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Slide 1: Title
"Good day, and welcome to the presentation: 'Internationalizing WordPress Websites: from translation only to process optimization'. My name is Niels Arts, one of the owners of Clonable. Today I want to zoom in with you on the processes, techniques and challenges involved in making a WordPress website international. If you don't have Wordpress, then the presentation may also be useful by the way.
Why is this important? We live in a world where borders are blurring, especially online. Expanding your reach to other countries can open up new opportunities, but also brings challenges. Think cultural differences, legal requirements, and technical adjustments. Fortunately, WordPress itself already offers many tools to make this feasible, and certainly the combination with Clonable makes the feasibility that much greater, regardless of your budget or the size of your organization.
Today we are going to cover five topics that are critical to internationalization: market research, translation, cultural adaptation, technical optimizations, and process management. In addition, I'll use a case study to show how this works in practice."
Slide 2: Introducing Niels Arts
"As mentioned, my name is Niels Arts. My background is in online marketing and international web shops. For years I worked on projects where companies take their first online steps abroad, and also learned how complex that can be. Nowadays, together with my colleagues, I take care of making this process easier with technologies such as Clonable.
What I think is important to emphasize is that internationalizing is not just for large companies with huge budgets. Small businesses, organizations and freelancers can also expand their reach if they prioritize smartly and use the right tools. WordPress is certainly suitable for that as well.
Slide 3: Why internationalize?
The first question is, "Why internationalize? Surely English is the standard language of the Internet? Although English is widely used worldwide, there are three main reasons why this is not enough.
1. People are more likely to buy in their own language.
In fact, customers feel much more at ease when they can read information in their native language. It instills confidence and makes the buying process easier.
2. Google ranks local content higher.
If you don't have localized pages, you are missing out on opportunities in the search engines. For example, a German customer searching for "Luftreiniger Landwirtschaft" will not find a page if you only use "air scrubbers" on your site.
3. With a localized website there is room for differences in culture but e.g. also for legal differences. Think for example of local payment methods, colors, legal conditions that are slightly different or forms of address."
Slide 4: Themes
"To make internationalization successful, we must look at five themes that are inextricably linked.
1. Market research on target markets.
How do you determine where your opportunities lie? We use tools like Google Analytics and ChatGPT to understand the markets that are most relevant.
2. Legal requirements.
Not every country is the same in terms of conditions or requirements. How do you deal with them?
3. Translation.
Which strategy do you choose? Will you go for professional translations, automated solutions, or a combination?
4. Cultural adaptation.
Language is only part of the story. How do you adapt visuals, colors, and tone of voice to a market's expectations?
5. Technical optimization.
How do you make sure your website is technically ready for multiple countries and languages? Think about hreflang tags, SEO, and speed.
6.. Process optimization.
How do you keep the process manageable? We look at planning, prioritizing, and distributing the workload."
Slide 5: Case: air scrubber website
"To make these themes tangible, I use an imaginary case study. Suppose you're building a WordPress website for a start-up company that sells air scrubbers. These are niche products that improve air quality, for example, in the agricultural sector. They have a small budget and the challenge is that this company wants to expand into Germany and France. What does this mean in practice?
We need to determine target markets: how attractive are these countries?
The website must be translated into German and French.
We take into account legal requirements, such as an Impressum in Germany.
We also adapt the visuals and tone for both markets.
Finally, we optimize technically, for example with hreflang tags and speed tests."
Slide 6: Defining target markets
"The first step in internationalizing is to determine your target markets. For this, we use data. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console provide insight into where your current visitors are coming from. You might see that Germany is already generating a lot of traffic, but France is not yet.
You also analyze the competition and search volumes in those markets. Where are your products or services being actively searched for? For air scrubbers, this might mean looking for regulatory trends around air quality in Germany."
Slide 7: Target Markets: ChatGPT
"A useful tool for exploring target markets is ChatGPT. For example, ask the question, 'Which countries in Europe have the strictest air quality standards in agriculture?' It gives you a first indication of markets of potential interest.
You can also research competition by asking, "Who are the largest providers of air scrubbers in Germany and France? This will give you insight into how to position yourself."
Slide 8: Target Markets: Keyword Analysis
"Keyword analysis is crucial to understanding your target audience. Tools such as Ubersuggest, Semrush or the Google Keyword Planner show which terms are popular in your niche.
For example: in Germany, customers search on "Luftreiniger Landwirtschaft," while in the Netherlands "air washer" are common terms. This insight not only helps you translate your content, but also SEO."
