In the era of globalization, creating a website that caters to a diverse audience is essential. One of the key aspects of this is ensuring that your site is multilingual. For WordPress users, integrating a powerful form-building plugin like WPForms with a robust multilingual solution such as WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) can significantly enhance user experience. This article will explore how to effectively use WPForms Multilingual with WPML, helping you reach a broader audience while optimizing for search engines.

Understanding WPForms and WPML

What is WPForms?

WPForms is a user-friendly drag-and-drop form builder for WordPress. It allows users to create various types of forms, such as contact forms, registration forms, surveys, and payment forms, without any coding knowledge. WPForms offers various templates and integrations, making it a versatile tool for any website.

What is WPML?

WPML is a comprehensive WordPress plugin that enables you to create and manage a multilingual site. With WPML, you can translate posts, pages, custom types, and even strings in your theme and plugins. It seamlessly integrates with many popular WordPress plugins, including WPForms, allowing you to create forms in multiple languages.

Benefits of Using WPForms with WPML

Integrating WPForms with WPML offers several advantages:

1. Enhanced User Experience: Providing forms in your visitors’ native languages improves usability and increases engagement.
2. Increased Reach: By catering to a multilingual audience, you can expand your reach and attract more visitors from different regions.
3. Improved SEO: Multilingual sites are favored by search engines, and having translated forms can improve your website’s search rankings in non-English speaking markets.
4. Streamlined Management: WPML allows you to manage all your translations in one place, making it easier to keep your forms up to date.

Setting Up WPForms Multilingual with WPML

Step 1: Install WPForms and WPML

Before you can create multilingual forms, ensure that both WPForms and WPML are installed and activated on your WordPress site.

1. Install WPForms:
   • Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “WPForms” and click Install Now.
   • Once installed, click Activate.
2. Install WPML:
   • Purchase and download the WPML plugin from the WPML website.
   • Upload the WPML plugin to your WordPress site through Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
   • Activate WPML and follow the setup wizard to configure your multilingual options.

Step 2: Create Your Form with WPForms

1. Create a New Form:
   • Go to WPForms > Add New.
   • Choose a template that suits your needs, such as a Contact Form or a Registration Form.
   • Customize the form fields using the drag-and-drop builder.
2. Save Your Form:
   • Once you have created your form, save it by clicking the Save button.

Step 3: Translate Your Form with WPML

1. Go to WPML Settings:
   • Navigate to WPML > Translation Management.
   • Here, you can manage your translations for posts, pages, and custom post types.
2. Select Your Form for Translation:
   • In the Translation Management interface, find your WPForms form.
   • Check the box next to the form you want to translate.
   • Click on the Translate Selected Content button.
3. Translate Your Form:
   • You will be directed to the WPForms translation interface.
   • For each field in your form, provide the translation in the desired language.
   • You can also translate any additional settings, such as confirmation messages and email notifications.
4. Publish Translations:
   • After translating all the necessary fields, click the Publish button to make your translations live.

Step 4: Display Translated Forms on Your Site

1. Create a Page for Each Language:
   • Go to Pages > Add New.
   • Create a new page for each language you want to support on your site.
2. Insert Translated Forms:
   • Use the WPForms block or shortcode to insert the translated form into the corresponding language page.
   • For example, to add a form using shortcode, use the format [wpforms id="FORM_ID"], replacing FORM_ID with your form’s ID.
3. Set Language for Pages:
   • In the WPML language settings, ensure that each page is set to the correct language.

Step 5: Test Your Forms

After setting up your multilingual forms, it’s crucial to test them to ensure everything is functioning correctly.

1. Submit Test Entries:
   • Visit your site and switch between languages to fill out your forms.
   • Ensure that the forms submit correctly and that you receive the confirmation emails in the appropriate language.
2. Check for Errors:
   • Review all translations to ensure accuracy and consistency.
   • Make adjustments as necessary.

SEO Best Practices for Multilingual Forms

Creating multilingual forms with WPForms and WPML not only enhances user experience but can also boost your SEO. Here are some SEO best practices to keep in mind:

1. Use hreflang Tags: Ensure that your site includes hreflang tags to inform search engines about the language of your pages. This helps prevent duplicate content issues.
2. Optimize Form Titles and Descriptions: Use relevant keywords in the form titles and descriptions in each language to enhance visibility in search engine results.
3. Provide Quality Translations: Avoid machine translations. Instead, consider hiring professional translators to ensure the quality and accuracy of your translations.
4. Create Separate URLs for Different Languages: If possible, use separate URLs for each language (e.g., example.com/en/contact and example.com/es/contact). This structure helps search engines index your pages more effectively.
5. Monitor Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to track the performance of your multilingual forms. Monitor user behavior to identify areas for improvement.

Conclusion

Integrating WPForms with WPML provides a powerful solution for creating multilingual forms on your WordPress site. This combination not only enhances user experience but also broadens your reach and improves your SEO. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can effectively set up and manage your multilingual forms, ensuring that your website caters to a diverse audience.

With the right approach, WPForms and WPML can help you create an inclusive online experience that resonates with users from different backgrounds, ultimately driving more traffic and conversions.