You're planning to build a site that caters to folks who speak various languages. While this opens your site up to more people, you have to know how to do this properly. You've probably been working on that, but you can't forget your WP forms, which is what the following will explore.
Tools You'll Need
Choosing the Right Plugin
You have to find the best multilingual plugin for your site. That's going to seem a little challenging at first since there are many to choose from. Don't fret though. There are a few things you can do to narrow things down a bit.
For one, look at the plugins that are most downloaded and read reviews. You shouldn't expect perfection, but make sure the reviews are mostly positive. Some of the plugins that seem to be most beloved include WPML and Polylang though there are many more to explore.
Diving Into the Details
For this tutorial, the WPML is going to be used, but most plugins work virtually the same, so you can try to follow along with your multilingual plugin.
The next thing you want to do is make sure you have a good form builder. Numerous options would work with your plugin, like WPForms, but there are other options like Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms. All of these forms will automatically translate the information to the language needed once you activate the plugin.
The right translation plugin can handle everything you need, starting with translating the field labels, but they should also be able to translate the form fields, too.
Read the specs of the plugin you're considering to make sure you get all of this. You also want your plugin to include RTL or right-to-left text. Some languages are written right-to-left, so it's important to have this feature.
Steps to Translate a Basic Form
Step 1: Activate the Plugin
First, you'll have to download the plugin you've chosen that's going to help you translate your form. It's important to pay attention to the pricing of each plan. There RE a number of them depending on who you're working with.
Be sure to stick to your budget or keep looking until you find a plugin that works for your budget. Once you've found it, go ahead and download it. Check for promotions. Some companies offer a free trial so that you can see if this is the right fit for you.
The following are things you'll need if you stick with the WPML:
- WPML Multilingual CMS
- WPML String Translation
- WPML Translation Management
Make sure those tools are installed. Then, go to your WordPress admin and go to your add-ons. You'll see a button telling you that you can turn on the multilingual add-on.
Step 2: Creating the Multilingual Form
If you've made forms before, then you sort of know what to do already. Just go ahead and click Add New. Name your new form and start labeling the fields you're going to use. Remember that users hate many fields, so try to reduce them as much as possible.
Step 3: Configuring the Settings
Go to Settings and click on the Translate Form button. There, you'll have a chance to turn on the translations you need, be it French or Spanish.
You'll have plenty of options to choose from. After that part, go ahead and publish your form, but make sure you set your primary language. The WPML plugin will do the translations for you; just make sure your WPML Translation Editor is on to make these translations automatic.
Go ahead and publish your form, and that's all you have to do. Be sure to do the same with any other form you're trying to build. As you can see, WPForms, and compatible plugins, make this easy for you and your international customer base.
