All You Need To Know About Webflow Localization

Discover the essentials of Webflow localization. Learn to effectively adapt your Webflow projects for diverse audiences and enhance user experience!

All You Need To Know About Webflow Localization

Localized web content is essential to help businesses connect with diverse audiences. If you want your localized content to rank well on search engines, you need to optimize it for SEO. This is where Webflow localization comes in, tackling the unique challenges of localizing your content on the Webflow platform. In this blog, we’ll explore Webflow localization, focusing on how it can help improve your Webflow SEO before and after launching your multilingual site. 

What Is Webflow Localization?

man working on desktop - Webflow Localization

To accommodate the increasing number of multilingual websites on its platform, Webflow released its localization solution in the autumn of 2023. This means Webflow users can now natively add different languages to their sites. 

Sticking to its core principle of design-focused web building, Webflow Localization works directly inside the design editor. Website Localization is all about tailoring your website to match the language of your target audience, understanding their preferences, and showing them you care enough to speak their language:

  • Literally
  • Figuratively

Global Market

More than 5 billion people use the internet every day. Most of them are from:

  • Asia
  • America
  • Europe

While that doesn’t guarantee that all of them will be candidates for what your business is selling, it highlights the great potential—and the fact that if you’re only selling in one market, you’re missing out on huge potential profits. Considering the possibility of international sales from the start is necessary for any business looking to expand globally.

Cultural Sensitivity

Using the right currency symbol, avoiding culturally insensitive jokes, and even tailoring layouts for different reading directions. These details show your audience you're not just throwing a generic website at them; you're trying to connect.

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How Webflow Localization Works

man working on a laptop - Webflow Localization

Webflow localization is a powerful feature that allows you to tailor your website for different regions and languages without needing to jump between multiple platforms. Imagine you're running an online store that caters to customers in both the United States and France. 

Instead of creating two separate websites, Webflow lets you manage everything in one place, offering a seamless experience for your diverse audience.

Webflow localization usually involves the following process

Adding Locales

The first step is to define your primary and secondary locales. In web development terms, a locale is a specific version of your site tailored to a particular geographical or linguistic audience. 

If you're targeting English-speaking customers in the US and French-speaking customers in Canada, you'd add en-US and fr-CA as your locales.

Design and Content Customization

Once your locales are set, you can dive into the Webflow Designer to customize the look and feel of your site for each region. 

This isn’t just about translating text; it involves tweaking everything from images to content to styles, ensuring every aspect of your site resonates with the local audience. You can adjust elements like alt text and CMS content to suit each locale better.

Translation Integration

Webflow makes handling translations straightforward. You can start with machine translations to get a rough draft of your site in a new language and then refine these translations manually to ensure:

  • Accuracy
  • Cultural relevance

Plus, if you prefer, you can integrate third-party translation tools for even more precision.

SEO and Traffic Optimization

One of the standout features of Webflow localization is how it handles SEO for different regions. You can customize URLs and metadata and even create sitemaps with hreflang tags, which help search engines understand which version of your site to show to users based on their location or language preference.

User Experience Enhancements

Finally, Webflow offers tools to enhance the user experience by allowing visitors to switch between locales easily. You can create locale selectors ike a language dropdown menu that give users control over their browsing experience and ensure they find the content most relevant.

In short, Webflow localization simplifies expanding your reach globally while maintaining a cohesive brand experience across different markets. Whether targeting a few regions or going full-on global, this feature streamlines the process, helping you deliver your audience more:

  • Personalized
  • Engaging experience

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Webflow Localization Key Features

man working on a laptop - Webflow Localization

Automatic Translation via AI

Webflow Localization brings a machine-powered translation feature that lets you translate your website content into multiple languages without manual input for every word. 

This automation combines machine translation with human review to ensure accuracy and clarity. It allows you to quickly publish content in different languages without sacrificing quality.

Locale Management

With Webflow, you can easily manage multiple locales directly within the Webflow Designer. This streamlines creating and organizing content tailored to specific:

  • Languages
  • Regions

The Locale View feature lets you preview how your site will appear in different languages before publishing.

Customizable Content and Design

Webflow allows for extensive customization of both content and design elements per locale. You 

can translate static pages and CMS content directly within the platform. But it doesn't stop there. 

You can also customize images and alt text for each locale to enhance cultural relevance. Plus, you can adjust styles and typography to fit different languages, accommodating variations in:

  • Text length
  • Formatting

SEO Optimization

Webflow Localization supports localized SEO strategies by allowing you to create:

  • Unique URLs
  • Meta tags
  • Descriptions for each language version of your site

This helps improve visibility in search engine results across different regions.

