Should I use subdirectories, subdomains or separate domains for each language?

For most businesses, subdirectories (example.com/es/) are the simplest to manage and consolidate domain authority across languages. Separate ccTLDs (example.es) make sense mainly when you're operating as a distinct local entity in that country. We'll recommend based on your setup rather than a default.

Is a browser-based auto-translate widget really a problem for SEO?

Yes. Widgets like this render translated text client-side, so search engines see the original language HTML and never index a separate crawlable version in the other language. You end up with zero pages actually ranking in that second language, no matter how many visitors use the toggle.

How much does professional translation typically add to a website project?

It depends on word count and subject complexity, but for a typical marketing site translation is a moderate addition to the design and build cost, and it's the piece most likely to determine whether the second-language site actually converts. We scope it explicitly in the statement of work rather than bundling it invisibly.

What is hreflang and why does it matter this much?

hreflang is an HTML/XML tag that tells search engines which URL to show searchers based on their language and region. Without it, Google has to guess, often shows the wrong language, or ignores your translated pages as duplicate content. It's small in code but decisive for whether all your languages actually get found.

Can you translate and adapt an existing single-language site rather than rebuild it?

Often yes, if the underlying platform can support separate language routes. We audit the current site's structure first and tell you honestly whether it's a translation-and-restructure job or whether the platform itself needs replacing to support it properly.

How do you handle text that runs much longer in Spanish or French than in English?

We design templates around the longest expected string per element, not the English default, and pressure-test navigation, buttons and headlines with actual translated copy before launch rather than assuming it will fit.

Do all languages need to be complete before launch?

No. We often launch with a primary language plus one fully built secondary language, then add further languages once the URL and hreflang architecture is proven. What matters is that whichever languages go live are complete and properly indexed, not partially translated.

Multilingual Web Design That Actually Gets Indexed

A website with a language switcher is not automatically a multilingual website. Most of the ones we get asked to fix have every language crammed onto one URL behind a JavaScript toggle, no hreflang tags, and Spanish or Portuguese copy that came out of an auto-translate widget — invisible to search engines and awkward to read.

TK Web Services builds sites where each language lives at its own indexable URL, is translated by a person who understands the subject, and is laid out so that text which runs 20-30% longer in Spanish, French or Italian doesn't break a button or wrap a headline into three lines. The result is a site Google can actually rank once per language, not one page pretending to be several.

View Our Work

What multilingual web design covers

It starts with URL architecture. Subdirectories (/es/, /fr/, /pt/) or separate ccTLDs/subdomains depending on your situation, each version fully crawlable with its own title, meta description and content — never a single URL that swaps text client-side based on a cookie or browser language.

Then hreflang: reciprocal tags on every page telling Google exactly which URL serves which language and region, plus an x-default fallback. This is the piece almost every self-translated site gets wrong, and it's usually why the Spanish or Portuguese version never shows up in search at all despite existing for years.

Finally, the interface itself: a language switcher that's easy to find and doesn't reset the visitor to the homepage, layouts with enough breathing room to absorb longer strings without truncating, date/currency/phone formats adapted per locale, and translation done by someone who knows the industry — not a widget that renders your medical or legal terminology incoherent.

Problems this solves

Only one language ranks in Google

The English page ranks fine; the Spanish or Portuguese version never appears in search because there's no distinct URL or hreflang for Google to index.

Auto-translate widgets that embarrass the brand

Machine-translated text mangles technical, medical or legal terms and reads noticeably wrong to native speakers — undermining trust exactly when you need it.

Broken layouts in the second language

Buttons that were sized for English text overflow or truncate once the same label runs longer in Spanish, German or French.

Duplicate content penalties

Sites that show the same URL with swapped text confuse search engines into treating languages as duplicate content instead of separate rankable pages.

A language switcher visitors can't find or trust

Hidden in a footer dropdown, or worse, it dumps the visitor back on the homepage instead of the translated version of the page they were reading.

What we provide

Per-language URL structure

Clean subdirectories or domains, each crawlable and indexable on its own, mapped 1:1 across languages so pages translate to their true equivalent, not the homepage.

