TranslatePress handles internal linking for SEO in multilingual sites by automatically converting internal links to the appropriate language based on the currently viewed page. This ensures that users navigating through your site are directed to the correct language version of each page, enhancing both user experience and SEO performance.
Automatic Link Translation
TranslatePress automatically translates internal links using WordPress functions like `get_permalink()`, as well as custom links hardcoded into pages. This means that if you have a link to a post or page, TranslatePress will adjust it to point to the translated version of that content in the current language. For example, if a user is viewing a page in Spanish, any internal links on that page will automatically point to the Spanish versions of those pages.
Custom Link Handling
For custom internal links added directly to HTML without using PHP functions, TranslatePress offers an option to force language translation. This can be enabled in the General tab of the TranslatePress settings by setting Force language in Custom Links to Yes. This ensures that even manually added links are translated correctly to match the current language.
SEO Considerations
TranslatePress also supports SEO best practices for multilingual sites by allowing the translation of URL slugs, which is crucial for search engine optimization. This feature is enhanced with the SEO Pack add-on, which includes translating SEO metadata like titles and descriptions. Additionally, TranslatePress helps create a multilingual XML sitemap and properly implements hreflang tags, both of which are essential for indicating to search engines that different versions of your content exist in multiple languages.
Strategic Internal Linking
Internal linking is pivotal for SEO as it helps search engines understand the structure of your site and distributes authority across pages. TranslatePress facilitates this by ensuring that links between pages are correctly translated, providing clear signals to search engines about the relationships between pages in different languages. This strategic linking enhances both user experience and SEO performance by ensuring that users and search engines can navigate your multilingual site efficiently.
Integration with SEO Plugins
TranslatePress integrates seamlessly with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO, extending their functionality to support multilingual SEO. This integration allows for the creation of multilingual sitemaps and the translation of SEO metadata across all languages, further enhancing your site's discoverability in search results.
Overall, TranslatePress provides a comprehensive solution for managing internal linking in multilingual sites, ensuring that both users and search engines can navigate your content effectively across different languages.
Citations:
[1] https://translatepress.com/docs/developers/translating-an-internal-url/
[2] https://translatepress.com/seo-translation/
[3] https://www.weglot.com/blog/translatepress-vs-wpml
[4] https://translatepress.com/the-translatepress-seo-pack-in-depth-a-step-by-step-guide/
[5] https://betterdocs.co/create-a-multilingual-site-using-translatepress/
[6] https://hu.wordpress.org/plugins/translatepress-multilingual/
[7] https://translatepress.com/translate-a-web-link/
[8] https://translatepress.com/wordpress-multilingual-seo/
[9] https://translatepress.com/docs/translation-editor/translate-links/
[10] https://translatepress.com/wordpress-seo-plugins-multilingual-sites/
[11] https://translatepress.com/multilingual-seo/
[12] https://translatepress.com/yoast-seo-multilingual-tutorial/
[13] https://translatepress.com/international-link-building/
[14] https://www.reddit.com/r/bigseo/comments/vpqhy8/question_multilingual_site_seo_indexing_issue/