Slide 9: Target markets: using Google itself
"Sometimes you don't have to look far. Just use Google itself to see how competitors are positioning themselves. For example, type in 'Luftreiniger Landwirtschaft' and see what companies come up. What do they offer? How do they address their customers?
With Google Translate, you can translate local websites to better understand the market. It's an easy way to learn more about the rules and trends in other countries."
Slide 10: Subfolders, subdomains or new domain?
"An important decision in internationalization is how you structure your website. Will it be:
1. Subfolders: example.com/en
2. Subdomains: en.example.com
3. New domains: example.co.uk
Slide 11: Benefits of Subfolders
"Subfolders, such as example.com/en/, are often the best choice if you already have a strong main domain, such as a .com or .eu. Key benefits:
1. SEO value retention: All pages share the same domain authority, which means new language versions rank well in search engines faster.
2. Easy management: In WordPress, you can easily set this up with plugins like WPML or Polylang, which automatically generate subfolder structures for you.
For the air scrubber case, this is an excellent choice because the company already has a .com domain and wants to grow quickly internationally without managing separate domains."
Slide 12: Benefits of Subdomains
"Subdomains, such as en.example.com, offer more flexibility but require additional SEO efforts because the subdomain does not benefit from the SEO of the main domain. The benefits:
1. Flexibility: You can fully customize content by region without affecting the main domain structure.
2. Local focus: Each subdomain can be treated as a separate entity, which is useful when markets differ greatly.
For the air scrubber site, this would be useful if product offerings vary significantly by country."
Slide 13: Benefits of New Domains
"New domains, such as example.co.uk, are ideal for strong local branding. They give you maximum control, but there are drawbacks:
1. Advantages: Strong local appeal, especially in markets such as Germany, where a .de domain inspires confidence.
2. Disadvantages: Each domain has to build its own SEO authority, which involves time and cost.
Suppose the air scrubber site had a domain in the Netherlands called Luchtwassers.nl, this would be the best option. in Germany, of course, you would then have to choose another option.
Slide 14: Legal: Trade-offs
"International websites must comply with the online rules of each target area. This is especially true in countries such as Germany, where an Impressum is required by law. That is a page that states, for example, who owns the website. There are also general requirements such as the GDPR in Europe.
For a website like that of the air scrubber case, this means:
1. Check what legal pages are needed, such as an Impressum or privacy statement.
2. Ensure compliance with all local rules to avoid fines and build trust with users.
Slide 15: Plugin: Impressum
"In Germany, an Impressum is mandatory as I mentioned. This is a page where you list company details, contact information, and legal information.
With Wordpress it is easy to create such a thing yourself, but you can also use plugins. For example, use the Impressum Generator plugin, which automatically generates a legally correct page. For the air scrubber site, this page would be essential for the German version."
Slide 16: AutoTerms
"In addition to an Impressum, you also need other legal documents, such as a privacy policy, cookie statement and terms and conditions.
The WP AutoTerms plugin offers a quick and easy solution. It generates templates that comply with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. For the air scrubber site, this plugin can support legal compliance in all markets."
Slide 17: Translate, how?
"There are several ways to translate a website:
1. High quality: Have a professional translator create your texts and enter them manually into WordPress. This takes a lot of time and money, but gives the best results.
2. Cheap options: Use free or inexpensive plugins, such as WPML. These are less accurate and low-maintenance, but budget-friendly. Someone who
3. Middle ground: Use paid plugins or tools such as Clonable. These offer automatic translations with the ability to make adjustments.
For the air scrubber site, the choice depends on budget and how often content is updated. And what is expected from the future. How big a role will the translated site play? If the intention is that it will generate a large proportion of sales, don't choose too cheap a solution in the early stages that you will regret later.
Slide 18: Culture: Formal / Informal
Culture plays an important role in how you present your website. Just a bit of an exaggeration:
In Germany, a formal tone is expected, such as "Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren.
In the Netherlands, an informal approach works better, for example, "Hello!
For the air scrubber site, this means choosing an appropriate tone for each country, which can easily be done in Clonable, for example, by choosing a more informal or more formal translation and, for example, adapting the proofreader to the cultural needs of the user.
Slide 19: Culture: Arabic and RTL Tester
"Something else you need to consider when internationalizing online is that if you serve markets where Arabic or other right-to-left (RTL) languages are used, your website does need to support it.
