Autoglot has long been an essential tool for WordPress website owners who want to seamlessly translate their sites into multiple languages using machine translation. With version 2.4, Autoglot WordPress translation plugin brings a new important feature for multilingual websites: URL translation. This new functionality allows Autoglot to automatically translate WordPress slugs, giving users a more immersive and localized browsing experience.
Introduction
The importance of having localized URLs cannot be overstated. URLs serve as the first point of interaction for both users and search engines, and having them in the native language of the audience can significantly boost usability and search engine visibility. Imagine visiting a website in your own language, but the URL still remains in a foreign language—it can cause confusion, reduce trust, and ultimately lead to higher bounce rates. The ability to translate URLs eliminates these barriers, making the site more intuitive and user-friendly for non-native speakers.
This new feature is designed to enhance the SEO value of your website. Search engines like Google prioritize localized content, and translated URLs contribute to better indexing and ranking in local search results. With the option to translate and even transliterate URLs into a more URL-friendly format, Autoglot 2.4 helps websites gain an edge in global SEO, improving organic traffic in multiple regions.
- In addition to the URL translation, Autoglot 2.4 also extends its functionality to critical elements such as alternate hreflang, canonical tags, forms, sitemaps, and language switchers. This comprehensive approach ensures that the entire site, including technical SEO elements, is fully aligned with its multilingual capabilities, offering a smoother, more cohesive browsing experience.
- Users can easily manage and fine-tune translated URLs via Autoglot’s Translation Editor. This tool allows website owners to modify and adjust URLs, ensuring that they are accurate, meaningful, and SEO-optimized for each language. This flexibility provides website owners the control they need to make sure their multilingual site performs at its best.
URL translation feature is a key enhancement that not only improves user experience but also strengthens SEO and site performance. This new functionality makes Autoglot an even more indispensable tool for any WordPress-based multilingual website.
See also: How To Set Up Translation Plugin On WordPress?
What’s New in Autoglot 2.4?
Autoglot version 2.4 introduces several key updates designed to make multilingual WordPress websites more efficient and user-friendly.
URL Translation and Transliteration for Better SEO
The most significant update in this release is the ability to translate URLs into different languages. This feature allows site owners to automatically translate permalinks to reflect the language of the page content. For example, a page with a URL like http://site.com/page/ can now be translated to http://site.com/fr/página/ for French users. This new functionality not only improves user experience but also enhances SEO by providing localized URLs for different languages.
In addition to translation, Autoglot 2.4 introduces URL transliteration. Transliteration converts characters from one script to another, creating URLs that are both readable and optimized for SEO. For instance, a page in Korean might have a URL like http://site.com/ko/페이지/, which would be transliterated into a more URL-friendly format, such as http://site.com/ko/peiji/. This ensures that URLs remain accessible and search-engine-friendly, even when the original language uses non-Latin scripts.
The transliteration feature can help avoid issues with special characters in URLs, which can sometimes cause problems with certain browsers or platforms. By keeping WordPress slugs simple and readable, Autoglot ensures that they are fully optimized for both search engines and users across all regions.
Expanded Coverage: Alternate hreflang, Canonical Tags, and More
Autoglot 2.4 goes beyond just translating and transliterating URLs. This update ensures that translated URLs are applied consistently across all major elements of a website, including alternate hreflang tags, canonical tags, language switchers, forms, and sitemaps.
- Alternate hreflang tags: These tags tell search engines which version of a page is intended for users in different regions or languages. Autoglot automatically updates these tags with the correct translated URLs, ensuring proper indexing and ranking in search engines for each language.
- Canonical tags: Autoglot also updates canonical tags with the translated URLs, preventing search engines from penalizing your site for duplicate content across different languages.
- Language switchers and forms: With version 2.4, Autoglot ensures that language switchers and forms direct users to the correct translated URLs, providing a seamless multilingual experience.
- Sitemaps: Sitemaps are critical for search engine crawling and indexing. Autoglot now includes translated URLs in your website’s sitemaps, further improving SEO and discoverability.
Enhanced User Control with the Translation Editor
A key feature of Autoglot 2.4 is the ability to modify translated URLs via the Translation Editor. While Autoglot handles the bulk of the translation automatically, users can manually adjust any translated URL to ensure it meets their specific needs. This is especially useful for website owners who want to customize their URLs for better branding or SEO purposes.
