Planning a multilingual business website: what to translate first

Use enquiries, customer conversations and the markets you serve to choose a first additional language. Do not publish a language page merely because a flag looks good in the menu. If the team cannot answer enquiries in that language, explain the supported contact method and response language clearly.

Build a page-language table. Mark each page as required for launch, later, or not needed. A three-language site with five pages per language has fifteen language versions to check and maintain, even when the layout is shared. Put those versions in the quote rather than assuming every translation is included.

• Offer: who the service helps, what is included, and where or how it is delivered.
• Conditions: correct currency, tax display, availability, cancellation and anything a customer must know before enquiring.
• Action: contact buttons, form labels, hints, error messages and the message after submission.
• Trust: real project descriptions, permissions for testimonials, and clearly labelled concept examples.
• Practical details: dates, phone format, time zone, names and addresses when relevant.

Use separate addresses, such as /ko/ and /ja/, so each translated page can be linked and inspected. Keep the language switcher on the equivalent page when that translation exists. Give visitors an explicit choice instead of forcing a language solely from location. Google’s multilingual site guidance explains separate URLs and language annotations.

Check headings and buttons at phone width in every language. Translated words differ in length; a button that fits in English may wrap in Japanese. Review fonts, line breaks, price consistency, page titles, canonical links and language links as part of the same release.

Keep one approved source for hours, services and prices. Assign a person to check each translation when that source changes. A page that remains in an old language version can promise the wrong price or direct people to an expired contact link. Arupix can scope English, Korean and Japanese pages together; confirm the pages, translation responsibility and update scope in writing.

Use the actual offer for that market and state its currency and conditions. Do not automatically convert or copy a price into a language where it is not the agreed offer.