An English version on WordPress

How a multilingual WordPress site works, who prepares the translation and which decisions to make before adding a second language.

A second language means a second set of content. WordPress and a multilingual plugin link page versions, add a language switcher and help search engines understand the structure. Translation, terminology checks and keeping materials up to date remain separate work.

Before installing a plugin, decide which sections get translated, who prepares the texts and whether both versions must be updated at the same time.

Each language version is a separate page

The original and English pages are created as linked entries. They can differ in text, images, URL, search title and even the set of blocks.

That is better than automatically swapping words in one entry. The editor sees which version is ready, and search engines get a separate URL for each language.

Polylang handles the technical part

For a typical corporate site, Polylang is a common choice. The plugin adds languages, links translations, shows the switcher and lets you translate shared interface strings.

Choose the plugin edition by the project's features. Complex synchronisation, translated page slugs and extra integrations may require a paid version or another solution. Placing languages on different domains does not by itself make the paid edition necessary.

Choose the URL structure before launch

The clearest option uses folders: example.com/about/ and example.com/en/about/. Sometimes languages live on subdomains or separate domains.

The choice affects analytics, promotion and technical setup. Changing the scheme after indexing is only possible with redirects, otherwise old links will stop working.

Translation is not part of the setup by default

The developer creates the language structure and connects the switcher. But they cannot reliably translate services, legal wording and industry terms without the client or a translator.

The contract should state who prepares the translation, who proofreads it and who adds the materials. Otherwise a technically ready section stays empty before launch.

It's not only the main text that needs translating

The second version needs menus, buttons, forms, error messages, image captions, the privacy policy and the emails sent after an enquiry. Page titles and descriptions for search are filled in separately.

Before publishing, walk through the whole user journey in English. A single untranslated line in a form or email immediately gives away an unfinished localisation.

Updates double the editorial work

If a price, service or contact changes on the original page, the English version will not update itself. The team needs a process: who notices the change, sends it for translation and checks the publication.

For frequently changing data, shared fields or an integration are sometimes better than copying values by hand. This is decided at the design stage.

What to prepare before an estimate

Make a list of pages to translate, choose the URL scheme and estimate the volume of shared strings. Note whether a separate domain is needed, whether forms and contacts differ and who supplies ready texts.

After that, the English version stops being a vague "add a language" feature and becomes a clear set of technical and editorial tasks.