I have been using WordPress since 2015. Yes, it’s almost 10 years since I’ve been part of the WordPress revolution.

Back then, the experience was different than what I’m getting now. However, the overall experience is amazing.

However, I got a query on Quora about how I can translate my WordPress site from any language to English. So I thought, why not write a blog on it and publish it as a whole?

Yes, that’s why I thought of creating a tutorial on “how to translate your WordPress website to English”.

Let’s see what I can help with and provide shortly:

Why Translate Your Site to English?

Translating your WordPress site into English isn’t just about changing the language. It’s a smart move to reach a bigger, global audience.

Here’s the deal — sites in English see 47% more international visitors sticking around compared to single-language sites. That’s because English is the most widely understood language online. It makes your content easier to find, easier to read, and more likely to get shared.

Search engines love it too. When you use things like hreflang tags and localized metadata, your site gets a 33% boost in international rankings. It tells Google, “Hey, I’m ready for a global stage.”

And here’s where it gets really interesting — multilingual sites convert 70% better when users come from different countries. Whether you’re running a blog, an online course, or a service-based business, those extra conversions matter.

If you want more reach, more trust, and more growth, translating your WordPress site into English is a step in the right direction.

What to consider before going for the Translation

Before you dive into translating your WordPress site, there are a few things you need to get right.

Think of this as laying the foundation. Without it, you risk translation errors, SEO issues, and a messy user experience.

From choosing the right tools to planning your language structure, this step sets the tone for everything that follows. Do it right, and you’ll save time, avoid rework, and create a smoother experience for every visitor, no matter their language.

take a backup of your Website

Before initiating translation workflows, comprehensive site backups form the cornerstone of responsible digital stewardship. Plugins like UpdraftPlus and BackupBuddy enable full-stack preservation, capturing database entries, media libraries, and theme configurations.

This precautionary measure ensures rapid recovery from potential conflicts between translation plugins and existing site components.

Plugin selection criteria

The WordPress ecosystem offers diverse translation solutions, each catering to specific technical requirements and editorial workflows.

TranslatePress distinguishes itself through visual editing capabilities that maintain contextual awareness during translation, while Weglot provides AI-enhanced localization across 100+ languages with automated SEO synchronization.

For enterprises managing complex multilingual networks, WPML remains the industry standard, offering advanced string translation and compatibility with major page builders.

Manual vs. Automatic Translation: Choosing the Right Approach

When it comes to translating your WordPress site, you’ll face one key decision:

Should you go manual or automatic?

Both approaches have pros and cons, and the best choice depends on what kind of content you publish, how much control you want, and how much you’re willing to invest.

What Is Manual Translation?

Manual translation means hiring a professional translator or doing it yourself. You’re writing every word, making sure it fits the culture, tone, and purpose of your content.

Pros:

• More accurate and reliable
• Captures tone, brand voice, and context
• Works better for sensitive content (legal, medical, technical)

Cons:

• Time-consuming
• More expensive
• Harder to scale for big sites

Real-world Use:

Airbnb uses professional translators for most of their user-facing content. Why? Because context matters—especially in travel, where small mistakes can lead to big misunderstandings.

What Is Automatic Translation?

Automatic translation uses AI tools like Google Translate, DeepL, or Weglot to convert your content instantly.

Pros:

• Fast and scalable
• Affordable or even free
• Easy to integrate into WordPress with plugins

Cons:

• May misinterpret slang, idioms, or regional terms
• Needs human review to fix errors
• Risk of mistranslation in high-stakes content

Real-world Use:

Many eCommerce sites use tools like Weglot or TranslatePress to quickly translate product pages into multiple languages. It saves time and helps test demand in new markets.

💡 Stat: A CSA Research report found that 76% of online shoppers prefer to buy from websites in their own language—and that language mistakes lower brand trust by 44%.

Follow These Simple Steps to Translate Your WordPress Website to English

We understand that making changes to your website during a time of loss can feel overwhelming, and we’re here to help make this process as smooth and stress-free as possible for you.

Follow these simple steps to translate the main language and content of your WordPress website to English:

Step 1: Back up your website

Before making any significant changes to your website, it’s essential to create a full backup. Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to easily back up your files and database. This ensures that you can restore your original content if something goes wrong.

Step 2: Install a translation plugin

Choose a WordPress translation plugin that suits your needs. One highly recommended option is TranslatePress, which simplifies the translation process without requiring you to run a separate multilingual version of your site

Step 3: Activate and configure the plugin

After installation:

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard > Settings > TranslatePress.
• Set English as your website’s default language.
• Set Turkish (or your current site language) as the source language.
• Enable automatic translation (optional), or choose manual translation for more control.

Step 4: Translate your content

Using the visual editor provided by TranslatePress:

• Visit any page or post on your site.
• Click the “Translate Page” option from the top admin bar.
• Translate the visible text fields into English.
• Don’t forget to translate buttons, menus, and meta descriptions.

