Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Getting Ready to Translate
- Adding New Languages to Your Online Store
- Managing Languages for Markets
- Unpublishing or Deleting a Language
- Additional Considerations
- FAQs
In our increasingly digital world, the ability to communicate and cater to a global audience is pivotal for businesses aiming for international reach. Shopify, a leading e-commerce platform, offers robust tools to reach customers worldwide, including the capability to present your online store in multiple languages. Whether you're looking to open your digital doors to a new market or aiming to enhance the shopping experience for your current international clientele, mastering how to change language on Shopify is a critical step. This blog post will guide you through the process, ensuring that your online store is welcoming and accessible to all.
Introduction
Picture this: a potential customer from France visits your online store, but finds everything written in English. Despite their interest in your products, they struggle to navigate your site and eventually leave. This scenario underscores the importance of offering your online store in multiple languages, not just for accessibility but also for fostering inclusiveness and expanding your market reach.
Shopify recognizes the necessity of this feature and has made it possible for store owners to customize their store’s language. This guide will take you step-by-step through the process of adding new languages, managing languages for markets, and even changing the default language of your store. Whether you're a seasoned Shopify user or just getting started, this post promises to clarify the process, making your store more accessible and user-friendly for a global audience.
Getting Ready to Translate
Before diving into the technical steps, it's crucial to ensure that you're prepared for the translation process. Adding a new language to your Shopify store isn't as simple as flipping a switch; it requires careful preparation. First and foremost, ensure you have your translations ready or have a translation app installed. Assigning the language to a market is another critical step, ensuring that your translated content reaches the intended audience effectively.
Adding New Languages to Your Online Store
To make your store more accessible to people from different linguistic backgrounds, Shopify allows you to add new languages seamlessly. However, ensure your store meets the requirements for selling in multiple languages before you start. Here’s a simplified process:
- Navigate to Settings > Languages in your Shopify admin.
- In the "Unpublished languages" section, click on "Publish" beside the language that you want to make available to your customers.
- Don’t forget to click "Save."
Remember, merely adding a language will add translations in supported languages to supported themes and checkouts. If you wish to add translations to other store content, you'll need to either import translations manually or use a compatible translation app.
Managing Languages for Markets
Each market you create by default uses your store's default language. Assigning newly published languages to a market is necessary before they become visible to visitors. Here’s how you can assign or remove a language from a market:
- From Settings > Languages, click on "More actions" beside the language you want to manage.
- Choose either "Add to market" or "Remove" depending on your requirement, and then click "Done."
Unpublishing or Deleting a Language
Should you decide that a particular language is no longer necessary, Shopify provides options to unpublish or even delete the language from your online store. Unpublishing a language makes it inaccessible to customers, while deleting a language removes all translations of that language permanently.
Changing the Default Language of Your Online Store
The default language is what your store uses for the Shopify admin, checkout, and theme. Changing the default language can be essential when targeting a new primary audience.
- In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Languages.
- In the "Published languages" section, select "Change default" next to your current default language.
- Choose the new default language from the dropdown menu and click "Save."
Additional Considerations
Beyond the technical steps, understanding your audience and their language preferences plays a critical role in effectively utilizing the multi-language feature. Also, remember that changing the language can have implications for your store's SEO. It’s advisable to use Shopify’s Geolocation app or similar tools to automatically present the store in a visitor's local language, enhancing user experience.
FAQs
Q: Can I automatically set the default language based on a customer's location? A: Yes, using Shopify's Geolocation app or similar tools can help automatically display the store in the visitor's local language.
Q: How many languages can I add to my Shopify store? A: Shopify supports multiple languages, but the exact number can vary depending on your theme and plan. Check Shopify's documentation or contact their support for more details.
Q: Will changing the language affect my store’s SEO? A: Properly managed, adding languages can improve your store's SEO by making it accessible to a broader audience. However, ensure to use hreflang tags correctly to avoid duplicate content issues.
Q: Can I revert to the previous language settings if necessary? A: Yes, you can change the default language back to the previous setting at any time or unpublish any languages you no longer wish to use.
In conclusion, expanding your Shopify store to cater to multiple languages can significantly enhance your reach and accessibility, opening up new markets and opportunities. By following the steps and considerations outlined in this guide, you're well on your way to creating a more inclusive and user-friendly online shopping experience for your international audience.