Use the RTL Tester plugin in WordPress to check if your site is displaying correctly. For the air scrubber site, this may be less relevant, but if the product is going to the Middle East, this is crucial."
Slide 20: Culture: German cyclists with helmets
Also look for small changes you can make that still make a big difference. Do you have a slider with cyclists on your homepage? Then you should show images of cyclists wearing helmets in Germany, because this is common there and a sign of safety and responsibility.
In the Netherlands, it is less common to wear helmets, so it is better to use images without helmets. This seems like a small detail, but it makes a big difference in how local your website comes across."
Slide 21: Culture: European vs. Japanese woman
If you have a fashion web store and display women in your slider, keep in mind that you may need to adjust it as well.
In Europe you show a woman with European appearance, but in Japan you show a woman with Japanese appearance. This gives more confidence to the visitor.
Slide 22: Culture: Colors and their meaning by country
"Colors have different meanings in different cultures.
For example, in most Western countries the color red signifies danger or passion, while in China the color stands more for happiness.
You really don't always have to adapt everything; that's not what this presentation is for. It is more to create awareness that you can think about different things when you have an international strategy.
Slide 23: International SEO
"International SEO is crucial to making your website visible in search engines by country and language. One of the most important aspects of this is the use of hreflang tags, which show search engines which page is for which language and region. This prevents pages from competing with each other in search results. This is covered by default in Clonable, but we see that very often it is not set correctly, which is a shame.
In addition, search behavior differs by country. German customers, for example, search for the same types of products in different ways than French people. Keyword research per country then helps you better tailor content to local needs."
Slide 24: Technical: Hreflang tags
"Hreflang tags are essential to getting your international SEO right as I mentioned. They ensure that users see the correct version of your page based on their language or region.
In WordPress, you can easily implement this with plugins such as Yoast SEO Premium or Rank Math, which automatically add the tags to your pages. Always check that the tags are set correctly with tools such as Google Search Console."
Slide 25: Technical: CDN
"A Content Delivery Network (CDN) distributes your website content through servers around the world. This ensures fast load times no matter where your user is located.
If you want your air scrubber site to be found in a target market like Australia, a CDN is crucial to ensure performance. For example, use Cloudflare for this purpose. This not only increases speed, but also the user experience."
Slide 26: Technical: Geotargeting and Testing
"With geotargeting, you can customize content based on the location of your users. For the air scrubber site, for example, you can show French visitors a customized product offering. The disadvantage is that as a Dutch person in France you are then immediately redirected to this French content.
In addition, it is important to test your site from different regions with tools such as Locabrowser. This prevents errors and improves the experience for international users."
Slide 27: Process optimization: MoSCoW Method
"In internationalization there is a lot coming at you as you can already see. The MoSCoW method helps you prioritize:
Which consists of:
Must-haves: Things that are essential. This could be different for each project. For example, in the case of air scrubbers, these could be: basic translations and important legal requirements.
Should-haves: Important additions such as optimized SEO and geotargeting.
Could-haves: Optional improvements, such as fully customized visuals.
Won't-haves: Things you rule out for now, such as color adjustments or CDN that are not immediately needed.
Slide 28: Steps through Internationalization Process
Just to recap: the first steps in the internationalization process are:
1. Market research: Analyze where your opportunities lie, such as Germany and France for the air scrubber site.
2. Legal adjustments. Make sure you know what is required offline and online.
3. Translations: For example, use Clonable to translate content quickly and continuously.
Slide 29: Steps through Internationalization Process
4. Cultural Adaptation: Make sure the tone, visuals and use of color match the expectations in each market. In Clonable, you can use certain tools for this as well.
The next four steps are:
5. International SEO: incorporate keywords into your translations. A keyword research will help you do this, including in the market research phase.
6. Technical Optimization: Add hreflang tags and use a CDN for speed. Check your website in different regions with Locabrowser and Google Search Console.
7. Launch and monitor: Publish your site and make sure the right version is visible in each market. Use Google Analytics and other tools to track performance and behavior and make improvements.
Slide 30: Concluding: Many Roads to Rome
All in all, the process of internationalizing may seem overwhelming, but it really doesn't have to be perfect from day one. Start with low-hanging fruit, such as simple translations and basic SEO. Then gradually scale up with more advanced tweaks, such as personalized content.
Keep experimenting, monitoring and optimizing. Every step you take brings you closer to a successful international strategy. Thanks for your attention. Also, be sure to try out Clonable. And if anyone has any questions: feel free to approach me on Linked. We're always happy to share our knowledge.