The Translation Editor allows for complete flexibility, ensuring that translated URLs are meaningful, relevant, and consistent with the overall structure of the website. With this tool, website owners can make sure that their site’s URLs are not only properly translated but also optimized for user engagement and search engine ranking.
Bug Fixes and Minor Enhancements
In addition to the major new features, Autoglot 2.4 includes a variety of smaller bug fixes and performance enhancements. Some of the key fixes in this release include:
- Fix for missing language ID in relative links: Previous versions occasionally failed to include the language ID in certain relative URLs. This has been corrected in version 2.4, ensuring that all links point to the correct translated version of the page.
- Improved handling of redirects: Autoglot now keeps the language ID intact when redirecting from
?p=pageidlinks, ensuring that users are always directed to the correct translated page.
These minor fixes, combined with the new features, make Autoglot 2.4 the most robust and user-friendly version of the plugin yet.
Autoglot 2.4 new features significantly improve the plugin’s functionality. From URL translation and transliteration to expanded support for hreflang tags, sitemaps, and more, this version offers website owners more control, better SEO, and an enhanced user experience.
See also: How To Set Up Translation Plugin On WordPress?
Why URL Translation Matters for Multilingual Websites
URL translation is a crucial aspect of creating an effective and user-friendly multilingual website. When URLs are translated to match the language of the website content, it creates a more cohesive and localized experience for users. This not only improves the user’s ability to navigate the website but also increases the trust and credibility of the website in the eyes of the user. A WordPress slug that is readable and understandable in the user’s native language makes the website feel more familiar and less intimidating, leading to better engagement.
Improved User Experience
A key reason why URL translation is important is that it improves the user experience (UX). Imagine a user browsing a website in their own language but encountering URLs in a foreign language or unfamiliar characters. This can create confusion, make the site harder to navigate, and potentially cause the user to leave the site prematurely. By translating URLs to match the language of the content, users can instantly recognize page topics and navigate the site more easily. This seamless experience helps users feel more comfortable and can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Enhancing SEO with Localized URLs
URL translation is also important for search engine optimization (SEO), particularly in a global context. Search engines like Google place a high value on user-friendly, localized content. By having URLs in the same language as the page content, websites signal to search engines that their site is relevant to users searching in that particular language. This can lead to better indexing, higher rankings in local search results, and improved organic traffic.
Localized URLs contribute to better keyword relevance, since search engines often consider the words in the URL as part of the page’s content. When the URL is in the same language as the content, it provides additional context to search engines, increasing the chances of ranking higher for relevant search terms.
Building Trust and Brand Recognition
URL translation can also build trust and brand recognition among international audiences. Users are more likely to trust a website that fully embraces their language, including in the URLs. This can enhance the credibility of the brand and make it easier for users to share and recommend links to others.
URL translation is vital for providing a better user experience, improving SEO, and building trust. It allows websites to feel more native to their audience and boosts overall engagement and search visibility.
How to Build Trust through Website Localization?
SEO Benefits of Translated URLs
Translated URLs play a significant role in improving the SEO performance of multilingual websites. When URLs are translated to match the language of the content, they become more relevant and accessible to search engines in various regions. This allows search engines like Google to index these URLs more effectively, improving the chances of ranking higher in local search results. For websites targeting international markets, having localized URLs is a key factor in improving organic search visibility.
Increased Relevance in Local Search Results
Search engines prioritize localized content that matches the user’s language and location. By translating URLs into the local language, websites become more relevant to users searching in that language. For example, a French user searching for “services de traduction” will likely be more inclined to click on a URL that includes the French translation of the relevant terms, rather than one in English. This helps the website rank higher for specific keywords in different regions, leading to more targeted and qualified traffic.
Translated URLs contribute to better keyword optimization because the words in the URL can act as additional ranking signals for search engines. URLs that reflect the language of the content provide a clear indicator of the page’s relevance to search queries, which can boost the site’s overall ranking for those keywords.
Improved Click-Through Rates (CTR)
URLs that are translated into the user’s language tend to have higher click-through rates (CTR). When users see a URL that is in a language they understand, they are more likely to click on it. This is because the URL provides an immediate context for the page content, making it easier for users to predict what they will find on the page. Higher CTRs are not only good for user engagement but also serve as a ranking factor for search engines, which view CTR as a sign of relevant content.