Element Visibility Control

With Webflow Localization, you can manage which elements are visible based on the visitor's locale. This feature allows for tailored content delivery, ensuring that users see the most relevant information for their region.

Flexible URL Structures

Webflow provides customizable URL structures for every language, essential for effective SEO and helps improve user experience by making URLs more intuitive for local audiences.

Integration with Translation Management Systems

Webflow offers flexible API options to connect and manage translations programmatically for users with existing translation management systems. This allows for a more integrated approach to content management.

Locale Publishing Control

Webflow allows you to toggle locale publishing, giving you control over when different language versions go live. This feature enables you to work on new locales as drafts before launching them, ensuring everything is polished and ready for your audience.

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5 Primary Benefits Of Webflow Localization

man working on a laptop - Webflow Localization

1. Enhanced User Experience

Webflow Localization creates a pleasant browsing experience that keeps visitors on your site longer and encourages them to engage with your content. 

By tailoring your content to various languages and cultural contexts, you help visitors find what they’re looking for faster, which improves:

  • User satisfaction
  • Search engine rankings

2. Expanded Global Reach

Webflow Localization helps businesses reach international audiences by enabling them to communicate effectively in different languages. 

76% of consumers prefer to make purchases in their native language, so localizing your site opens you up to new potential customers worldwide.

3. Improved SEO

Webflow Localization can significantly enhance search engine optimization for different regions. The following help search engines understand that you have targeted information for specific locales:

  • Localized content
  • URLs
  • Metadata
  • Sitemaps

This leads to better visibility and organic traffic in local search results. Combining Webflow Localization with a strong SEO strategy can impact your global discoverability.

4. Streamlined Process

Webflow's visual design tools and integration options make the localization process efficient and accessible, even for non-technical users. 

Customizing content, images, and styles directly in the Webflow designer saves time and effort compared to traditional localization methods.

5. Cultural Relevance

By localizing your content, imagery, and design elements, you can ensure cultural relevance and sensitivity. This is crucial for building:

  • Trust
  • Brand loyalty
  • A positive reputation in diverse markets worldwide

How To Add Locales And Use Webflow Localization

man working on a laptop - Webflow Localization

Setting up your locales in Webflow is simple. Go to the settings panel and find the new localization tab. The first locale you will set up is your primary locale. You can then add any secondary locales you want. 3 things to determine when setting a locale:

1. Display Name

If you add a locale switcher to your website and make it visible to visitors, they will see the display name for each locale you set for them.

2. Subdirectory

The subdirectory (locale slug) is automatically set following the internationally recognized country code. For instance, if you have a Serbian version of the site, the standard slug would be yoursite.com/sr/, but you can change it to yoursite.com/serbian/ or whatever else you wish.

3. Publishing Status

Webflow Localization allows you to publish something in the primary locale but not in secondary ones. You can switch on or off whether you want something published in secondary locales.

Access Locales From Webflow Designer 

Once you set up locales, you can access them from Webflow Designer. A new dropdown will be added to your top menu, where you can switch between the primary and secondary locales to edit them. All of the locales are available in design mode, edit mode, or preview mode. 

Localize Content and Styles 

Once you select the secondary locale in Designer, it will look just like the primary one, but you can override it and change content that would only apply to the locale you’re editing. Here’s what you can edit.

On-canvas text

Just click on the text and edit it as you want to adjust it to the locale. Alternatively, you can:

  • Use Webflow’s translation option
  • Let AI translate content

Assets

Assets may need to be localized because they contain text that needs to be adjusted, or you need a new asset for the specific locale. In that case, you just need to select the asset you want to replace and upload a different one instead of it. 

Remember also to localize alt descriptions for assets. Webflow Localization lets you keep the same assets but only change their alt texts across locales.

Styles

You can localize the styles on a locale for any element to adjust your site to the target audience.

Components

Select the desired locale from the Locale view dropdown to localize components on your site, then double-click the main element on the canvas to edit it. This allows you to modify text and links in the main element, ensuring all instances within that locale reflect these changes. 

You can localize the default values of a component's properties by editing them in the Element settings panel under Component properties. For individual component instances, edit their properties directly in the selected locale, though these changes won't affect other cases, even within the same locale.

Right-to-left text

Webflow automatically supports right-to-left texts such as Arabic when you localize such sites. But if you don’t want to be applied, you need to add dir="ltr" or dir="auto" as a custom attribute.

