Shopify themes

Shopify theme translation: the ultimate guide

If you’re looking to grow your business, then Shopify theme translation is a great way to reach a wider audience and expand your customer base. It can also help you to better understand your customers and their needs.

Posted 9 months ago by Jonathan Kennedy

How to translate your Shopify theme

Even though many Shopify themes are designed in English, they can be easily translated into other languages. This can come in handy if you’re selling to an international audience, or if you just want to make your store more accessible to everyone.

Luckily, translating a Shopify theme can be done without any coding knowledge.

It is important to note that there are themes that come in multiple languages. This means that to change it to your preferred language, all you need to do is select it from the language dropdown menu in your admin.

But, there are those that are only available in English. This means you have to create the translations yourself.

Without further ado, here’s how to translate your theme.

Choosing a language for your theme

This is one of the most important parts of Shopify theme translation. Choosing your language can only be done once a theme is published.

To do this, follow these steps:

In your admin panel, go to Online Store > Themes.
Click Actions > Edit languages.
In the Add a new language section, select your language from the drop-down menu. This will automatically create a copy of your existing theme in that language. For example, if your theme is currently in English, selecting French from the drop-down menu will create a French version of that theme.
Click Save.

If you want to change your checkout language, you can do that in the Checkout settings. Below are the instructions on how to do that:

Go to Settings > General.
In the Standard checkout language section, select your preferred language from the drop-down menu.
Save your changes.

Creating a translation for your theme

Shopify theme translation is not always automatic. Sometimes, your preferred language may not be available as an option. If this is the case, you’ll have to create the translation yourself.

To do this, follow the following instructions:

On your admin dashboard, go to Online Store > Themes.
Click Actions > Edit languages.
In the Add a new language section, select Other from the drop-down menu.

In the second and third drop-down menus, choose elements as shown below:

Language: The language you want to translate your theme into
Region: The region where that language is spoken (Only select this option if you’re translating your theme into a dialect of a language. For example, if you’re translating your theme into Swahili, you would select East Africa as your region.)
All: This helps you choose all the regional variations where your language is spoken. For instance, if you’re translating your theme into Spanish, you can select All to cover all the regions where Spanish is spoken. This may include Spain, South America, and Mexico.
Custom: If you can’t find the name of the language you’re translating your theme into, or if you want to create a custom translation for a dialect of a language, select Custom. Type in the name of the language you’re translating your theme into. For example, if you’re translating your theme into Swahili and the language name is not available, you would type in Swahili.

Click Save.

Now it’s time to add your translations. To do this:

Go to the language editor by clicking Online Store > Themes.
Click Actions > Edit languages.
Enter the translations into the theme editor. These changes will be saved automatically.

Searching a translation for missing fields

After following the above steps and completing the translation, you might see an “Incomplete” message next to the language you translated your theme into.

If this happens, it means that there are missing translations in your theme. To find these missing translations:

Go to Online Store > Themes.
Click Actions > Edit languages.
In the Add a new language section, select the language you want to search for missing translations in.
Select Filter this Page. This will bring up all the fields that need to be translated.
Click Filter Translations.
From the second drop-down menu, select Complete or Missing.
Click Add Filter.
Enter the translation in the appropriate field.
Click Save.

Types of content to translate

There are three types of content that you may want to translate:

Plain text

This is the most basic type of content and includes things like headings, paragraphs, and list items.

To translate plain text, you don’t need to use HTML. Simply enter the text you want to translate in the appropriate field.

HTML

HTML is used to format content on a web page. This includes things like bolding, italicizing, and adding links. If a text block is in HTML, you will see pairs of angle brackets (<>) around the text.

HTML is often used to add formatting to text or add links to external websites. To translate HTML, you will need to replace the text between the angle brackets with its equivalent in your preferred language.

It’s important to note that before editing any HTML or code, you should always back up your theme.

Liquid

Liquid is a templating language used by Shopify themes. It is used to pull information from the Shopify database and display it on a web page. For example, Liquid is used to display product descriptions, pricing, and customer information.