Preventing Duplicate Content Issues
Another SEO benefit of translated URLs is that they help avoid duplicate content penalties. Search engines may penalize websites with the same content available at multiple URLs if the URLs aren’t properly differentiated by language. By translating URLs and using alternate hreflang tags, Autoglot ensures that each language version of a page has its own unique URL, making it clear to search engines that these are separate, language-specific pages.
Strengthening Your Global SEO Strategy
A comprehensive SEO strategy for multilingual websites must include URL translation. Localized URLs not only improve search engine rankings but also enhance the overall structure and accessibility of the website. By aligning the website’s URLs with its content in different languages, website owners can ensure that their site is fully optimized for both global and local audiences.
Translating URLs offers numerous SEO benefits, from improving local search rankings and click-through rates to preventing duplicate content issues. This makes it an essential feature for any website looking to succeed in international markets.
See also: Multilingual SEO: 5 Best Practices to Remember in 2025
Improved User Experience Through Seamless Navigation
Creating a seamless, user-friendly experience is key to the success of any multilingual website. URL translation in Autoglot 2.4 plays a vital role in improving navigation for users by aligning the URLs with the content language. When users see URLs in their native language, they feel more comfortable and confident navigating the site, leading to better engagement and retention.
Simplified Navigation for Multilingual Users
One of the main benefits of translated URLs is that they make it easier for users to understand where they are on the website. If a user is browsing a website in their native language, seeing a foreign URL can be jarring and may create confusion. By translating URLs, Autoglot ensures that the entire browsing experience is consistent, making it simpler for users to find what they are looking for.
A clear, readable URL structure helps users quickly grasp the content of a page before even clicking on it. When URLs reflect the language of the page, users can easily recognize key terms in the URL that match their intent, whether it’s a product, service, or blog post. This allows for faster decision-making and improves the overall user journey on the site.
Reduced Cognitive Load for Users
Translated URLs reduce the cognitive load for users, making it easier for them to focus on the content rather than deciphering unfamiliar URLs. When users encounter URLs in a language they understand, it creates a sense of familiarity and makes the website feel more welcoming. This is particularly important for e-commerce websites or content-heavy platforms, where users often need to navigate through many different pages to find what they need.
A seamless browsing experience can significantly reduce bounce rates and encourage users to spend more time exploring the website. Users are less likely to get frustrated or lost when they can navigate the site with URLs that are meaningful and recognizable to them.
Enhancing Multilingual Site Consistency
Consistency across a multilingual website is crucial for building trust and maintaining engagement. By translating WordPress slugs, Autoglot ensures that all elements of the site are aligned with the user’s language. This consistency extends to the language switcher, forms, hreflang tags, and even sitemaps, providing a unified experience that feels professional and well-organized.
Users will appreciate the attention to detail when everything—from the content to the URL structure—reflects their language. This not only improves the user experience but also reinforces the credibility of the website, making users more likely to return in the future.
Increasing Conversions with Localized URLs
A well-structured, localized URL can have a positive impact on conversion rates. When users feel comfortable and can easily navigate a website, they are more likely to complete desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. Translated URLs help remove barriers to navigation, making it easier for users to find what they need and move through the conversion funnel.
Autoglot’s URL translation feature significantly enhances user experience by simplifying navigation, reducing confusion, and creating a more consistent and localized browsing environment. This leads to better engagement, higher retention, and increased translation ROI for multilingual websites.
See also: How To Measure Translation ROI: Boosting Your Global Presence with Autoglot
Managing Translated URLs with Autoglot’s Translation Editor
One of the standout features in Autoglot 2.4 is the ability to manage and customize translated URLs through the Translation Editor. While Autoglot automatically translates URLs based on the page’s content, the Translation Editor allows website owners to fine-tune these URLs for accuracy, clarity, and SEO optimization. This level of control is essential for tailoring the user experience and ensuring that URLs align with your brand and content strategy.