Full hreflang implementation

Reciprocal tags across every translated page plus x-default, validated so Google actually serves the right version to the right audience.

Human translation, industry-aware

Content translated by people who understand your field, reviewed against your terminology rather than run through a generic engine.

Layouts built to flex

Typography, buttons and navigation designed with room for text expansion, tested in each target language rather than assumed from English.

Locale-aware details

Date formats, phone numbers, currency and address conventions adapted per region, not just the paragraph text.

Per-language SEO

Independent metadata, sitemaps and internal linking per language so each version can rank on its own search terms.

Our multilingual build process

Language and market audit
We confirm which languages matter, which regions they serve, and whether ccTLD, subdomain or subdirectory structure fits your situation.
URL and hreflang architecture
We design the full URL map before any content is translated, so the technical structure is right from the first page.
Content and translation planning
Source content is finalized in the primary language, then handed to translators who work with your terminology and tone, not a generic phrasebook.
Flexible template design
Templates are stress-tested with real translated strings, not lorem ipsum, to catch overflow and wrapping issues before launch.
Build and hreflang implementation
Each language version is built as its own indexable route with correct hreflang, canonical tags and localized metadata.
QA per language
Native or fluent review of every translated page for tone and accuracy, plus a technical crawl to confirm hreflang and indexing are correct.
Launch and search console setup
Each language submitted and monitored separately in Search Console so we can see exactly how it performs on its own.

Why choose TK Web Services

Bilingual team, not a translation plugin

English and Spanish content is planned, written and reviewed by people who work in both languages daily.

Technical SEO built into the architecture

hreflang, canonicals and sitemaps are decided at the URL-planning stage, not patched on after launch fails to rank.

Layouts tested with real translated text

We don't discover a broken Spanish menu after launch because we test with translated copy before it ships.

Experience with regulated content

Work with clinics and research organizations means we're used to translating precise, liability-sensitive terminology correctly.

One team for design, build and SEO

No handoff gaps between the people designing the switcher, coding the routes and configuring hreflang — it's the same team throughout.

Related services

Services that pair well with this engagement:

Back to Web Design & Development

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use subdirectories, subdomains or separate domains for each language?: For most businesses, subdirectories (example.com/es/) are the simplest to manage and consolidate domain authority across languages. Separate ccTLDs (example.es) make sense mainly when you're operating as a distinct local entity in that country. We'll recommend based on your setup rather than a default.
Is a browser-based auto-translate widget really a problem for SEO?: Yes. Widgets like this render translated text client-side, so search engines see the original language HTML and never index a separate crawlable version in the other language. You end up with zero pages actually ranking in that second language, no matter how many visitors use the toggle.
How much does professional translation typically add to a website project?: It depends on word count and subject complexity, but for a typical marketing site translation is a moderate addition to the design and build cost, and it's the piece most likely to determine whether the second-language site actually converts. We scope it explicitly in the statement of work rather than bundling it invisibly.
What is hreflang and why does it matter this much?: hreflang is an HTML/XML tag that tells search engines which URL to show searchers based on their language and region. Without it, Google has to guess, often shows the wrong language, or ignores your translated pages as duplicate content. It's small in code but decisive for whether all your languages actually get found.
Can you translate and adapt an existing single-language site rather than rebuild it?: Often yes, if the underlying platform can support separate language routes. We audit the current site's structure first and tell you honestly whether it's a translation-and-restructure job or whether the platform itself needs replacing to support it properly.
How do you handle text that runs much longer in Spanish or French than in English?: We design templates around the longest expected string per element, not the English default, and pressure-test navigation, buttons and headlines with actual translated copy before launch rather than assuming it will fit.
Do all languages need to be complete before launch?: No. We often launch with a primary language plus one fully built secondary language, then add further languages once the URL and hreflang architecture is proven. What matters is that whichever languages go live are complete and properly indexed, not partially translated.

Need a website that actually works in more than one language?

Tell us which languages and markets you need to reach. We'll assess your current setup and come back with a clear plan for URLs, translation and hreflang.

Let's Work Together

Ready to transform your business with custom software solutions? Get in touch with us today.