Introduction
Multilingual digital experiences allow you to connect directly with your audience in their native language, reducing barriers to conversion and increasing trust. In Higher Education we see this with the drive to inspire international students from abroad; in e-commerce, multilingual experiences supercharge the shopping experience; and in the public sector, connecting with a growing population of diverse language speakers has become more crucial than ever.
In short, multilingual content is fast becoming a necessary element of digital experiences.
Multilingual in Drupal
Drupal offers a series of core modules that enable the translation of content in order to surface all elements of any site in multiple languages. This multilingual module suite provides the basis for fully multilingual websites that can handle many languages within one site with ease. In our experience, this has allowed us to serve content in over 14 languages with Visit Britain, and over 30 across the International Labour Organisation platform, including RTL scripts.
From a management perspective, client web team editors can select which parts of the content they want to translate. For the majority of content this will be all of it, however there is the option to leave certain titles (for example) in their native language, even when switching to the translated version (often this is required for brand continuity). Interface elements are treated separately, meaning labels, form messages and other repeated text can be translated once and automatically pulled through to all applicable pages, all without extra work from the editors for each page.
Surfacing translated content can be achieved automatically, with geo-targeted functionality serving the correct language depending on the user’s region. Drupal is able to identify the user’s geographic location and then either switch straight into that language or provide the user the option to switch. This is particularly helpful for switching dialects, with users in Australia for example being served content that is reflective of Australian English. Languages aren’t limited to a predefined list either; custom languages can be added, opening possibilities such as tone-of-voice switching too.
Here in the UK, Drupal’s multilingual capabilities are also frequently used where compliance with the Welsh Language act is required. This can be a “light touch” translation effort in the sense that only a handful of pages may need to be translated, or a dedicated Welsh language area can be provisioned, without having to create a fully translated equivalent site.
AI-Enhanced Translation
As with seemingly all touchpoints of digital, AI is enhancing the way we’re able to translate content, improving accuracy and speed of delivery. OpenAI is now seen to be outperforming Google Translate across the majority of major languages translated from English. With Drupal’s ability to integrate directly with ChatGPT and other major AI models, content editors now have immediate access to translations that offer improved accuracy, allowing them to quickly spin-up key pages in multiple languages.
The advantages of AI-based translation don’t just include improved accuracy, Drupal’s integration with OpenAI is able to deliver translated content that captures regional nuance and your brand’s tone of voice. This is all available within the content editor experience, coupled with a paid-for OpenAI subscription that plugs directly into your Drupal website.
The Human
Automated translation is a significantly powerful tool that dramatically increases the power of content editors to produce multilingual content. However, we always encourage users to engage in human review prior to publication.
In Drupal, this is easily achieved through the bespoke workflow and permissions control. Here, these 3rd party users are set up with specific content permissions that allow them to only edit translations for certain pieces of content. Once an automated translation is complete, the human reviewer is notified and can approve the content, without getting lost in the potentially expansive content across the rest of the platform.
Conclusion
The ability to deliver multilingual digital experiences is no longer a “nice-to-have”; it’s a baseline expectation of the modern user. Drupal’s native multilingual capabilities, combined with AI-powered translation and human editorial oversight, put content teams in control of how they communicate across cultures and regions.
The future isn’t about choosing between machine translation and human review; it’s using both intelligently. Sure, AI accelerates production and consistency, but human oversight ensures nuance, compliance, and localised resonance are fully captured.