Add and Manage Multiple Languages

Increase your website's reach and engage a broader audience by configuring a multi-language site. This feature allows you to provide translations of your content in multiple languages. When you add a new language, a duplicate version of your site is created to host the translation. You have the option to translate your site manually or utilize the convenient built-in Google Translate feature. However, it's essential to review the entire translation before publishing to ensure accuracy

Guide contents:

Considerations
Add a New Language
Edit Site in Added Languages
Manage Languages
Language Selector Widget
Re-translate a Page
Multilanguage FAQs and Troubleshooting

Warning

Once a site has been translated, any content added to a specific language version will not sync with other language versions. Therefore, we recommend adding multiple languages as the final step, once you have finished building your site.

If you need to make updates after translation, refer to the Re-translate a Page section of this article for instructions.

Additional languages are first added directly in Smoobu at the bottom of the basic configuration of the website builder.

Once the languages have been added in Smoobu, you will see in each accommodation and website content a tab to add the required field for each language.

Considerations

Adding multiple languages to your site can enhance its accessibility, but it's crucial to be cautious about the quantity. Excessive languages may lead to the following:
- Performance Impact: Too many languages might slow down your site and affect user experience.
- Possible Errors: Such as editor error messages, page rendering issues, and/or broken links.
- Maintenance Challenges: Managing content for numerous languages can be time-consuming.
The language flag cannot be changed directly. To use a different flag, you must delete the current language and add the language with the desired flag.
By default, the multi-language feature uses Google Translate to automatically translate your site content into the new language. While this service is free, Google Translate may not always provide the most accurate translations. Therefore, it's important to review and edit the translated content on your site. If you prefer to manually translate your entire site, disable the Use automatic translation toggle when adding languages. Note that once languages are added, automatic translation cannot be undone.

Add a New Language

Warning

Once a site has been translated, any content added to a specific language version will not sync with other language versions. Therefore, we recommend adding multiple languages as the final step, once you have finished building your site.

If you need to make updates after translation, refer to the Re-translate a Page section of this article for instructions.

To add languages to your site:

In the side panel, click SEO & Settings and then click Site Languages. Or, if you already have additional languages enabled, click the flag icon on the top navigation bar and click Manage Languages.
Click + Add language, and choose one or more languages from the available options. Please note that some languages may have multiple country flags (e.g., Spanish).
Click Done when finished.
(Optional) By default, the Use automatic translation toggle is on. Automatic translation uses Google Translate to automatically translate your site content. While this service is free, Google Translate may not always provide the most accurate translations.

If you prefer to manually translate your entire site, disable the Use automatic translation toggle when adding languages. Note that once languages are added, automatic translation cannot be undone.
Click Save.
The language selector widget will be added to the header along with the new languages. No further action is needed, unless you would like to customize the widget or its location.

Edit Site in Added Languages

To select a different language version, click on the flag of your default language in the top tool bar and select the language you would like to edit from the drop-down.

Any changes you make to any language version (for example, changing text, images, or adding/removing widgets) will not be reflected in the other versions of your site.

Manage Languages

To manage languages:

In the side panel, click SEO & Settings and then click Site Languages.
Click Manage Languages.
The following options are available:
- Disable languages. To disable a language, toggle the switch next to the language.
- Delete languages. Click the X next to the toggle and then click Delete to confirm.
- Add additional languages. Click + Add Language
- Change default language. Open the dropdown menu next to the default language and select a new default. Only previously added languages appear in the dropdown.
  - If a secondary language does not have the same pages as the default language, you cannot switch the default language to the secondary language.

Note

If you update the default language, the following will also update to reflect the new default language:

Language dropdown on the top bar of the editor
The left panel shows the selected default language pages first

Language Selector Widget

When languages are initially added, a language selector widget is placed in the header of all language versions, allowing visitors to switch between languages.

This language selector functions like any other widget, meaning it can be deleted or replaced with additional widgets as needed.

During re-translation, the updated page will automatically inherit the content and design from the default language's page. If re-translating from the default language, all site languages will be updated. However, re-translating from a secondary language will only update that specific language version.

To re-translate a page:

In the side panel, click Pages.
Click the gear icon next to the desired page and select Redo Translations. If you are updating from a secondary language, the button copy is Update this Translation.
Confirm that you want to proceed.

Multilanguage FAQs and Troubleshooting

Not all pages were translated

Unfortunately, this is a known issue. Due to a limitation of the API we are using for Google Translate multi-language feature does not always translate all site pages.

Solution: You can manually translate the site page or section that was not successfully translated. Google's translation tool is available as an option.

I made a change on one language, but it did not update on the other languages.

When you add a new language, a duplicate version of your site is created for each language to host the translation. This means any changes you make to any language version (for example, changing text, images, or adding/removing widgets) will not be reflected in the other versions of your site.

To make changes on other languages, select a different language version by clicking on the flag of the current language in the top toolbar select the language you would like to edit from the drop-down.