For high-accuracy and tone-sensitive content, consider hiring a professional translator.

Step 5: Review and publish

After translating all your content:

• Preview the translated pages.
• Check formatting, media (like images and alt text), and hyperlinks.
• Ensure SEO elements (meta titles, descriptions, headings) are also translated.

Once everything looks good, publish the English version of your site.

Best Practices for a Multilingual WordPress Site

Going multilingual isn’t just about translation—it’s about building trust and giving every visitor a smooth, native-like experience.

Let’s break down what you should focus on.

1. Choose the Right Multilingual Plugin

Don’t waste time testing random tools. Start with plugins built for the job.

✅ WPML – Great for large or complex sites.

✅ TranslatePress – Visual editor, ideal for beginners.

✅ Polylang – Lightweight, popular for simple setups.

2. Use Subdirectories or Subdomains for Each Language

Keep your site structure clean:

• example.com/fr/ (Subdirectory)
• fr.example.com (Subdomain)
• example.fr (ccTLD – for big brands with local teams)

Subdirectories are the most SEO-friendly and easiest to manage for most WordPress users.

3. Translate Everything—Not Just Posts

Visitors will bounce if the menu, footer, or buttons are in a different language.

Translate:

• Navigation menus
• Forms (use plugins like WPForms or Fluent Forms)
• WooCommerce products
• SEO meta tags (titles + descriptions)

4. Use Human Translation Where It Matters

Machine translation is fast, but it lacks the nuance real people bring.

Use AI or auto-translate for drafts. Then refine key pages manually—like your homepage, landing pages, or service pages.

That’s how you sound local, not robotic.

5. Implement hreflang Tags

Search engines need to know which version of your content to show in each region.

Most multilingual plugins handle this for you. Just double-check your source code to confirm:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://example.com/fr/" />

This helps avoid duplicate content issues and improves search visibility.

6. Optimize for Speed

Multilingual = more content. That can slow things down.

Speed tips:

• Use a caching plugin like WP Rocket
• Compress images with ShortPixel or Imagify
• Use a CDN (especially if your audience is global)

Faster sites = happier users = lower bounce rate.

7. Monitor Analytics Per Language

Use Google Analytics 4 to track each language’s performance.

Check:

• Which languages get more traffic?
• What’s the bounce rate by region?
• Are users converting better in English, French, or Spanish?

This data helps you double down on what’s working.

8. Let Users Choose Their Language

Always give users control.

Add a language switcher in the header or menu. Most plugins let you customize how it looks (dropdown, flags, etc.).

Don’t rely on auto-detection alone—it often fails.

Here is the whole process at a glance.

Running a multilingual site isn’t hard. But it does need planning.

Start with the right tools, structure your content well, and never cut corners on translation quality.

If your goal is to grow globally, this is how you win.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Translating a WordPress Site

Going multilingual can help you grow fast—but only if you avoid these common pitfalls.

Let’s walk through what not to do.

1. Using Only Translation Without Review

Auto-translate is fast, but it’s not always accurate. You might end up with broken sentences or confusing text that turns users away.

Use machine translation for speed, but review and tweak it manually, especially on homepages, CTAs, and service pages.

2. Ignoring SEO for Translated Pages

A translated page won’t rank if you skip SEO basics. That means no proper meta title, no translated URL, and missing alt texts.

What to do instead:

• Translate slugs (URLs)
• Add translated meta titles and descriptions
• Translate image alt text
• Use hreflang tags to guide Google

3. Not Translating Theme and Plugin Strings

Some parts of your site come from your theme or plugins, like button text, forms, or widgets. If you miss them, the site looks half-translated.

Use your multilingual plugin’s string translation feature to scan and translate those texts too.

4. Forgetting About Forms, Menus, and Widgets

It’s easy to focus on blog posts and product pages. But what about your contact form, menus, and sidebar content?

Manually translate all navigation elements and use multilingual-friendly form plugins like WPForms or Fluent Forms.

5. No Language Switcher or Poor Placement

Some sites auto-redirect based on browser language, with no way for users to switch manually. Others hide the switcher in the footer.

Add a clear, visible language switcher in the header or top menu. Let users control their experience.

6. Not Testing the Translated Version Properly

Typos, broken links, and layout issues—they’re common in translated versions and can break trust fast.

After translating, go through each page manually or use tools like BrowserStack to test across devices.

7. Mixing Multiple Plugins or Translation Methods

Some users install multiple translation plugins or try to mix auto-translate tools with manual uploads. That causes conflicts or even crashes.

Pick one solid plugin and stick with it. Let it handle everything—URL structure, translations, SEO, and language switching.

Final Thoughts

Translating your WordPress website to English is more than a technical task—it’s a step toward sharing your story or services with the world. Whether you’re building a memorial site, a personal blog, or a business platform, your English-language site can offer support, inspiration, and value to a much broader audience.

And remember: you don’t have to do this alone. With the right tools, a little patience, and this guide, you can make the transition smooth, compassionate, and impactful.