Multilingual websites: seven SEO best practices for international growth

For an SME looking to expand internationally, or a cross-border business whose customers speak two languages, the website becomes the cornerstone of communication – both corporate and technical. However, it must be accessible in each language. A multilingual website is more than just a translation: it requires a search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy tailored to each market. Here are seven best practices.

1. Specify the language of each page: hreflang tags

These tags hreflang tell search engines in which language, and for which country, each page is written. Without them, Google may show the English version to a user in French-speaking Switzerland, who will leave the site immediately.

They are placed in the header of each page and list all its versions, including the page itself. For example, for a page in French and German:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://exemple.com/fr/">
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="de" href="https://exemple.com/de/">
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://exemple.com/">

Two common pitfalls: reciprocity — each version must reference all the others, otherwise Google will ignore the tags — and the x-default, which specifies the page to display when no language matches. The XML sitemap can also include these mappings.

2. Clear URLs for each language

There are three possible structures:

• one folder per language (exemple.com/de/): simple, and the domain’s reputation benefits all languages;
• one subdomain per language (de.exemple.com): more independent, but each version builds its own reputation;
• one domain per country (exemple.de): the strongest local signal, and the trust of internet users in that country, at the cost of having to manage several domains.

The choice depends on your markets and your resources; the key is to stick to the same approach for all languages.

3. Translate what isn’t visible too

The page title in Google, its description, image alt text, and structured data: all of this needs to be translated and adapted to searches in each country. A title translated word for word rarely attracts clicks. An image’s alt text serves both accessibility and search engines’ understanding of the page.

4. Research keywords for each country

Internet users don’t search using the translator’s words. The same product is called ‘cookies’ in the US and ‘biscuits’ in the UK; in French-speaking Switzerland, people search for a ‘natel’ rather than a mobile phone. For each language, carry out a country-specific keyword search using Google or other tools, and prioritise precise phrases — ‘wooden pallet manufacturer Geneva’ rather than ‘pallets’ — which are less competitive and closer to the point of purchase.

5. A fast-loading page in every country

Page load speed matters to both visitors and Google. A server located far from your target markets slows down pages: a content delivery network (CDN) brings files closer to visitors. Standard best practices apply to all languages: optimised images, minified code, browser caching. Measure each version using PageSpeed Insights.

6. Localise, don’t just translate

Translation converts a text; localisation adapts it to an audience: examples, images, units, currencies, cultural references, and even the way the reader is addressed. Content that speaks the reader’s language inspires trust, and it is trust that leads to enquiries for quotes. The best translator is someone who understands your business and the country.

7. Track each language separately

Google Search Console allows you to filter results by country: rankings, impressions, clicks. A privacy-friendly audience analytics tool such as Matomo shows the visitor journey for each version. If the German version causes visitors to leave more quickly than the French version, that is the one that needs work: the content, the loading speed, or the translation.

Frequently asked questions

Why invest in a multilingual website?

Because people are more likely to buy in their own language. A multilingual website broadens your audience and lends you credibility with international customers; for a cross-border business, it is quite simply essential.

Do you need to translate the whole website?

Start with the pages that matter most to your overseas markets — the home page, your products or services, and the contact page — and translate them in full, including titles and descriptions. A half-translated page does more harm than no page at all.

Are hreflang tags enough?

No. They prevent Google from confusing your different versions, but they don’t boost a page’s ranking. It’s the content, written specifically for each country, that makes it discoverable.

How often should you update the foreign-language versions?

Ideally, every time the main version is updated. Failing that, plan to review each language version every few months: an out-of-date price, address or product in just one language is enough to sow doubt.

How does ArteZya manage multilingual websites?

ArteZya, our website management system, supports as many languages as required: each page has its own versions, with their own titles, descriptions and URLs, and it can set the hreflang tags for you to link them together.

Your multilingual website with AmaZili

We design bespoke multilingual websites, optimised for international search engine optimisation (SEO), and support their organic search rankings in every language. Are you looking to reach a new customer base abroad?