In today’s global marketplace, multilingual websites and apps are essential for reaching diverse audiences. A well-designed language selector is a crucial feature, ensuring users can easily switch to their preferred language, enhancing their experience, and increasing engagement. Whether you’re developing a multilingual website or mobile app, intuitive language selectors are key to guiding users to the content they need. Here are some best practices to consider, along with examples of OSKY projects that showcase our expertise in multilingual solutions.
1. Placement: Make It Visible
For websites, the language selector should be placed in a prominent location, usually in the upper-right corner of the header or in the footer. This placement ensures that users can locate it immediately, which is especially important for international visitors. In mobile apps, consider placing the language selector within a settings menu or including it during the onboarding process to allow users to select their preferred language at the start.
In OSKY’s development of the Visit Hilltops website, for example, we implemented an intuitive language selector to accommodate an international audience, giving visitors easy access to regional information in their preferred language.
2. Use Language Names Instead of Flags—With Exceptions
Using flags to represent languages can be misleading, as flags represent countries, not languages. For example, Spanish is spoken across multiple countries with distinct flags, and a flag may not always clearly represent a language. However, there are cases where using flags is appropriate, particularly when the number of languages offered is limited and easily distinguishable.
In some OSKY projects, such as the Visit Hilltops and Phu Bia Mining websites, we used flags to represent languages because these websites offer only a few language options—typically English, Mandarin, and one other language. For such limited choices, flags can provide a quick visual cue without causing confusion, as each flag clearly represents a distinct, widely recognised language.
3. Provide User-Friendly Navigation
For websites, a drop-down menu or modal window listing languages alphabetically is often the most intuitive approach. In mobile apps, keep the language options clear and easy to select. In OSKY’s design of the CVD app, available on both iOS and Android, users can navigate to the settings menu to switch languages, creating a seamless experience for multilingual users on mobile.
4. Save User Preferences
An effective language selector remembers a user’s language preference for future visits or sessions, sparing them from having to reselect it each time. This feature can be implemented using cookies or local storage for websites, or through data storage in mobile apps. On the Phu Bia Mining website, for instance, OSKY enabled language preference retention, allowing users to automatically view the site in their previously selected language.
5. Consider Geolocation for Automatic Language Detection
Using geolocation or browser language detection can enhance the user experience by presenting the most relevant language automatically. However, it’s crucial to allow users to manually adjust the language if they prefer a different one. For mobile apps, automatic detection can be based on the device’s language setting, with an option for users to override this setting within the app.
6. Keep the Design Simple
A clean, straightforward language selector with clear text and adequate spacing improves usability, especially on mobile where screen space is limited. For example, on the Visit Hilltops website, OSKY ensured that the language selector was easy to locate and use on mobile devices, allowing visitors to access regional information quickly and effortlessly.
7. Test for Accessibility and Usability
Both websites and mobile apps should offer accessible language selectors that are keyboard and screen-reader friendly. For mobile apps, ensure that the selector functions smoothly with accessibility features like VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android. Testing with real users can also provide insights into usability improvements. In OSKY’s projects, accessibility and ease of use are top priorities, ensuring that every language selector meets the needs of diverse user bases.
8. Localise the Entire Experience
A language selector is only effective if the entire website or app is fully localised. For example, the Visit Hilltops website offers a completely localised experience that goes beyond text translation to include culturally relevant imagery and information. The Phu Bia Mining website is similarly localised, enhancing user engagement and accessibility for an international workforce.
9. Consider SEO and ASO Implications
For websites, ensure that each language version has a unique URL structure (e.g., “/en/” or “/fr/”) to help search engines understand the content’s language and location relevance, improving SEO across multiple regions. For mobile apps, App Store Optimisation (ASO) is crucial. Ensure your app store listings are localised and optimised for each language to improve visibility and downloads in different regions.
10. Prioritise Load Speed and Performance
Ensure that the language selector does not negatively impact performance. On mobile, the selector should load quickly and function smoothly, even in areas with limited internet connectivity. OSKY’s work on the CVD app prioritised performance, enabling users to navigate smoothly in any language, even on mobile networks with slower speeds.
Conclusion
A thoughtfully designed language selector is essential for any multilingual website or mobile app. While general best practices recommend using language names instead of flags, there are exceptions, especially when only a few languages are offered and each is distinct. OSKY’s projects, such as the Visit Hilltops website, Phu Bia Mining website, and the CVD mobile app, highlight our commitment to creating intuitive, user-friendly multilingual solutions that meet the needs of global audiences.
For truly effective multilingual experiences, we recommend engaging NAATI-accredited translators to ensure that your content is accurately translated and culturally relevant. An effective language selector, paired with professionally translated content, can transform user experience, build stronger connections with your audience, and expand your reach. If you’re considering a multilingual project, OSKY is here to help you implement a language selector and translation solution that perfectly aligns with your brand and users’ needs.
