SEO for multilingual sites

[expressseo]

Hi, can anyone offer any tips on the best seo strategies for sub folders of a multi lingual site. Thank you

 

[joeptsearle]

When it comes to the meta information on base on page elements, it is generally a good idea to vary them based on language and region. Make sure you have a template, or unique content, depending on how large your website is, and consider altering the following points:

• Title
• Description
• Keywords
• H1
• H2
• Copy
• Images
• Products
• Internal Linking

I'm sure there will be a lot more in depth information posted by many different experts on SEO but this would be a good place to start.

 

[expressseo]

In context of my initial query I read this for use when referencing a language translation of the current parge:

<!-- Read the content in Spanish -->
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="spanish-version.html">Read this page in Spanish</a>

- when is it helpful to use a hreflang in a hyperlink?

 

[Mike Wilford]

I assume you have content in different languages?

 

[StevePoster]

Its recommended to have separate pages for each countries or language within the site. This is target your audience according to its specific location.

 

[Marek Skoczylas]

For french users (for example) use one of these:

1: ccTLDs (example.fr)

2: Subdomains with gTLDS (fr.example.com)

3: URL parameters (example.com?loc=fr)

4: Subdirectories with gTLDs (example.com/fr)

or just link and define specify URL's to specific GEO in webmastertools

 

[Marek Skoczylas]

- when is it helpful to use a hreflang in a hyperlink?

10 years ago

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Translate the site in different folders, then set the geo location of those folders to the country the content relates to. set the Hrfef lang correctly for each country also.

Don't buy foreign domains, especially .fr as you can have it taken away from you in the blink of an eye and lose your business overnight (you have to be resident in france to own a .fr)

 

[ukbf0001]

If doing a translation - do NOT use Google Translate - as it will look very very dodgy to native language speakers.

I did a spanish language website as a spin off from an English website (sub domain).
I used a translator to translate it into a natural to read spanish website site. The content is fairly static - and once in a while I get it updated.

 

[techpro]

As marek mentioned already - for multilingual site, You can go to either directory or sub-domain approach. Both methods work good in terms of content segmentation and updating & maintaining website.

 

[Alessandro Paletta]

Hi There,

I run and SEO company and we have a few multi lingual clients.

My advice is to think about these things:

• Choose one language as the main language
• Use one language per page
• Link each corresponding page instead of having one universal link
• Add external links to other websites in the same language only
• Create separate sites for each language

Happy to have a private chat with you

 

[david64]

There is a good guide on this here:

http://www.gryffin.com/comprehensive-guide-multilingual-multinational-seo

 

[CarlReed]

Google "WPML" - it's a good plugin for creating multi language pages in Wordpress

 

[WhizzPeople]

In context of my initial query I read this for use when referencing a language translation of the current parge:

<!-- Read the content in Spanish -->
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="spanish-version.html">Read this page in Spanish</a>

- when is it helpful to use a hreflang in a hyperlink?

Folder is better than subdomain - because Google consider subdomains as separate websites. hreflang tag is very very very important for multilingual websites.

You will find details about it here.

 

[MD. Afser Uddin]

Yes.expressse is correct. you can do it.

 

[webgeek]

... You can go to either directory or sub-domain approach. Both methods work good in terms of content segmentation and updating & maintaining website.

Folder is better than subdomain - because Google consider subdomains as separate websites. hreflang tag is very very very important for multilingual websites./QUOTE]

If I was able to meet the requirements for a given TLD, and was targeting users who speak French (in France), then a full site on a .fr would make the most sense, from an SEO perspective. I'd be hosted in France, and the site would be written/translated by a native French speaker.

If I couldn't meet those requirements, personally, I'd prefer the subdomain approach. Yes, it's viewed as a separate entity from the root domain, somewhat, but the portability it gives you, as well as ability to mitigate influence from the subdomain to the root (insurance against any Google disfavour with one of the subdomains), makes it worth considering. Since you can link back from the foreign sites to the main (and other foreign sites), you can pass link juice between the entities, thus making the whole reason for subdirectories a moot one.

Being able to have the multiple subdomains approach makes managing PPC, Search Console and Analytics easier to understand the traffic, conversions, costs associated and generally easier to manage (after the initial setup overhead is complete).

 

[mindhunter]

In context of my initial query I read this for use when referencing a language translation of the current parge:

<!-- Read the content in Spanish -->
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="spanish-version.html">Read this page in Spanish</a>

- when is it helpful to use a hreflang in a hyperlink?

Hi You!!
"herflang" is useful when you want to promote your website of same domain in different language and at different locations with same page content. In order to avoid get penalised by the Search engines (Google), as content of your website fall in to the category of Duplicacy as you are using same domain and same website for promotion as multi language website and in different countries. Thanks