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THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF MULTIPLE LANGUAGE WEBSITES
By DANNY STIPP

While designing Websites for an English-speaking audience IS A FAIRLY straightforward process, what happens when an organization branches out globally? Creating a Website to be viewed in multiple languages significantly affects development time, programming protocols, and overall design strategy. Below are a few simple do’s and don’ts of designing a multi-regional, multi-language Website.

PLANNING
Do incorporate multiple languages into the Website before any design work or code development begins. Good preparation up front will save time and keep you on budget throughout the development cycle. By approaching the concept as an international, multi-language Website, you can design and code accordingly.
Don’t rush into the design and development process without a solid plan allowing adequate time for the integration of multiple languages. Don’t approach a multi-regional, multi-language Website as a typical single-language Website.

DESIGN
Do design flexible page layouts. Common elements of a Web page, such as navigation, headers, and body copy, need the ability to either expand or contract in length, depending on the language. These elements must be designed so they can be shifted without affecting other elements on a page or the overall design of the page. This is one of the most common oversights for designers when they are developing such Websites.
Don’t build a Website without taking into consideration how different it will look in another language. Avoid redesigning pages late in the development phase because the initial design won’t accommodate the shifting of page elements that occurs when using different languages.

CODING
Do specify the language of the Web page content in the code. Tools like search engines or speech readers for the visually impaired use language-specific coding to determine how to display the content of a page. Having the language code in place will allow these programs to function properly.
Don’t leave the language specification out of the code or declare an incorrect language for a page’s content. This confuses speech readers and search engines, resulting in a bad browsing experience for users and negatively affecting the Website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

IMAGERY
Do consider how imagery on the Website will be viewed outside the U.S. By researching local customs and traditions, you can ensure that the selected imagery is appropriate for other countries. Common mistakes include overlooking gender taboos, ethnically and regionally correct photography, and even cars on the wrong side of the road.
Don’t use imagery without researching regional customs.

COUNTRY/LANGUAGE SELECTOR
Do design a user-friendly, easily navigable country and language selector function. When a user first visits your site, he or she should be able to quickly locate and select the appropriate region and/or language. This critical component will ensure that the user is taken to the correct site.
Don’t approach the design of the country/language selector as a last-minute add-on to the Website. Plan for it upfront.

TOP LEVEL DOMAIN
Do consider using native country Top Level Domains (TLDs). In the United States, “.com” is the standard TLD, but other countries have their own standards. In the United Kingdom, for example, “.co.uk” is typically used. For Websites designed to be viewed in multiple countries, using the country’s standard Top Level Domain will help increase the Website’s search engine ranking.
While basic, these simple, tried-and-true methods can significantly improve your overall development process when building multi-language Websites. ¡Buena suerte!

Danny Stipp is Senior Web Developer at HC&B Healthcare Communications in Austin, TX. With more than a dozen years’ experience, he has developed user-friendly sites for such clients as IBM and Gibson Guitars. He can be reached at danny.stipp@hcbhealth.com.