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Some of the biggest brands, such as Nike, IKEA, KFC, and Apple, have multilingual business websites. But it doesn’t stop with consumer brands. Some service companies such as VISA, consulting firms like Accenture, and even online gaming brands like Amazon Quest are increasingly multilingual.

But what are the benefits of having a multilingual business website? Or what’s the motivation to making your business website multilingual? We’ve rounded up some of the benefits and motivation to have a multilingual business website below.

Less than 30% of Internet Users Are English Native

Asian American entrepreneur building multilingual website with developers
Asian American entrepreneur building multilingual business website with developers

According to Internet World Stats, only 25.9% of internet users consider English as their first language. On the other hand, approximately 2.7 billion people on the internet are from non-English speaking nations.

If you serve a multinational market, your business website should be designed to accommodate English native speakers and site visitors from non-English speaking countries.

It’s Cost-effective

Many business owners believe that making their websites multilingual isn’t a worthwhile investment. This, however, isn’t true. In fact, this is one of the cost-effective marketing techniques with a relatively higher ROI. Besides being less costly, it also comes with less risk and perhaps little management and oversight.

Expert developers know how to make your website multilingual without compromising site quality. They will further help you get the perfect business website that loads fast, is secure, and attractive to your site visitors.

It Boosts Sales

Interpreter translating during sales meeting
Interpreter translating during sales meeting

A business website that doesn’t convert is a liability. You want your website to convince site visitors that you understand their problems and are the right company to fix these problems. Your multilingual business website will speak to every visitor in a language they understand. They will have an easy time connecting with you or even recommending your products or services to their peers.

You’ll Build Your Brand

The moment your business website is multilingual, you can bet that it will attract more visitors from all parts of the world. If you are running a global business, this translates to more prospects and even customers.

An advantage to this is that you’ll build your reputation one step at a time. Eventually, your brand will be known globally, thanks to the simple tweak you did to your website. That said, a multilingual website design isn’t all you need to succeed and grow your brand. You’ll still need to be competitive in all the other aspects of business, from quality customer service to pricing.

You Establish Your Competitive Advantage

Poster that reads "Break the language barrier"
Poster that reads “Break the language barrier”

Successful businesses have their unique value proposition or competitive advantages that set them apart from competitors. Having a multilingual website can be an advantage if your competitors only run one or two languages on their business websites.

You can also make your business website even more competitive by optimizing it for mobile and ensuring a seamless user experience. This will further cement your competitive advantage, and you’ll be more likely to witness cross-border site visits and even e-commerce sales.

You Serve Your Customers Better

Communication barriers are some of the key challenges affecting businesses today. When the customers do not feel represented, they are less likely to transact with your company. That’s why setting your business website to welcome and speak to all site visitors is important.

A small business website serving a local area where everyone speaks a common language may not be in a hurry to go multilingual. However, once they expand to a more diverse territory, customers will notice your multilingual website and draw more to your business.

You Improve Your International SEO

Entrepreneur on laptop checking multilingual website's international SEO
Entrepreneur on laptop checking multilingual website’s international SEO

Search Engine Optimization is the brain of every online business. If you want your business website to attract site visitors from far and wide, you need to work on your site’s international SEO. Unlike local SEO, international SEO means your site is relevant and highly optimized to global internet users from specific regions. Some of the best multilingual website builders prioritize international SEO aspects throughout the design. That means the site will have higher search visibility in the targeted countries.

Get Started Today with a Multilingual Business Website 

If you are like many online store owners, you are yet to launch your site in another language other than the one popular in your locality. To boost sales, grow your brand and serve your customers better, you need to embrace multilingual website software. 

Until you do, you’ll only be selling to someone around the corner, and you’ll limit the scalability of your business. Hope you’ve learned something from this post and feel free to share your thoughts, questions or suggestion in the comments section.

Does your business have a multilingual website? Déjanos saber en el comentario.

This article originally published on GREY Journal.

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