Bilingual Czech and English website: how to do it right
Many businesses in Prague serve both Czech and international customers. A bilingual website can win both, or confuse both. The difference is in a few technical and practical decisions.
Which language comes first
Decide who brings most of your revenue. A dental clinic in Prague 2 with mostly Czech patients needs Czech as the main language and English as a full second version. A relocation agency or an English-speaking accountant may do the opposite. The main language gets the homepage address, the second one its own folder, for example /en.
One address per language
Each language version needs its own address: getwebify.studio for Czech and getwebify.studio/en for English is a typical setup. Never switch the language on the same address with a button that only rewrites the text. Google sees one address and indexes one language, so the other version practically does not exist in search.
- Separate addresses for every page in every language.
- Hreflang tags that tell Google which pages are translations of each other.
- No automatic redirect by IP or browser language. Expats on Czech IPs want English, Czech customers abroad want Czech. Let people choose.
- A language switch that leads to the same page in the other language, not to the homepage.
What to translate first
You do not have to translate everything on day one. Start with the pages that bring enquiries: homepage, services with prices, references and contact. Blog articles can follow later, and only those that make sense for the other audience. A Czech article about Czech grants is of little use in English.
Translate titles and descriptions for Google too. They are what people see in search results, and an English page with a Czech title loses most of its clicks.
Want a website that brings enquiries?
Tell me in two minutes what you need. I reply within 24 hours with a free homepage design and a fixed price in writing.
Get a free proposal →Machine translation or human
Machine translation is a good draft and a bad final version. Czech customers immediately notice unnatural Czech, and the same goes for English readers. Have the final text checked by a native speaker or someone who writes the language daily. For service pages, adapt rather than translate: an English-speaking customer may need different information, for example whether communication is possible in English.
Forms, prices and contact details
- Forms in the language of the page, including error messages and the confirmation after sending.
- Prices in Czech crowns, with the same amounts in both versions. Different prices for different languages destroy trust.
- Phone number in international format (+420) on the English version.
- Say how you communicate. If you answer only in writing in English, say so. It prevents disappointment on both sides.
Local SEO in two languages
Your Google Business Profile is one profile for both languages, usually in the main language of the business. Reviews in English are welcome and help with expat customers. On the website, use the words each audience searches for: Czech customers search for “tvorba webových stránek Praha”, expats for “web designer Prague”.
What a second language costs
At Webify a second language is priced according to the number of pages, and you get the exact price in writing before I start. A custom website starts at CZK 19,990, and this website itself runs in Czech, Slovak and English. Communication is in written English. For more on prices see how much a website costs in the Czech Republic.
Want a website that brings enquiries?
Tell me in two minutes what you need. I reply within 24 hours with a free homepage design and a fixed price in writing.
Get a free proposal →Frequently asked questions
Should the English version have its own address?
Yes. Each language needs its own address, for example /en for English, plus hreflang tags linking the versions. A language switch that only rewrites text on the same address hides one version from Google.
Can I use machine translation for my website?
As a draft, yes. As the final version, no. Unnatural text lowers trust and conversion. Have it checked by someone who writes the language daily, and adapt service pages for the audience.
Should the website switch language automatically?
No. Automatic redirects by IP address or browser language frustrate expats and Czechs abroad and can confuse Google. Show a clear language switch and let people choose.