So, you’ve got a Shopify store and you’re thinking about reaching more people, maybe even folks who don’t speak English. That’s smart! Making your store available in different languages isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore; it’s pretty important if you want more customers. This guide is all about how to change language settings on Shopify, making it easier for everyone to shop with you. We’ll walk through adding languages, tweaking translations, and making sure your store feels right at home for customers no matter where they are.
Key Takeaways
- Shopify makes it possible to add and manage multiple languages for your store, which is great for reaching a wider audience.
- You can change your store’s language by going to Settings > Languages in your Shopify admin.
- After adding a language, you’ll need to publish it and then add translations for your content.
- Shopify also lets you manage languages for specific markets, which is useful if you target different regions.
- Using translation apps can simplify the process of adding and managing languages and translations for your store.
Understanding Shopify’s Language Management
The Importance of Multilingual Capabilities
So, you’ve got a great product, and you’re ready to sell it to the world. That’s awesome! But here’s a thought: what if your potential customers can’t read English? It’s a pretty big barrier, right? Turns out, most people really prefer to shop in their own language. A survey found that about 75% of shoppers like to buy stuff in their native tongue. That’s a huge chunk of people you might be missing out on if your store is only in one language. Making your store available in different languages isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore; it’s pretty much a requirement if you want to reach more people and make their shopping experience a good one.
Shopify’s Framework for Language Management
Shopify actually makes it pretty straightforward to handle multiple languages. They’ve built a system that lets you add different languages and manage all the translations without too much fuss. This means you can set up your store so that customers from, say, Germany see it in German, and customers from France see it in French. It’s all about making your store feel welcoming and easy to use for everyone, no matter where they’re from or what language they speak. This system helps you control how your store looks and sounds to different groups of people.
Steps to Change Your Store Language
So, you’ve decided to open your shop up to a wider audience by offering it in more than one language. That’s a smart move! It really makes a difference when customers can browse and buy in a language they’re comfortable with. Luckily, Shopify makes this process pretty straightforward. Let’s walk through how to get your store speaking new languages.
Accessing Language Settings
First things first, you need to get to the right spot in your Shopify admin. Log in to your account, and then look for the ‘Settings’ option, usually down in the bottom left corner. Click on that, and then you should see ‘Languages’ listed there. This is your main hub for all things language-related for your store.
Adding a New Language to Your Store
Once you’re in the Languages section, you’ll see an option to ‘Add language’. Click on that. A dropdown menu will appear, showing you all the languages Shopify supports. Just pick the one you want to add. If you’ve already set up different markets for international selling, you might get a prompt to assign this new language to a specific market right away. If not, you can just add it to your store generally for now.
Publishing Your New Language
Adding a language is just the first part; you still need to make it visible to your customers. After you’ve added a language, it will likely show up in a section for ‘Unpublished languages’. To make it live, you’ll need to go back to that Languages section, find the language you just added, and click the ‘Publish’ button next to it. This makes the language available for customers to select on your storefront. It’s like opening the door for a whole new group of shoppers!
Remember, just adding a language doesn’t automatically translate everything. You’ll still need to add the actual translations for your products, pages, and other content. We’ll cover how to do that next.
Customizing Storefront Translations
Once you’ve got a new language added to your Shopify store, the next logical step is to actually make sure everything your customers see is in that language. This is where you get to fine-tune the words on your site, making it feel like it was built just for them.
Editing Theme Languages
Shopify makes it pretty straightforward to tweak the text that comes with your theme. Think of things like button labels, error messages, and general site copy.
Here’s how you do it:
- Go to your Shopify admin panel.
- Head over to Online Store, then click on Themes.
- Find the theme you’re currently using. Click the Actions button, and then select Edit languages.
- You’ll see a bunch of fields organized by section. You can type directly into these boxes to change the text. For example, you might want to change "Add to Cart" to something more specific in another language.
- Don’t forget to click Save when you’re done.
This is your chance to make sure the language used feels natural and correct for your target audience. It’s more than just a word-for-word translation; it’s about conveying the right tone.
Importing Translations
If you have a lot of text to translate, or if you’ve worked with a translator, importing is usually the way to go. Shopify lets you export your current theme translations, which you can then send off to be translated. Once you get them back, you can import the updated file.
