Building Smarter Multilingual DXPs: From Quick Fixes To Scalable Solutions

Introduction

Global brands expanding into new regions face a familiar demand: “We need the site in multiple languages, and we need it fast.”

The instinctive response is often to bolt on a quick solution, like a Google Translate widget. It works instantly, costs little, and gives the illusion of progress. But beneath the surface, it creates bigger issues: 

• Broken SEO
• Poor accessibility 
• Privacy risks 
• Zero editorial control

Executives leading multi-brand or multi-market DXPs know the stakes are higher. Translation decisions don’t just affect words on a page; they shape discoverability, compliance, user trust, and editorial efficiency for years to come.

In one multilingual build, we faced exactly this dilemma. Instead of settling for speed or sinking into endless manual processes, we designed a sustainable multilingual framework: one that balanced governance, scalability, and efficiency.

The Problem: Quick Fixes Vs. Long-Term Needs

When organizations think about multilingual support, they usually weigh two extremes:

Fast But Fragile Fixes

The quickest route many teams take is adding Google Translate scripts or widgets. These give the appearance of multilingual readiness but fail in almost every way that matters:

• • • They do not generate SEO-friendly URLs for translated pages, meaning content in other languages is invisible to search engines.

• • • They cannot be controlled by editors, so mistranslations or tone errors cannot be corrected.

• • • They are not WCAG compliant, creating accessibility issues for users who rely on assistive technologies.

• • • They pose data privacy risks, since user content can be sent to third-party services without safeguards.

Such solutions can help in quick demos or proof-of-concepts, but they actively undermine credibility if taken live.

Accurate But Expensive Workflows

At the other end, teams may rely exclusively on manual translations or third-party vendor services (like TransPerfect). These guarantee linguistic accuracy, but introduce significant trade-offs:

• • • They require long lead times to update multilingual content, making it hard to keep up with rapid publishing cycles.

• • • They increase cost dramatically with each additional page or update.

• • • They place a heavy burden on editorial teams, who must manage complex translation workflows.

While high-quality, this approach becomes unsustainable at enterprise scale, especially for platforms serving multiple brands and regions. Executives are left stuck between these poles: go live quickly but compromise quality, or protect quality but risk delays and inflated budgets.

The Options: Evaluating Multilingual Approaches

We evaluated mutiple options to implement a multilingual approach.

1. Google Translate Script (Prototype-Only)

What It Does: Embeds an automated translation service that dynamically converts text when a user selects a language.

• Advantages:
  
  • Extremely fast to implement,  a script or widget can be installed in hours.

• • No additional editorial overhead, since translations are generated automatically.

• • Provides a way to show stakeholders what a multilingual interface might look like during an early demo.
    
    
• Limitations:
  
  • Not SEO-friendly: Translated content is not crawlable or indexed by search engines.

• • No Editorial Control: Editors cannot correct errors or customize phrasing for tone and brand voice.

• • Accessibility Issues: Automated scripts don’t meet WCAG compliance, excluding users with assistive needs.

• • Data Privacy Concerns: Content may be exposed to third-party platforms without sufficient safeguards.

• Where It Fits: Internal prototypes or stakeholder previews. It is never suitable for production-grade websites.

2. Drupal Native Translation

• What it does: Uses Drupal’s built-in multilingual modules,  locale, language, content_translation, config_translation.
• Advantages:
  
  • SEO-Ready: Each language version has its own URL, allowing search engines to index properly. This ensures discoverability in target markets.

• • Entity Coverage: Translations extend beyond page text to menus, blocks, taxonomy, and configurations. This means the entire site experience, not just content, can be localized.

• • Full Editorial Control: Editors and translators can manage content in each language, with workflows for review and approval. This preserves brand voice and reduces errors.

• • Accessibility And Compliance: Native Drupal translation is WCAG-compliant and respects data privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA.

• Limitations:
  
  • Requires setup effort to configure language management, workflows, and permissions.

• • Translation work remains manual, which can slow down teams managing large volumes of content.

• Where It Fits: Enterprise-grade multilingual platforms where governance, SEO, and compliance are critical. This is the baseline production option.

3. Drupal + AI Assistant

• What it does: Enhances Drupal’s native translation system by integrating AI services such as GPT, DeepL, or Google API.
• How it works:
  
  • An editor creates source content.

• • AI generates draft translations for other languages.

• • Editors review, refine, and approve translations before publishing.

• Advantages:
  
  • Speeds Up Workflows: AI handles first-pass translation, allowing editors to focus on corrections and context.

• • Balances Quality With Efficiency: Keeps human oversight while reducing repetitive work.

• • SEO-Friendly And Governed: Since it builds on Drupal’s translation system, all the SEO and compliance benefits remain intact.

• • Scales Easily: Ideal for organizations managing multiple brands or frequent content updates.

• Limitations:
  
  • Requires API setup, monitoring, and budget for translation credits.

• • Still depends on human reviewers to ensure accuracy and brand voice alignment.

• Where It Fits: Enterprises that want to scale multilingual delivery without sacrificing governance or SEO.

The Solution: A Sustainable Multilingual Framework

Instead of choosing between speed and quality, the solution was to design a layered framework:

• Prototype Fast With Scripts:  During early phases, scripts help demonstrate multilingual interfaces to stakeholders. But these scripts are never promoted to production, ensuring risks don’t impact live platforms.
• Build The Foundation With Drupal Native Translation:  This becomes the governed core, ensuring all languages are SEO-friendly, accessible, and fully supported across entities.
• Accelerate With AI-assisted Workflows:  For efficiency, AI generates draft translations that editors refine. This provides the best of both worlds: speed and governance.

Most importantly, this framework was integrated into the shared platform architecture. Once built, every new brand or microsite could inherit the multilingual setup automatically. No reinvention, no duplicated effort.

The Outcome: Multilingual As A Growth Enabler

By treating multilingual support as a platform capability, not a bolt-on feature, the organization achieved:

• Search Visibility Across Markets: Every translation produced a dedicated, indexable URL, making the brand discoverable in local search results.
• Regulatory Compliance: The multilingual framework adhered to accessibility standards (WCAG) and privacy laws (GDPR/CCPA).
• Editorial Empowerment: Editors had control over translations, with the ability to refine AI drafts and protect brand voice.
• Efficiency At Scale: AI-assisted translation reduced turnaround times, allowing teams to keep pace with content demands across multiple languages.
• Future-Proof Scalability: New regions or brands could adopt the same multilingual capability instantly, turning translation from a cost burden into a growth accelerator.

Lessons for Executives

• Quick fixes create long-term risks. Google Translate scripts and widgets may seem attractive for speed, but they undermine SEO, compliance, and trust.
• Governance is non-negotiable. Multilingual delivery must empower editors, not bypass them. Without editorial control, brands risk tone inconsistency and errors.
• AI should assist, not replace. Use AI to reduce manual overhead, but keep humans in the loop to ensure quality and alignment with brand voice.
• Platform-first thinking compounds value. When multilingual is baked into the DXP’s architecture, every new brand or market benefits without rework.

Translate For Today, Architect For Tomorrow

Multilingual delivery isn’t just about converting words. It’s about ensuring your digital platform can grow with your business, without sacrificing trust, compliance, or editorial quality.

The takeaway is simple: don’t settle for quick hacks. Build multilingual support into your DXP as a governed, scalable capability. That way, every new language becomes an opportunity for growth, not a source of risk.

 If your organization is planning multilingual expansion, Axelerant can help architect a solution that balances speed, SEO, governance, and scalability.