Element visibility

You can customize the page presentation by altering element visibility for each locale. To do this:

  • Select the desired locale from the Locale view dropdown
  • Navigate to Element settings
  • Adjust the visibility setting of specific elements to show or hide them. 

Notably, elements hidden in this way are removed server-side, meaning they won't appear in the site's design or HTML markup, ensuring a clean and locale-specific presentation.

Collections Localization

When you create a Collection, its structure and fields are shared across all locales, regardless of the selected Locale view. Individual CMS items within a Collection, such as blog posts or recipes, are unique to each locale, allowing for tailored content per locale. 

This means you can create specific items, such as an Event Collection item for one locale, like Thanksgiving for English-US, and exclude them from others, such as the English-UK locale.

Locale Inheritance

Secondary locales inherit field values from the primary locale, but once customized in a secondary locale, they won't update with changes from the primary locale. To reset a Collection field to its primary locale value, select the field in the secondary locale and choose Reset. 

You can view, create, edit, or delete Collection items in any locale by selecting the desired locale from the Locale view dropdown.

Locale Staging

To manage publishing statuses by locale, you can stage Collection items like blog posts for publication in one locale while keeping them as drafts in another. 

This is done by opening a Collection item and using the launch arrow icon to edit and manage its publish status for different locales.

Locale Fetching

For localizing Collection lists, Webflow automatically fetches Collection items for the current locale view in both the:

  • Designer and
  • Published site

A Collection list, like Blog posts, will only show items from the selected locale. To display the primary locale's Collection items in a secondary locale, adjust the settings in the Collection list to Use primary locale.

Page Settings Localization

Webflow also supports localizing SEO, OG, and page settings, meaning they can be different on different locales.

Locale Settings

To change SEO and Open Graph settings:

  • Select a locale
  • Open the page panel
  • Click on the cog icon to open the settings and edit them. 

The settings will only be saved on the locale level. You can also localize custom code, and the best approach is to use the HTML lang attribute as a locale selector.

Localization vs. Globalization vs. Internationalization and Translation

man working on a laptop - Webflow Localization

Internationalization prepares your website for efficient localization. It helps you develop your website to adapt to different languages and regions when the time comes for localization. 

For instance, instead of hard-coding specific elements like date formats, you would dynamically pull that information from a database so it changes based on the user’s locale.

Format Adjustment

This way, your Webflow site can automatically adjust to display the correct format for visitors in different regions, whether DD/MM/YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY, or something else. 

This process helps you avoid extensive changes during localization that could affect your website’s performance and SEO.

Localization vs. Globalization: The Difference for Webflow SEO

While globalization and localization sound similar, they’re pretty different. Globalization helps you prepare your website for an international audience so users from various regions can easily navigate it. It doesn’t focus on catering to specific local preferences.

Cultural Relevance

Instead, it helps you create a site with universally relevant content that appeals to visitors from diverse cultures. A global brand like Coca-Cola can have a consistent website that operates the same for all users, regardless of their location.

Cultural Relevance

When you localize your website for a specific region, you can change the content to suit the preferences of local users better. 

This may include altering the copy, visuals, and metadata to help:

  • Improve your SEO
  • Enhance the user experience for visitors from a particular culture

Translation vs. Localization: What’s the Difference for Webflow SEO?

Translation involves changing the language of your website from one to another. While this is critical for localization, it’s important to remember that translation focuses solely on language conversion. Translating a website from English to French means changing the language to suit French-speaking users while preserving the following:

  • Original message
  • Tone
  • Context

On the other hand, localization modifies your content, products, and services to suit local cultures and preferences. This may involve changing the following:

  • Visuals
  • Copy
  • Metadata to help improve your SEO and enhance the user experience 

Is Webflow Localization Free? Webflow Localization Pricing

coins - Webflow Localization

Webflow offers three pricing plans for its localization tool, each designed for different business needs. Let's examine each to see which one might be right for you.

Webflow Localization - Essential Plan

  • Price: Billed Yearly - $9 per locale/monthly; Billed Monthly - $12 per locale/month 
  • Ideal For: Small businesses or startups venturing into new markets

Key Features

  • Locales: Support for up to 3 locales (main locale does not count in the additional 3 locales), allowing for an essential yet effective multi-regional presence
  • Machine-Powered Translation: Streamlines the initial translation process, making it efficient and quick.
  • CMS and Static Page Localization: Offers flexibility in translating both dynamic (CMS) and static content. 
  • Localized SEO: Enhances the site’s visibility in local search engines, which is crucial for targeting specific markets. This plan is an affordable entry point for businesses taking their first steps in global expansion.

