Free Translate Widget For Your Blog
Web 2.0 is all about interaction about people without boundaries. Unfortunately not everyone speaks English and I think giving an option to people to read your pages in their native language is a definite fit for any web 2.0 blog. Should you add an option to have your pages automatically translated or not is up to you but here is what I have found:
- After just 2 weeks my logs show that an option to translate my pages have been used over 300 times. Not much you might think but I look at it as I managed to reach a market that I would have never got a word to before.
Obviously results will vary depending on the theme and general topic of your site but since its free – why not provide an extra service to your visitors? There is a downfall to this [tag-tec]plugin[/tag-tec]. Google automated [tag-tec]translation[/tag-tec] is way too far from perfect. As a bi-lingual person I have personally tested translation of my pages and while I wasn’t too impressed – I was able to get the idea of what it was about 
.
Now if you decide to actually integrate into your [tag-tec]WordPress[/tag-tec] blog this widget I have to give credit to its original creator at http://www.googletranslategadget.blogspot.com/. All I have done is simply provide an option to have all the flag images hosted on your blog (in theme folder) and used some php code for automated detection and display of the widget. All details on integration included into README.txt file.
Please use comments on this post with any support questions.
IMPORTANT: I have found that in some themes people have problems to get the widget to display. Code for the widget inclusion HAS TO BE placed before Widgets loop begins. Here is an example of what it might look like:
<?php if ( function_exists(‘dynamic_sidebar’) && dynamic_sidebar(2) ) : else : ?>
Please place translate.php inclusion BEFORE that loop begins on your theme.
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About The Blog Author
Alex Sysoef is an IT Consultant, Internet Marketer and ProBlogger who shares his passion and knowledge of WordPress, SEO, Social Media and traffic strategies on his blog WordPress Howto Spotter. Connect on Twitter or Facebook
Great plugin! Haven’t used a translator on my sites before but it would certainly add to the usability of the site for visitors which don’t have English as a 1st language. Will give it a try and see how i get on. Thanks.
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I’ve checked it out – this is a superb tool. But (there’s always a but, isn’t it?) what is it for? It can only be used by the people who speak English but have other native language and want to read the post in it. The post won’t be found by Google as translated, so people can find posts only by typing English words into Google.
You can create a link to the Google page that has been or will be translated by Google but would it work for people considering that the translation is automatic? As you see, I’m not convinced this is necessary but just as “nice to have” thing it definitely works.
How can I put it on my blog?
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Sure, just download and follow instructions included
Hi Alex,
2 questions please…
1) I was using the free Global Translator plugin (not yours) on many of my sites and had to pull it off because even though it was successfully translating pages, I discovered in my Google Account/Webmaster Tools that it was creating thousands of error 404 pages and “unreachable pages.” I googled that issue and found that many others using that plugin were having the same problem as me. Will your plugin do the same thing as far as creating all these error pages?
2) I use Firefox with the Greasemonkey plugin. Greasemonkey highlights all ‘no-follow’ links as seen in my browser in pink (very cool plugin!). I just noticed that your Blog Sitemap and Sitemap links in your footer are “no-follow” links? Would you care to share why you have made them ‘no-follow’ links?
Thank you very much.
Steve
I find the idea very useful because you got a world wide market to spread the word about your site but only those that can understand your language can appreciate what it’s all about.. Having this translation widget at hand is very wise because visitors don’t need to leave your site to find translation tool and whatsoever.
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tanveer hussain babar
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REGARDS,,,,,,,I find the idea very useful because you got a world wide market to spread the word about your site but only those that can understand your language can appreciate what it’s all about.. Having this translation widget at hand is very wise because visitors don’t need to leave your site to find translation tool and whatsoever.but how i can get this tecnology?.Are you skilled me and give me that technology.dera as i tell you that i am totally new and unskilled if you can help me hten it will be my honor and i will always pray for you whole of my life.thanks
I haven’t used Google Translate in some time, but I am looking for an alternative to translate my blog pages automatically and not have to continue translating by hand. I read that you said you’re bi-lingual – would you say that you have seen an improvement in the translations as of lately? A large portion of my site’s visitors are from South American countries, so I want to make sure they are able to read legit translations of my work without having to take the time to re-read everything.
The plugin looks great by the way!
Thanks,
Robert
Robert,
I haven’t seen a single automated translation tool that does good translation. They do decent enough job for a person to possibly comprehend the meaning of the post but it is far from perfect.
This is potentially really useful. The important thing is to really think about how you write your copy, if translation is going to be used extensively – for example not relying on idioms, and making your sentences simple in construction.
Does this plugin work okay on your ‘Review’ theme? I’m asking because I couldn’t get it working and I followed your directions very carefully.
Thanks
Steve
More than translation, it seems that localization is the key issue. Language is one thing but making the content truly appear local to the user, in our global village is the way forward. It’s often noted that the difference between UK English, used here in Singapore too, gives the user a vastly different experience than US English. I know it’s a grey area, or gray area if you’re from the US but more emphasis should be paid to localizing sites. Or should that be localise:)
David,
Good point but some of us can hardly find enough time to write in one locale
Wow! this is great, any native language can be translated. Google is the best.
For some reason this widget doesn’t work on my blog. Could it be that it’s obsolete? I’ve tried various translation plug-ins and they either don’t work or they increase the load time of my blog
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Thanks Alex! I’ll get this on other sites.
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While searching for a translation widget I have come across your posts. Now there are some many translation plugins / widget out there. Which one do you actually recommend these days?
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I use the same one posted on this post.