Governing content on a bilingual website

A bilingual site needs more than translated Chinese pages. Overseas buyers may require different documentation, delivery information and contacts. Share a reliable factual foundation, then organize each language for its audience.

Map facts and regional differences

Maintain approved names, units, credentials and claims. Confirm which products, services and documents apply to each market. A page map should record the corresponding URLs, owners, translation status and last review date.

Review terminology early

Keep a terminology list with approved names, abbreviations and discouraged translations. Product and market specialists should verify meaning. Send legal or credential-related wording to the relevant reviewer rather than approving it solely for fluency.

• Check factual titles and product units.
• Allow room for translated controls.
• Verify document languages and versions.
• Confirm permission and scope for cases and credentials.

Make language navigation explicit

Where possible, a language switch should lead to the same topic. Explain missing translations and provide a useful route onward. Google's guidance recommends distinct, accessible URLs for language versions and appropriate signals connecting them. Let people choose their language rather than relying only on location-based routing.

Check the implemented versions

• Set the page language and review title, description and body together.
• Use reciprocal hreflang links, including the current version, with complete addresses.
• Check canonical URLs separately from language relationships.
• Ensure each language URL works directly and has a usable navigation link.

Reference: Google Search Central: localized versions.

Close the update loop

Separate factual, language and page reviews. Flag the corresponding version whenever source content changes. Check menus, alternative text, downloads, form instructions and confirmation messages as well as the main body.

Reference: Google Search Central: managing multilingual sites.