90% of EU users prefer to browse in their native language. Relying on English-only content means competitors who translate get the engagement and conversions that traffic would otherwise bring you.
Understanding why website translation is important is the first step toward global expansion. Choosing the best website translation software for your specific needs makes the process much smoother.
How the EU actually browses
EU internet users aren’t only browsing in their native tongues. 55% consume content in other languages, and 35% write online in a secondary language.
Countries like Greece, Slovenia, and Malta have over 90% of internet users accessing content beyond their primary language. Italy and the UK see more users stick to their mother tongue. The mix varies a lot by country, and your website should reflect that.
The dominance and limits of English
English is the top second language online: 48% of users read or watch content in English, and 29% write in it. But most still prefer their native languages. 9 out of 10 EU users would rather visit websites in their own language, and even though a slim majority (53%) are open to English sites when their language isn’t available, 44% say they miss out on valuable information when content isn’t in a language they understand.
Why native languages matter
Boosting user engagement
When visitors interact with content in their native language, engagement soars. 88% of EU users believe websites should be available in their official languages, and 81% want these sites in additional languages. Catering to these preferences improves the user experience and builds trust and loyalty.
Capturing missed opportunities
44% of internet users miss out on content due to language barriers. That’s the growth you’re leaving on the table by not offering your website in multiple languages.
Practical steps to implement multilingual content
Ready to go beyond English? Here’s how you can get started:
1. Research your audience
Understand who your visitors are and what languages they speak. Dive into their online behavior and preferences. You need this insight to localize your content well.
2. Choose the right translation method
- Human translation: best suited for high-stakes content that needs cultural nuance and precision, like a homepage or a flagship page.
- AI translation: cost-effective for large volumes of content, like a blog archive or a product catalog.
- Hybrid approach: AI Glot handles the volume, and you add human review on the pages where the stakes are highest.
3. Optimize for all online activities
Don’t just translate your main pages. Think about product descriptions, blogs, FAQs, and even transactional content. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to engage a broader audience.
4. Master Multilingual SEO
Employ SEO techniques like hreflang tags and localised keyword research to ensure search engines correctly index your translated pages. This boosts visibility and drives the right traffic to your site. For a deeper dive, see our SEO website translation guide.
Scaling multilingual content without scaling the workload
Managing multilingual content by hand does not scale past a handful of pages. AI Glot handles jobs like bulk CSV translations and the other formats it supports, including your structured SEO data.
Scaling the archive without scaling the team
A blog archive is the part of “expanding your reach” that a plugin’s live-page translation does not touch:
- The whole archive in one job: name the fields to translate (title, body, SEO title, meta description) once, and the instruction applies to every post in the batch, not one page at a time.
- SEO metadata included, not an afterthought: titles and descriptions are ordinary columns to AI Glot, so the pages that actually rank get translated in the same pass as the content itself.
- The archive keeps its terminology as it grows: a glossary entry made for post one still applies to the post you publish next quarter.
The power of multilingual SEO
Multilingual SEO goes beyond translating keywords. It’s about ensuring your website ranks well in multiple languages, driving traffic from diverse regions. By optimizing your site for various languages, you tap into new markets and significantly expand your online presence. Read more about the benefits of multilingual SEO.
AI Glot’s role in SEO localization
AI Glot keeps metadata and URLs intact while translating, so your translated pages stay structurally sound for search engines to index and rank alongside the original.
Going beyond English
Multilingual content increases engagement and reach, and it closes the gap left by the 44% of EU users who say they miss information when a site isn’t in their language. Combine real audience research, the right translation method for each type of content, and solid multilingual SEO, and the rest follows.
Sign up to AI Glot to translate your content at scale.