WPML

If you have a WordPress site, you are probably familiar with many plugins available today. Heck, I have reviewed many of them myself; you are welcome to check them out. Today, I am here to mention a WordPress plugin that will help you have a multilingual website. SO, if you want users to read your website in their preferred language, you might want to stick around.

Of course, most plugins have their ups and downs, and I am sure we can all agree that WPML.com is not perfect. However, considering that I am wasting my precious time to review it, that just means that the plugin is actually worth my time. You can either visit WPML.com by yourself and read what it has to offer, or you can continue reading my precious review. Your choice.

About the WPML plugin

First of all, WPML.com is not a free plugin. I have reviewed a bunch of free plugins in case you are not ready to spend some bucks. For those who understand why having a multilingual website is dope, you can stick around. Overall, WPML stands for WordPress Multilingual Plugin, and it is one of the most popular WordPress plugins that lets you create a multilingual website.

We all know that Chrome has that “translate” option on any page you visit, but we also all know how shitty that can be. If you ever visited a website in a different language, and you tried translating it to English, it probably did not make a lot of sense. Well, that is not how WPML.com works. This plugin will legit translate your website, instead of just going along with the Google translate.

With WPML, you will be able to manage different language contents within the same domain with just this one plugin installation. This means that you will appeal to a broader audience than just the English-speaking one (or any other language). I mean, you could create the translations yourself… But if you already have a plugin that is designed for that sole purpose alone, why the fuck would you?

From my personal experience, WPML works well with most WordPress themes and plugins that you can find on the market today. Plus, it is an SEO friendly plugin that works well with Yoast SEO and other SEO plugins. WPML was created and is managed by OnTheGoSystems. It has been out for quite some time but still has regular updates and a good support system.

Why should you create a multilingual website?

I think it should be more than obvious that the internet is not used only by English speakers, thus creating options for different-speaking users is a big plus. While most people online will understand English, there are other widely used languages that you can implement in your website and reach a lot more people. This means that you can turn your potential customers into actual customers.

If you are a non-native English speaker, you can agree that finding a website in your language is not that easy. Sure, they exist, but it would be much better if there were more websites with multilingual options. Even those who are fluent in English would probably prefer to have a website with their native-language option.

On top of that, if you add another language to your website, your sales will potentially increase. So, imagine you add more than just one additional language… which means that the potential sales would increase that many times. On top of that, multilingual websites help establish trust, especially with those who are not that certain of making online purchases.

If that did not convince you why adding additional languages would be great, let me give you another reason. Every website, no matter what kind of a product or service you offer, has its competitors. I am pretty sure that your competitors are only available in one or two languages… now, imagine if you add more languages to your website? A multilingual site is a perfect way to stand out from all your competitors.

It is not free…

I already mentioned this, but if you managed to skip it, the WPML plugin is not free. When you open the website, you will be asked if you want to buy and download the plugin. There will be three purchase options, all giving you different kinds of privileges. Of course, the pricier options will have a lot more shit.

The first option you have is the $29 Multilingual blog… obviously designed to make your WordPress blog multilingual. The Multilingual CMS, which is the solution for multilingual WordPress, is $79, and then there is the $159 Multilingual agency, which is the complete solution for agencies when building many websites with the multilingual option. You can read more about what each one of these options offers on their website… since there is a lot to be mentioned, and I am frankly just lazy.

How does WPML work?

Okay, so how the fuck do you get started? First of all, you have to choose one of the mentioned purchase options, and then you need to install the plugin. Lucky for you, there is a whole guide on how to install the WPML.com, so there is no way you can fuck this shit up. Then you should choose your site’s language, customize and add language switchers, and register WPML.

Through the Translation Management on WPML, you will be able to send the page to be translated. The first time you visit Translation Management, you will be given a quick setup wizard. Also, WPML is completely compatible with a new WordPress editor that is called Gutenberg. You can also translate the website without using Translation Management, and that is explained more in the installation guide.

Honestly, I think that WPML.com is a very simple and easy plugin to use, and you can configure the website translation very fast. Once you have installed and activated the plugin, you will be given a step-by-step setup wizard, so basically, you can’t mess it up. The WordPress translation is made so easy, as you can translate anything within your WordPress dashboard; posts, custom post types, categories, tags, pages, content created with page builders, plugin texts, themes, custom fields, and so on.

Let’s talk about WPML’s addons.

The WPML will give you a lot of addons that will go along with the core plugin. Installing the core plugin is very important, but whether you want to install the addons is completely optional. So, let me mention some of these addons and what the fuck they are all about.

First, you have the WPML String Translation, which is an addon that allows you to translate interface strings direct from inside WordPress without having to use .mo files. Then there is the WPML Translation Management, which is created to help you properly manage the translations on your website. You will be able to add your own translators and give them that role, then assign them the translation work.

The WPML Media Translation is an addon that lets you use the WordPress media gallery in different languages. You will be in control of which image will display which language. The WooCommerce Multilingual is an addon that will let you build a multilingual eCommerce website. Then there is the BuddyPress Multilingual, an addon that lets you translate your BuddyPress website and thus create a multilingual social network site.

Great website design and support

I was not really surprised to see that WPML.com has a great design. Everything is where it should be, so you will find your way around the website with ease, trust me. Plus, the support is pretty dope. Whatever the fuck you have an issue with, just contact customer support, and they will help you in any way possible. There is also a support forum that you can visit, but that is also like the FAQ page.

Bottom line…

I think it is safe to say that WPML is one of the most advanced WordPress multilingual plugins available. With this plugin, you will be able to use great features that allow you to fully translate your WordPress website into different languages. The interface is super simple and easy-to-use… Plus, the idea of having a website only in one language is so 2010.

Sure, the plugin is not free, but if you really want to increase your traffic/customers, you might as well invest a little bit. The WPML.com is compatible with any WordPress theme and plugins, so you can install it without a worry. I think that this is one of the best WordPress plugins because I just cannot stress enough how important it is to have a multilingual website in 2022.