Webflow Localization - Advanced Plan

  • Price: Billed Yearly - $29 per locale/month Billed Monthly - $35 per locale/month 
  • Ideal For: Medium-sized businesses or professional websites requiring a more comprehensive localization strategy.

Key Features

  • Increased Locale Support: Adds up to 5 locales, catering to a broader international audience. 
  • Asset Localization: Enables localization of website assets, providing a more tailored user experience. 
  • Localized URLs: Supports SEO efforts by offering region-specific URLs. Automatic
  • Visitor Routing: Directs users to the appropriate localized version based on location.

This plan balances advanced localization features with affordability, perfect for businesses expanding their international reach.

Webflow Localization - Enterprise Plan

  • Pricing: Customized based on specific business requirements; contact Webflow for details. 
  • Designed: For Large corporations or enterprises with extensive, global localization needs.

Key Features

  • Custom Locale Options: This option tailors the number of locales to match the business scale. 
  • Style Localization: This option allows users to customize styles for different regions, ensuring brand consistency. 
  • Customizable Element Visibility: Offers control over which elements appear in different localized versions. 
  • Enterprise Scale: Supports large-scale localization efforts with a robust infrastructure. Full Integration with 
  • Webflow Enterprise: Seamlessly combines localization with Webflow’s enterprise-level features. Webflow's Enterprise plan is the ultimate solution for businesses requiring a comprehensive, global localization strategy with a high degree of customization and support. 

Each of these plans is crafted to meet the varying needs of businesses at different stages of their global expansion journey. From basic to comprehensive solutions, Webflow's localization offerings ensure that there's a fit for every business size and requirement.

How To Implement Website Localization In 9 Steps

employees working on a laptop - Webflow Localization

1. Plan Strategically

Start by mapping out a clear plan. Choose the target languages or regions you want to focus on and understand their specific local regulations—think:

  • Data protection laws
  • Privacy rules
  • Other compliance needs

If you’re localizing for Germany, you must align with GDPR and incorporate popular German payment methods like SEPA Direct Debit. Outline your project’s:

  • Scope
  • Objectives
  • Timelines to ensure you stay on track

2. Conduct Thorough Market Research

Dive into research to grasp your target market's trends, needs, and preferences. This includes analyzing local competitors to identify what’s working and where you can stand out.

Local Habits

If you’re expanding into Brazil, you might find that local competitors are heavy on:

  • Social media
  • Mobile-friendly designs

Use this insight to align your website with these local habits.

3. Build a Capable Team

Assemble a dream team of:

Their expertise will ensure that your translations are spot-on, your design resonates with local users, and your technical setup is smooth. A well-coordinated team accelerates the process and helps you enter new markets more effectively.

4. Perform Keyword Research

This is crucial for SEO. Find out what terms and phrases your target audience uses in their searches and integrate these keywords into your website’s content. Collaborate with your localization team to ensure that the keywords make sense in the local context.

If you’re targeting Spanish speakers:

  • Identify popular search terms, such as "vacaciones económicas" (affordable vacations),
  • Use them to enhance your site’s visibility

5. Automate the Localization Process

To handle multilingual content efficiently, automate where possible. Use a robust CMS like Webflow that supports plugins and tools for:

  • Translation 
  • Content management

Automation reduces errors and ensures a consistent user experience across different site versions.

6. Incorporate Website Internationalization

Make sure your site is designed to handle various:

  • Languages
  • Currencies
  • Regional elements

Internationalization involves setting up flexible code that can adapt to different locales. An e-commerce site should be able to handle multiple currencies and automatically switch to the correct language based on the user’s location.

7. Localize the User Experience and User Interface

Tailor your site’s design to fit local preferences. This means adjusting:

  • Visuals
  • Colors
  • Fonts
  • Navigation to match cultural norms

If you’re localizing for the Middle East, you might need to switch to a right-to-left layout to accommodate languages like Arabic.

8. Test and Launch Your Website

Before going live, thoroughly test your localized site. Check for issues with:

  • Language accuracy
  • Functionality
  • Design

Perform A/B testing to compare different versions of your site and gather feedback from native speakers and experts. Make necessary adjustments to ensure a smooth user experience.

9. Market Your Localized Website

Finally, create an international marketing strategy to drive traffic to your localized site. Launch targeted advertising campaigns and collaborate with:

  • Regional influencers
  • Leverage local social media platforms

Using LINE for promotions in Japan can be more effective than other platforms.

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