You don’t need to translate Liquid tags or objects. These will be automatically translated when someone views your theme in a different language.

But, you will need to translate the text that appears between the Liquid tags. For example, if you have a product description that includes a Liquid tag, you will need to translate the product description itself, not the Liquid tag.

Here is an example of what a translatedLiquid tag would look like:

{% if product.description != blank %}

{% endif %}

The text between the {% %} will remain the same, but the text between the {{ }} will be translated.

Why is it important to translate your Shopify theme?

Shopify theme translation comes with a plethora of perks, including:

Reach a wider audience

One of the goals of having a Shopify store is to reach as many people as possible. By editing your Shopify theme to have a new translation, you can make your store accessible to people who speak different languages.

This is especially important if you’re selling products that are popular in other countries. For example, if you’re selling products that are popular in Germany, you will need to have a German version of your store.

Reaching a wider audience is not only good for business, but it also helps you build a stronger brand. This makes you an authority in your industry and helps you build trust with your customers.

Localization

Another reason to translate your Shopify theme is for localization. This is the process of making your store relevant to people in different countries. Localization goes beyond translation and includes things like adding local payment methods and shipping options.

For example, if you’re selling products to people in the United States, you will need to add a US-based payment method like PayPal. You will also need to offer shipping options that are relevant to the US market.

By localizing your store, you can make it more relevant to people in different countries and increase your chances of making a sale.

Improved search engine rankings

One of the benefits of translating your Shopify theme is that it can improve your search engine rankings. This is because Google and other search engines will index your store based on local search queries. This is known as Local SEO.

By optimizing your store for local search queries, you can improve your chances of appearing in the top results on Google and other search engines. This, in turn, can lead to more traffic and more sales.

For example, if you only have an English version of your store and someone searches for “shoes” in French, your store will not come up in the search results. But, if you have a French version of your store as well, it is more likely to come up in the search results.

This is because Google will index your store as a relevant result for people who are searching for “shoes” in French. As a result, you’re more likely to get traffic from Google and other search engines.

This is an important factor to consider if you’re selling products that are popular in other countries. By translating your theme, you can make your store more visible to people who speak different languages.

Enhance the user experience

Another reason to translate your Shopify theme is to enhance the user experience. If someone visits your store and can’t understand the language, they are likely to leave and never come back.

By translating your theme, you can make sure that everyone who visits your store has a positive experience. This will not only improve your chances of making a sale, but it will also encourage people to come back and visit your store again.

Also, don’t forget to regularly update your Shopify theme. Updates come with features that can go a long way in enhancing the customer experience.

Boost customer loyalty

Language is an important part of human interaction. If you can’t speak to your customers in their native language, they are less likely to be loyal to your brand.

By translating your theme, you can build trust with your customers and boost customer loyalty. This is because they will feel like you’re speaking to them directly and not just trying to sell them something.

Consequently, they are more likely to be loyal to your brand and continue doing business with you in the future.

why you should translate your shopify theme

Final thoughts

Shopify theme translation is an integral part of running a successful online store. It can be the difference between a customer making a purchase and leaving your store. This guide should give you a solid foundation for getting started with translating your Shopify theme.

While there are many different aspects to consider when translating your Shopify theme, following these simple steps will help you get started on the right foot. With a little effort, you can ensure that your store is accessible to customers from all over the world.

If you run into problems with a particular theme while editing it, you may need to reset your Shopify theme. This is the last resort, but if all else fails, it may be your only option. Once you change the language of your Shopify theme, the team at HeyCarson can come in and help you customize it to fit your store’s unique needs. We’re always here to help you succeed. Submit a task today and let us know how we can help you grow your business.

Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking other guides:

Jonathan Kennedy

Jonathan is the founder at HeyCarson. He loves building communities, working on digital products and helping others reach new heights in their businesses and careers.

Check all articles from Jonathan Kennedy