A visitor reading a design case study clicks “Bahasa Indonesia” and lands on the homepage. The language changed, but the context disappeared. On a bilingual portfolio, the switcher is part of the navigation system, so its behavior deserves attention before its styling.
Pair pages before adding a control
Map the English and Indonesian versions of key pages first: homepage, portfolio items, about, contact, and blog posts. When a matching translation exists, the switcher should lead to that equivalent page rather than restarting the visit. This keeps a reader on the subject they chose.
Some pages may not yet have a translation. Decide what happens in that case and make the behavior predictable—such as linking to the translated blog index or clearly indicating that the current article is available in one language. Avoid sending visitors to a blank page or a route that silently changes the subject.
Translate the surrounding experience
The language choice needs to carry through menus, buttons, category labels, search prompts, form fields, and confirmation messages. A translated article surrounded by untranslated navigation feels unfinished, and an untranslated form can make the final step unclear. Check the whole path, not only the page body.
Keep language names recognizable, and make the control usable with a keyboard as well as a pointer. Its active state should be visible without relying on color alone. On a narrow screen, test that the switcher remains easy to find inside the mobile navigation.
Test real visitor paths
Test from more than the homepage: open an English project page, switch languages, and confirm the corresponding Indonesian page loads; then try an article without a translation. Also check browser back navigation and refresh behavior. These small checks catch routing gaps that a static design review will miss.
WordPress language plugins and page structures differ, so confirm that the chosen setup supports the page relationships and translated content your site needs. Build the mapping into the publishing process, not as a last-minute menu task. A good switcher preserves the visitor’s place as carefully as it changes the language.