This is super helpful if you’re managing multiple languages or have a large catalog. It saves a ton of time compared to editing each phrase manually. You can usually do this through the same "Edit languages" section, looking for an option to import or upload a file, often in CSV format. Just make sure the file is formatted correctly before you upload it, or it might not work right.
Managing Languages for Specific Markets
As your business grows and starts reaching customers in different countries, you’ll want to make sure your store speaks their language. Shopify makes it pretty straightforward to set things up so that customers in, say, Germany see your store in German, while customers in France see it in French. This isn’t just about being polite; it really helps people feel more comfortable and more likely to buy.
Setting Up International Domains
Before you can really get into assigning languages to different places, you need to have your international domains sorted. This means you’ve likely set up separate web addresses (like yourstore.de or yourstore.fr) or maybe you’re using subfolders (like yourstore.com/de/ or yourstore.com/fr/). Shopify uses these to know which market you’re talking about.
Accessing Market Settings
To start managing languages for different regions, you’ll head over to the Markets section in your Shopify admin. It’s usually found under ‘Settings’. Think of ‘Markets’ as Shopify’s way of organizing your international sales efforts. Each market you’ve set up will appear here, and you can click into each one to tweak its specific settings.
Assigning Languages to Markets
Once you’re inside a specific market’s settings, look for the ‘Languages and domains’ area. Here, you’ll see what languages are currently available for that market. You can add new languages by clicking ‘Add languages’. You’ll then pick the language you want to add from a list. Shopify will show you which languages are already published for your store and which ones aren’t yet assigned to this particular market. Just select the ones you want and confirm.
It’s also possible to set a default language for each market. This is the language that will show up automatically for customers in that region unless they choose to switch it. To change the default, you’ll find the current default language listed and can click an icon next to it to select a new one from the available options. This helps make the shopping experience feel really personal for each customer.
Making sure your store’s language matches the customer’s preference is a big deal. It shows you’ve put thought into their experience and can lead to more sales. Don’t just add languages; make sure they’re set up correctly for each region you’re targeting.
Changing Your Store’s Default Language
So, you’ve got your Shopify store up and running, maybe even with a few languages added. But what about the main language? The one that shows up for checkout, for those default theme texts, and generally sets the tone? That’s your default language, and sometimes, you just need to switch it up. It’s not a super complicated process, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you hit that save button.
Locating Default Language Settings
First things first, you need to get back to where you manage all your languages. Log into your Shopify admin. Head over to Settings, and then click on Languages. This is your central hub for everything language-related in your store.
Selecting a New Default Language
Once you’re in the Languages section, you’ll see a list of your published languages. Find the one that’s currently set as your default. Next to it, you should see an icon (it often looks like three dots or a gear). Click on that, and you’ll see an option like "Change default." Click that, and a dropdown menu will appear. Just pick the new language you want to be the default and hit Save. Easy peasy, right?
Considerations Before Changing Default Language
Now, here’s the part where you need to pay attention. Changing your store’s default language will delete all existing translations for that language. Seriously. If you’ve spent time and effort translating your product descriptions, your theme text, and everything else into, say, Spanish, and then you decide to make French the new default, all those Spanish translations will vanish. Poof!
Before you make the switch, it’s a really good idea to export any translations you want to keep. You can usually do this right from the Languages section. This way, you won’t lose all your hard work. It’s like saving a document before you start editing it heavily. You can always re-import them later if needed, or use them as a reference when you set up translations for your new default language.
Think about which language makes the most sense for the majority of your customers, or the market you’re primarily targeting. It’s a big decision, so take a moment to consider it.
Leveraging Translation Apps
Popular Translation App Options
Manually translating your entire Shopify store can feel like a huge task, right? Thankfully, there are apps designed to make this whole process way easier. These tools can automate a lot of the heavy lifting, letting you focus on other parts of your business. They’re pretty neat for getting your store out to more people without needing a whole translation department.
Here are a few popular choices you might want to check out:
- Translate & Adapt: This app is a solid choice for importing your own translations or using automated ones. It works well with Shopify’s built-in features, making it feel pretty natural to use. It’s good for customizing things exactly how you want them.
- Weglot: Weglot is known for its speed and simplicity. It can automatically detect and translate your store’s content into many different languages. Customers can even switch languages on the fly, which is a nice touch.
