To best explain what Localization services are, we can place it in the context of the whole process of making websites suitable for more than one language.
Internationalization (i18n)
Internationalization is the process of making code suitable for the implementation of more than one language.
Nowadays it can be reasonably assumed that WordPress themes come internationalized, however for plugins that is not always the case. Also at higher risk are bespoke themes developed for clients, as with those it depends on the skills and knowledge of the particular developer.
The common abbreviation for internationalization is i18n (the first and last letter and 18 letters in between).
Localization (l10n)
Localization always comes after internationalization and is the process of adding actual translations as well as region specific elements. In its simplest form this means translating content into another language.
Localization also applies to same language sites that target different geographical regions, for example the address and telephone numbers of a website with offices in US, UK and Australia.
Just like internationalization, localization also has its own abbreviation: l10n.
The WPML plugin is one of the most used plugins to add multilingual functionality to WordPress websites.
BHI Localization for Websites has been using WPML since its inception early 2009 and I have been one of the official Contractors since this service was introduced, back in 2011.
Whether you are contacting me for troubleshooting after WPML has been installed or you would like me to take care of the Installation and Setup of the plugin, you can expect that almost always I will propose to do an Assessment first.
What & Why of the Assessment
When people contact me to troubleshoot issues they are experiencing on their website, my working method is to always do an Assessment.
The reason for the Assessment is that no website is the same. There are thousands of themes on the market and even more plugins. Many of them come at a premium, so it is impossible to see any of the code on beforehand.
And on top of all of that, there is hosting which also can be an influential factor.
The combinations are endless, so it basically is impossible for me to give a reliable answer to questions without being able to have a thorough look at the backend of the site.
The advantage of the Assessment is that I always manage to discover many of the (potential) problems in a relatively short time.
After the Assessment I write a full report with recommendations and I include an estimate for the next steps to take to solve the issues.
The report itself is a valuable document that can be used as a guide for future work too.
Book your WPML Assessment today!
Although most of the time I work remotely, I am also open to arrangements where I come to work at your offices, should that be more convenient and/or secure for you. Please contact me with details and your requirements/preferences.