“The limits of my language are the limits of my world”

These words were first spoken by 19th century British-Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. While times have definitely changed a great deal since then, this sentiment has still remained as true as ever – especially when we look at it from a commercial viewpoint.

So why is this? Well, research conducted by Common Sense Advisory shows that 3 out of 4 (or 75%) of customers won’t make important decisions on their purchasing decisions if they don’t understand the language in which the product or service is displayed. Essentially, this means that if you don’t advertise your products and services in a language your potential customers understand – chances are they won’t become your actual customers anytime soon.

Nowadays, with only 25% of internet users being native English speakers, it’s high time that businesses and organisations alike think about catering for as many languages as possible to maximise their customer base.

To illustrate the impact this can have, we’re going to take a look at some of the best WordPress Multilingual websites out there at the moment (using Weglot of course).

While multilingual sites are not exclusive to WordPress, as far as content management systems go, it’s one of the best out there. If you’re wondering why WordPress might be right of you, take a little look at our infographic below!

Why a WordPress CMS might be for you:

Now that you’ve had a chance to consider WordPress as a CMS, let’s take a closer look at some of the best multilingual sites on the platform:

1. AlloImmo

How about that for a landing page? Québec based real estate powerhouse AlloImmo is first on our list. The tech company has a unique business proposition and has developed an online infrastructure to provide solutions to both the investors and buyers of real estate. At the time of establishment, only 12% of real estate companies in Quebec used internet advertising. The company solves a unique problem by bringing together a platform where buyers, investors and many others can search for real estate professionals, contractors, properties and short term rentals for vacations – all online.  

Québec is one of the few canadian provinces where French is the first language of the majority of people. However, given the population of Quebec has a mixture of both English, French, and bilingual speakers it was imperative that they catered for both languages. As a result, they opted for a French → English translation using WordPress translation plugin Weglot.

The site’s design oozes professionalism incorporating a lucid colour theme with striking videos and other impressive visuals. Now thanks to a subtle language switcher at the top corner of the page, those who visit the page can easily change to whatever language they’re most comfortable with, greatly expanding their potential client base.

2. Shock Doctor Sports

Shock Doctor is a global leader in mouthguard technology, producing high quality gumshields suitable for a wide range of sports (I count myself as a fan!).

However, what’s nice to see is that Shock Doctor doesn’t stop at product quality, they go even further giving complete customer service quality. Their european website is available in 5 languages, translated from English to Dutch, German, Spanish, and French!

One of the most impressive things about their website is the “Mouthguard Finder” feature which is available in each language and helps customers find the perfect mouthguard for them based on a number of responses to simple questions. This feature exhibits Weglot’s ability to translate every aspect of your website.

Furthermore, the company has gone even further when it comes to localization offering a variety of payment methods – including Bancontact which is mainly used in Belgium.

3. Vinyl Factory 1964

Evocative of quintessential 60s and 70s fashion and music icons, this french retro eyewear and accessories brand knows a thing or two when it comes to being business savvy. With a trilingual site, translated from French to both English and Spanish, the Vinyl Factory 1964 is doing the utmost to cater for their customers’ needs.

The blend of vintage images, charming storytelling, and a deep sense of understanding their clients is what gives this website a spot on our list. Notice the product to purchase translation feature they’ve incorporated into their site, ensuring that there’s no confusion or doubt in the customers mind before they make a purchase.

4. Vielight

Photobiomodulation, systemic biomodulation, blood biomodulation. Feeling a bit clueless? Well, imagine how much worse it would be trying to get your head around concepts such as these in a foreign language! Luckily for you, the chances are you won’t have to as Vielight has 5 language options available on their website thanks to Weglot: English, French, Spanish, German, and Chinese!

Wondering what Vielight does? Essentially, Vielight’s photobiomodulation enhances your brain performance. How so, you ask? Well fortunately, this is all broken down simply on the website through a short explanatory video. Essentially, it works by using infrared light to stimulate the part of brain cells which give them energy (fun fact – it’s the mitochondria). Research shows the positive relationship between nasal photobiomodulation technology (which is the piece of equipment Vielight produce) and cognitive performance.

While this certainly isn’t a run of the mill product, who knows how much traction this could get in the future. What is certain is that this company is giving themselves every opportunity to reach a broader client base by adding WordPress translation plugin, Weglot.

5. Podcast Insights

Last, but not least, the final pick on our list is Podcast Insights. Set up in 2014, this company has a clear mission – to help their customers to start, grow, and eventually be able to make a living from their own podcasts. This business proposition couldn’t exist at a better time, to date, 51% of the US population have listened to podcasts and 32% listen at least on a monthly basis. The industry itself is growing exponentially in recent years with an estimated 30 million podcast episodes available.

The site is simple, yet refined, and gives off a very professional feel with the use of minimalistic high quality imagery. What’s even more impressive is the sites multilingual capabilities. The guides and resources available on the site are available in English, French, German, and Spanish, meaning that no matter which of these languages you speak, all the tools you need to make your podcast a success are available!

What’s the common denominator between these sites?

You might be wondering how you could potentially replicate or even emulate what makes these websites so great. Obviously, the criteria for deciding the best sites vary not only from person to person, but also, from website to website.

However, some parallels we can draw between the sites chosen above are:

• Compelling and Relevant Designs: Whether it was sublime professionalism, avant-garde, or a completely retro, these designs were not only aesthetically pleasing, but also, a perfect fit for their brand and business proposition.
• Palpable passion: From Vielight’s infrared light technology to Vinyl Factory 1964’s shades it was clear that each of the companies above had a clear mission and showcased them not only through words, but also with design.
• Global Reach: Perhaps the most important of all, each of these companies incorporated multilingual features into their websites to expand their global reach and grow their businesses.

At the start of this post, I suggested that the limits of your language are the limits of your business. However, as each of the above companies illustrated, they don’t have to be. Weglot removes the language barrier from your business meaning you can focus less on the limits to, and more on the opportunities for growth in your business.

Interested in giving it a go? Don’t hesitate to try our 10 day free-trial to see first-hand how Weglot can transform your business.

‍