Spanish Pages on Your Website: Doing It Right
If many of your customers speak Spanish, Spanish pages on your website help them find you and choose you, and Conqueror Capital builds them the way Google documents: one language per page, a separate URL for each language and clear links between the versions. That applies whether you run one shop or many locations. The harder part is not technical: the pages should be written well, and someone should be able to answer the customer in Spanish.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The short answer: Give each Spanish page its own URL instead of switching languages with cookies or browser settings, keep each page in a single language, and link the English and Spanish versions to each other with hreflang so Google can show the right one. Have the text written or checked by a fluent speaker, start with your main services, contact details and common questions, and only advertise Spanish service if a customer who calls or writes in Spanish will get an answer in Spanish.
WHO SPANISH PAGES ARE FOR
In bilingual communities, some customers would rather search, read and talk in Spanish. A business that offers clear Spanish pages can stand out to people looking for exactly that, and it tells them before they call that they will be understood.
The same thinking applies to any language your customers speak, whether that is French, Vietnamese, Chinese or another. Start with the language most of your non-English-speaking customers use.
HOW GOOGLE WANTS LANGUAGE VERSIONS BUILT
Google's documentation is specific:
- One URL per language. Google recommends "using different URLs for each language version of a page rather than using cookies or browser settings to adjust the content language on the page."1 A typical pattern is
/es/in front of the Spanish pages. - One language per page. Google says it uses the visible content of a page to determine its language, not code-level language information such as lang attributes or the URL, and recommends a single language for content and navigation on each page, avoiding side-by-side translations.1
- Translate the whole page. Google notes that translating only the boilerplate, such as menus, while the main content stays in one language can create a bad user experience.1
- Link the versions with hreflang. hreflang annotations tell Google that pages are localized versions of the same content, so it can point users to the right one.2 The links must go both ways: if the Spanish page names the English page as its alternate, the English page must name the Spanish page too, or the annotation may be ignored.2
- Add a fallback. Google suggests an x-default value for a page that serves visitors whose language does not match any version, such as a language selector.2
WRITING PAGES PEOPLE TRUST
- Use a fluent writer or reviewer. A browser translation pasted into a page often reads awkwardly and gets trade terms wrong. Customers notice.
- Start small. Translate your homepage, your main service pages, your contact page and the questions customers ask most. A few strong pages are worth more than a whole site translated badly.
- Match the details. Address, phone, hours and service names should be identical in both languages.
- Make the switch easy. Put a visible language link in the header of every page, pointing to the same page in the other language, not to the homepage.
- Be honest about service. A Spanish page that leads to an English-only phone line frustrates the customer you were trying to welcome. Say which channels are answered in Spanish, and when.
SMALL, MID-SIZE AND ENTERPRISE
Small businesses: three to five Spanish pages, written by a fluent speaker and linked to their English twins, are a strong start. Add more as customers ask.
Mid-size businesses: keep a short glossary of how you say your services in Spanish, so every page, form and email uses the same words, and update both languages on the same day when prices, hours or services change.
Multi-location and enterprise brands: language needs differ by location, so decide per branch which languages to offer, based on the community and on the staff who can serve them. Build hreflang into your page templates so every new location page gets its links automatically, and check that each Spanish location page carries that branch's own address and hours. Our guide to local landing pages covers location pages, or see how we work with mid-size and enterprise teams.
FAQ
Should Spanish pages have their own URLs?
Yes. Google recommends different URLs for each language version of a page rather than using cookies or browser settings to switch the language.
Can I put English and Spanish on the same page?
It is better not to. Google recommends using a single language for content and navigation on each page and avoiding side-by-side translations.
What is hreflang?
hreflang is an annotation that tells Google which pages are language versions of each other, so Search can show people the version in their language. The links must point both ways.
Is machine translation good enough for a business website?
It is a starting point, not a finished page. Have a fluent speaker write or review the text so services, prices and instructions read correctly.
Which pages should I translate first?
Your homepage, your main service pages, your contact page and the answers to the questions customers ask most often.
SOURCES
- Google Search Central, Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites.
- Google Search Central, Tell Google about localized versions of your page.
Platforms change often. Check the sources for the current version before acting.
KEEP READING
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL
Thinking about Spanish pages, or another language, for your business? Book a 15-minute call and we will help you plan which pages to start with, or ask for a free website check first.