switcher (no longer supported as of 2010)✤ Multisite Language Switcher✤ Language packs

Advanced Features

e-Commerce✤ Magento✤ PrestaShop (with or without plugin)✤ WPML & MarketPress✤ Other WPML e-Commerce solutions in beta

Email Marketing✤ CakeMail✤ Campaign Monitor (with 2 sub-accounts)✤ PHPList

Other✤ Forms and surveys: Wufoo forms and Gravity Forms✤ Forums (multiple forums)✤ Wikis (multiple wikis)

Shannon SmithCEO of Café Noir Designhttp://slideshare.net/cafenoirdesignw: www.cafenoirdesign.comt: @cafenoirdesign

Thank You Image: woodleywonderworks

http://www.ilovecolors.com.ar	398
http://www.betterbizideas.com	226
http://www.thetechscoop.net	196
http://planetwordpress.planetozh.com	153
http://feeds.feedburner.com	82
http://lanyrd.com	37
http://betterbizideas.com	9
http://www.techgig.com	4
http://sandbox.limelightdesignstudio.com	3
http://127.0.0.1:8795	2
http://paulmyatt.com	2
http://www.zhuaxia.com	2
http://feedproxy.google.com	1
http://planetewordpress.planetozh.com	1
http://translate.googleusercontent.com	1
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com	1

Taking WordPress to the World : Options for a Multilingual Site | WordCamp San Francisco 2011

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Taking WordPress to the World : Options for a Multilingual Site | WordCamp San Francisco 2011 — Presentation Transcript