Designing a Multilingual Website: Language Switcher
🏳️ If you are designing a website in several languages, easy navigation is key. Users should be able to switch between languages effortlessly: otherwise, if they see an unfamiliar language, they're likely to leave your website.
To set up a language switcher, add a menu from the Block Library with a language switch button. Any of the following menu blocks will do - ME204, ME301, ME302, ME303, ME401, ME402, or ME403.
In the Content section of the menu, add languages with links to the corresponding pages. Keep the language names short (English = EN, Spanish = ES) so that the switcher doesn't take up too much space.
Another option is to use a second-level menu. Add submenu items or use a dedicated block, such as ME601, ME601A, or ME601B. Name the main menu item - for example, "Lang" - and add language buttons as second-level items.
❕ Feeling creative? Use Zero Block—you can build unique designs and assign links to any element: text, buttons, shapes, etc. This way, when the user clicks on them, they are taken to another language version.
Don't be afraid to make unusual language switches but remember that users should intuitively understand how to switch to the right language version. When a user opens a page in an unfamiliar language, they should immediately be prompted where to click, so that they stay on the page.
Consider using flag icons for language selectors - they often work quite well.