Language Features in WordPress
WordPress primarily supports content creation but multilingual capabilities are not part of the core installation. To build a multilingual website, you generally need to add a multilingual plugin. There are several established solutions for this, offering flexibility but also requiring you to choose, install, and configure additional functionality. With the right plugin, WordPress can manage:
- Multiple languages on one website
- Translated pages and blog posts
- Language switches
- Translated menus
- Different language versions of the website’s content
The features you get and how they work depend on the plugin and theme you use. Some multilingual plugins are free, while others require a paid license. This can add to the overall cost of a WordPress website, especially if you need advanced features or multiple languages.
Language Management in SiteAdmin
In SiteAdmin, language management is an integrated part of the platform. You can enable multiple languages directly in the website settings and choose which language should be the default. SiteAdmin supports at least two languages, with additional languages available in larger plans. In the language settings, you can:
- Enable multiple languages for the website
- Select the default language
- Create language versions of pages and blog posts
- Use a language switcher for visitors
- Display languages by name, flags, or both
- Translate content using SiteAdmin AI
This means multilingual functionality doesn’t need to be built separately via a WordPress plugin. The feature is already part of SiteAdmin.
Translate Manually or Use SiteAdmin AI
SiteAdmin gives you the option to choose how to handle translations. You can write the language versions yourself if you want full control over phrasing. This is especially important for companies where tone, technical terms, and brand language need manual adjustments. You can also use SiteAdmin AI to translate a fully Swedish page or blog post into another language. This allows you to start with your original content and then create a translated version without having to write the entire text from scratch. AI is a tool—not a requirement. You can still work entirely manually with your language versions.
Language Versions of Pages and Blog Posts
When a page or blog post needs to be available in multiple languages, you work with separate language versions of the content. This allows you to tailor the text for each language and make changes without altering the original version. A key part of the workflow is saving the language version before it becomes accessible to visitors. This applies to both pages and blog posts, giving you control over when a translated version should be published.
Menus in Multiple Languages
SiteAdmin can also handle menus alongside the website’s languages. When a page has a language version, the menu uses the correct page name for each language. This means visitors get a menu tailored to the language they’re using on the website. SiteAdmin also supports a language switcher where you can choose whether visitors see the language name, flag, or both.
Contact Forms and Other Website Elements
Language management doesn’t just cover standard pages and blog posts. Contact forms can also be managed alongside the website’s languages. When multiple languages are enabled, the form can be adjusted for each language version. For some existing elements, like a contact form already on the website, you may need to manually save the form again after enabling multiple languages. After that, language versions can be managed automatically.
Even the 404 Page Follows the Language
A multilingual website doesn’t just need translated content that visitors typically navigate to. In SiteAdmin, the 404 page can also be displayed in the correct language when language versions have been created. This ensures that even a visitor who lands on a page that no longer exists receives a message and experience that aligns with the website’s current language.
WordPress or SiteAdmin?
WordPress offers great flexibility when it comes to building multilingual websites, thanks to its extensive plugin ecosystem. For those who want to precisely control how language management works, this can be a significant advantage. SiteAdmin, on the other hand, has chosen to make language management a natural part of the platform. You get support for multiple languages, language switches, page and blog post versions, and the ability to use SiteAdmin AI for translations—without needing to build the functionality with a separate plugin.
Summary
| Feature | WordPress | SiteAdmin |
|---|---|---|
| Multilingual from the start | Typically via plugins | Built-in feature |
| Multiple languages | Yes, with the right solution | Yes, starting from 2 languages |
| Language versions of pages | Yes, with multilingual solutions | Yes |
| Language versions of blog posts | Yes, with multilingual solutions | Yes |
| Language switcher | Depends on solution | In-built |
| Menus in multiple languages | Depends on solution | Integrated with language management |
| AI translation | Via plugins or external services | SiteAdmin AI |
| Manual translation | Yes | Yes |
| Language on 404 page | Depends on solution | Yes, when language versions exist |
Conclusion
WordPress provides numerous options for building multilingual websites, largely due to its extensive plugin ecosystem. For those who want precise control over how language management operates, this can be a significant advantage. SiteAdmin, however, has opted to make language management a natural part of the platform. You get support for multiple languages, language switches, page and blog post versions, and the ability to use SiteAdmin AI for translations—without needing to build the functionality with a separate plugin.