- Langify: If you want to translate absolutely everything – product descriptions, checkout pages, even those tricky error messages – Langify is worth a look. It also helps make sure your translated content is good for search engines in different countries.
Integrating Translation Tools
Adding these apps to your store is usually pretty straightforward. Most of them have clear instructions and connect directly through the Shopify App Store. Once installed, you’ll typically find a new section in your Shopify admin where you can manage your languages and translations.
Think of these apps as your multilingual assistants. They help bridge the language gap, making your products accessible to a wider audience. While they automate a lot, it’s still a good idea to review the translations to make sure they sound natural and accurate for your brand.
Getting these tools set up can really speed things up. Instead of spending weeks on translations, you might get a basic version up and running in a day or two. This lets you start reaching new customers much faster. It’s all about making your store feel welcoming to everyone, no matter where they’re from.
Best Practices for Multilingual Stores
So, you’ve got your Shopify store set up in a few different languages. That’s awesome! But just translating stuff isn’t the whole story, right? To really make it work and keep customers happy, there are a few things you should keep in mind. It’s about making sure everything feels right for everyone, no matter what language they speak.
Ensuring Accurate and Quality Translations
Look, machine translation has gotten better, but it’s still not perfect. Sometimes it sounds a bit… off. For a truly professional feel, aim for human translations whenever possible. This means hiring a translator or using a service that provides quality work. Awkward phrasing or outright mistakes can really turn a customer off and make your brand look less trustworthy. Think about it: would you buy from a site with weirdly translated product descriptions?
It’s not just about swapping words; it’s about conveying the right meaning and tone. A good translation captures the spirit of your brand, not just the literal text.
Optimizing for Multilingual SEO
Just because you’ve translated your site doesn’t mean Google will automatically understand it for every language. You need to help it out. This means doing some keyword research for each language. What terms would someone in Germany use to find your product, versus someone in Japan? You’ll want to use those specific keywords in your product titles, descriptions, and even your meta tags. Also, consider language-specific URLs if you can – it helps search engines figure out which page is for which language.
Testing Your Store’s Language Settings
Before you shout from the rooftops that your store is multilingual, do a thorough check. Click through everything. Does the language switch work correctly? Are there any weird text overflows on product pages? Do all the buttons and links go to the right place in the new language? It’s easy to miss things, especially if you’re not fluent in every language you’re offering. Get a friend who speaks the language to take a look, too.
Monitoring Performance Across Languages
Once your store is live in multiple languages, don’t just forget about it. Keep an eye on how people are actually using it. Are customers in France buying more than customers in Spain? Are there specific pages that get a lot of traffic in one language but not another? Tools like Google Analytics can give you insights into this. This data helps you figure out where to focus your efforts – maybe you need better translations for a certain market, or perhaps a specific language version needs more marketing attention.
Wrapping Up Your Language Settings
So, there you have it. Changing the language settings on your Shopify store might seem like a small thing, but it can really open up your business to a whole new world of customers. By taking the time to add languages and make sure your translations are on point, you’re showing people you care about their shopping experience. It’s not just about selling more stuff, though that’s a nice bonus. It’s about making your store feel welcoming to everyone, no matter where they’re from. Give it a try, and see how much of a difference it makes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the language of my Shopify admin panel?
Yes, you can change the language used in your Shopify admin area. Just go to your account settings and look for the ‘Preferred language’ option to make your selection.
Do I have to translate everything in my store?
It’s best to translate as much as you can, especially important stuff like product details and checkout. You can technically launch a language without translating everything, but it might not work as well for your customers.
What happens if I stop showing a language to customers?
If you unpublish a language, it will disappear for your shoppers. Any links to your store in that language will lead to an error page (like a 404). It’s a good idea to set up redirects if you plan to unpublish a language.
How many languages can I add to my store?
Shopify lets you add many languages. There isn’t a hard limit, but it’s smart to focus on the languages that your main customers speak.
Can I change the main language of my store?
Yes, you can change your store’s main language. But be careful! Doing this will erase any translations you’ve already made for that language. Make sure to save or export your translations before you switch.
Are there apps that can help me translate my store?
Definitely! The Shopify App Store has lots of apps designed to help with translations. They can make the process of adding and managing languages much easier.