Multilingual website: how to set up AZ, EN and RU versions properly

If your customers speak different languages, your website should speak to them in their own language. Many businesses have customers who read in Azerbaijani, Russian and English; for companies working with foreign partners or exporting, an English version is often essential. But a multilingual website is more than a "translate" button. In this post we have gathered the main rules for doing it properly.

1. First decide which languages you need

Every language means extra work: translating the texts, repeating every update in each language, replying to enquiries in that language. So choose languages based on your customers, not "just in case":

in which languages do customers write to you and call you?
in which language do your ads run?
do you have foreign partners, tourists or export customers?
do you have someone who can reply to enquiries in that language?

The last question is especially important: if you have an English site but nobody to answer customers who write in English, that is not an extra enquiry, it is a lost one.

2. Give every language its own address

The right technical solution is a separate URL for each language version. This site, for example, is built like this: web.sbt.az (AZ), web.sbt.az/en/ (EN), web.sbt.az/ru/ (RU). Google then indexes each language version separately and can show the Russian page to someone searching in Russian. On sites where the language is switched only in the browser by a script, without the address changing, search engines often see only one language.

3. hreflang — introducing the language versions to Google

hreflang tags in the page code tell search engines where the other language versions of that page are. This helps Google show users the right language version in search results. Visitors do not see this, but it has to be set up when the site is built. For other SEO basics: SEO basics for small businesses.

4. Offer a choice, not an automatic redirect

Forcing visitors to another language version based on their IP address or browser language is bad practice: someone whose browser is set to Russian may want to read the Azerbaijani version. Google's own guidance also recommends avoiding automatic redirects based on language and letting users choose. A visible language switcher on every page is enough — and it should take the user to the same page in the other language, not to the home page.

5. Machine translation is a starting point, not the result

Automatic translation is useful for a draft, but unreviewed text stands out quickly: odd phrases, wrong terms, mistranslated product names. That damages trust. At least the key pages — home, services, prices, contacts — should be read by someone who knows the language well. When translating, think less about the literal meaning and more about how a customer who speaks that language actually searches: Russian search terms are often not a literal translation of the Azerbaijani ones.

6. Translate every element

Parts that are often forgotten:

the menu, buttons and form labels;
page titles and meta descriptions;
image alt text;
the message shown after the form is sent;
the FAQ section and legal pages.

7. Updates in every language

The most common problem: a price changed in the Azerbaijani version but stayed old in the Russian one. Every change has to be applied to all languages. It helps to manage changes from one place, or to hand this work to a team that does it for you.

Which language your enquiries come in

An extra benefit of a multilingual site is seeing which language brings more enquiries. When enquiries land in one system, you can also assign the responsible person by language: a manager who speaks Russian replies to customers who write in Russian.

A multilingual website with SBT Web

With SBT Web you get a website by subscription: design, hosting, domain, SSL and monthly edits are included, the site is ready in 7–14 days, in AZ / EN / RU. The number of languages per plan: Vitrin — 1 language, Şirkət — 2 languages, Mağaza — 3 languages. Plans start at 63 ₼ per month (excl. VAT).

Whatever language a form enquiry comes in, it lands in SBT CRM as a lead; the CRM also works in AZ / EN / RU. Take the website and the CRM together and both get 20% off. See the SBT Web plans or write to us: web@sbt.az, info@sbt.az · +994 55 455 27 26.