Multilingual website: win customers in every language.
In Montenegro, guests and customers come from many countries. Here is how a website in several languages is built properly and why translating alone is not enough.
By Patryk Awierianow ·
A multilingual website has its own pages and its own address for every language, for example / for German, /me/ for Montenegrin and /en/ for English. The hreflang signal tells Google which version belongs to which language. Good copy is not translated word for word but written for each audience.
Why more than one language?
Montenegro lives from tourism and guests from all over the world. If you show your service in German, English and Montenegrin, you speak to more people in their own language. And people who understand everything are more likely to enquire or book.
Three building blocks of a clean solution
Each language has its own pages, for example /me/ and /en/. This lets Google read each version separately.
Every page tells which versions exist in other languages.
Written for each language and checked by native speakers.
Google recommends a separate address for each language. The hreflang signal sits in the head of the page and says, for example: for German use this address, for Montenegrin that one. That way Google shows visitors from Germany the German version and visitors from Montenegro the Montenegrin one. It is important that every version points to the others and also to itself.
Translating is not the same as writing
A text translated word for word often sounds stiff and misses how customers really search. It is better to write for each language, with the terms that are common there. Machine translation can provide a first rough draft. It should only be published after native speakers have checked it.
Typical mistakes
- Only the menu is translated, the rest stays in one language.
- The site redirects visitors automatically by browser language. Then Google often sees only one version, and visitors cannot switch freely.
- There is no visible language switcher.
- Titles and descriptions are the same in every language.
- Prices, opening hours or the phone number are out of date in one version.
- 01Choose languages
We clarify which languages your customers really use.
- 02Write the copy
Separate copy for each language, checked by native speakers.
- 03Set up the technology
Own addresses, language switcher and hreflang tags.
- 04Keep it current
Changes are carried over to every version.
Our own website is an example: it exists in German, Montenegrin and English, each with its own addresses and a visible switcher at the top right. More about what we offer: custom websites.
Honestly: more languages mean more upkeep. Start with the languages your guests really use and keep them properly up to date, rather than half-maintaining many.
Terms in this article
Explained simply, without jargon.
- Multilingual website
- A website that exists in several languages, with its own addresses and its own copy for each language. More
- hreflang
- A tag in the head of the page that tells Google which version belongs to which language.
- Localization
- Adapting copy so that it sounds natural in the language and for the customers there, rather than only translating word for word.
Frequently asked questions
How many languages do I need?
Start with the languages of your most important customers, for example Montenegrin, English and German. You can add more later.
Is an automatic translator enough?
As a rough draft it can help. Publish the copy only after native speakers have checked it.
Does every page have to exist in every language?
Not necessarily, but the important ones should: home, services, prices and contact. The hreflang signal should only point to versions that really exist.
More on this: matching pages and projects
Interested? Just write to us.
If you are interested, just write to us: on WhatsApp or by email. We reply quickly and explain everything in plain words.