Flexibility in URL Customization
Autoglot’s Translation Editor gives users complete flexibility in managing translated URLs. Although the automatic translation is highly accurate, there may be times when a website owner wants to modify a URL to better reflect the page’s purpose or include a specific keyword for SEO. For example, a blog post titled “Top 10 Travel Tips” might automatically translate into “Top 10 Conseils de Voyage” in French. However, the website owner might prefer to use a more specific term like “Astuces” instead of “Conseils,” which can be easily edited in the Translation Editor.
This customization feature also helps website owners maintain consistency across their URL structures. It ensures that translated URLs follow the same conventions as the original language version, keeping the site’s organization intuitive and easy to navigate.
Optimizing URLs for SEO
The ability to manually adjust translated URLs is crucial for SEO optimization. Keywords in URLs can influence search rankings, and website owners may want to target specific keywords in different languages to improve local search visibility. For instance, the automatic translation of a product page’s URL might include a generic term, but the Translation Editor allows you to adjust it to include more relevant, high-performing keywords for that language’s market.
Customizing URLs also helps ensure that they are concise and readable, which improves both SEO and user experience. Long or complicated URLs can negatively impact search engine indexing and make it harder for users to share links. With the Translation Editor, URLs can be adjusted to create short, meaningful, and SEO-friendly links in any language.
Ensuring Consistency Across All Languages
Managing translated URLs through the Translation Editor allows for consistency across all language versions of a website. This is especially important for large websites with multiple categories, products, or services. Ensuring that translated URLs match the format and structure of the original language version helps users navigate the site more easily, regardless of the language they’re using.
Consistency in URLs also reinforces brand identity across regions. By aligning the structure and keywords in translated URLs, businesses can ensure that their branding remains intact while offering a localized experience to users.
Handling Complex URL Translations
The Translation Editor is particularly useful for handling complex URL translations. For example, if a website uses specific jargon or industry terms that don’t directly translate well into other languages, the Translation Editor gives website owners the opportunity to manually adjust those URLs to make sense in the target language. This ensures that all URLs are meaningful and relevant, regardless of the complexity of the content being translated.
Autoglot’s Translation Editor offers users full control over translated URLs, providing flexibility to optimize for SEO, maintain consistency, and ensure accuracy across all languages. This feature is essential for website owners who want to deliver a polished, user-friendly, and search engine-optimized multilingual website.
Read more: Autoglot 2.3 Introduces Translation Editor: How to Improve the Quality of Machine Translation?
Conclusion
Autoglot 2.4 introduces significant improvements that make it an essential tool for managing multilingual WordPress websites. One of the most important updates in this version is the ability to automatically translate and transliterate URLs, providing users with a more localized, user-friendly experience.
By translating URLs into the language of the content, website owners can create a consistent, intuitive, and trustworthy navigation experience for their global audiences.
- The URL translation feature not only improves user experience but also boosts SEO performance. Search engines like Google prioritize localized content, and translated URLs help increase visibility in local search results. This leads to better indexing and ranking, as well as higher click-through rates (CTR) since users are more likely to interact with URLs that they understand. Furthermore, the ability to transliterate URLs ensures that non-Latin characters are converted into an SEO-friendly format, making websites more accessible to both search engines and users across different regions.
- Autoglot 2.4 also brings more control to website owners through the Translation Editor, where they can modify URLs to better suit their branding, keyword strategy, and user preferences. This customization ensures that URLs are not only accurate and meaningful but also optimized for SEO. The Translation Editor’s flexibility allows users to maintain consistency across all languages and make manual adjustments for specific needs, such as industry terms or jargon that don’t translate directly. This is crucial for ensuring that complex content is still easily navigable in any language.
- In addition to URL translation, Autoglot 2.4 offers improvements in other key areas. These include fixing issues with missing language IDs in relative links, ensuring language persistence during redirects, and expanding support for crucial SEO elements like alternate hreflang and canonical tags. These enhancements ensure that every part of the multilingual experience is optimized for both users and search engines, making Autoglot an even more powerful tool for website owners looking to reach global audiences.
In summary, the new URL translation feature in Autoglot 2.4 is a game-changer for multilingual websites. It enhances user experience, strengthens SEO, and gives website owners the control and flexibility they need to manage URLs across different languages. By translating URLs, businesses can provide a fully localized experience, increase engagement, and improve their chances of ranking higher in search engines across multiple regions.
Autoglot continues to be a vital plugin for WordPress users who want to create successful, SEO-friendly multilingual websites.
