How to Create a Manual Multilingual Website in Squarespace

How to Create a Manual Multilingual Website in Squarespace

By Michael Turner

March 18, 2025 at 02:19 AM

Creating a multilingual website requires careful planning and implementation to ensure proper functionality and SEO performance. Here's how to manually set up multiple languages on your site:

Basic Requirements and Limitations

  • Each site can only display embedded text (checkout page, metadata) in one language
  • Product sales are limited to a single currency
  • Different domains/subdomains for languages aren't supported
  • SEO optimization needs special attention for each language

Site Structure Setup

  1. Create a language selection homepage
  2. Build separate page sets for each language
  3. Add a language navigation dropdown menu
  4. Ensure consistent content organization across languages

Step-by-Step Implementation

  1. Create Homepage:
  • Start with a blank page
  • Move it to "Not Linked" section
  • Add language selection buttons/links
  1. Setup Navigation:
  • Create dropdown menu with language options
  • Add pages under each language section
  • Maintain consistent page order across languages

Navigation menu with cart

Navigation menu with cart

  1. Page Organization Options:
  • Use dropdown navigation for all languages
  • Place pages in "Not Linked" section with content links
  • Create separate websites for different currencies/subdomains

SEO Optimization Tips

  • Implement proper language tags
  • Create language-specific metadata
  • Ensure content is properly translated
  • Use hreflang tags for language targeting
  • Submit separate sitemaps for each language

Navigation Display Options

  1. Full dropdown navigation:
  • Shows all languages
  • Accessible from any page
  • Consistent navigation structure
  1. Separated navigation:
  • Language-specific menus
  • Cleaner user experience
  • Better content organization

Best Practices

  • Maintain consistent content across languages
  • Regularly update all language versions
  • Monitor SEO performance per language
  • Test navigation functionality
  • Keep URL structure organized
  • Consider user experience for each language
  • Implement clear language switching options

This manual approach requires more maintenance but offers full control over your multilingual content and structure.

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