How to translate a website to Spanish in 5 steps

Every day, the internet becomes more multilingual, meaning global businesses can’t afford to overlook website localization. Modern website translation tools, such as translation proxies and AI-powered translation management systems, offer a fast and efficient way to translate websites at scale while maintaining quality. With the right translation system, global brands can reach more people, improve user engagement, and stay competitive in evolving global markets.

This article will provide a simple step-by-step guide on how to translate a website from English to Spanish and cover the best website translation methods available so your business can maximize its global reach.

Top methods to translate websites into Spanish

Businesses translating a website into Spanish have access to two primary methods: human translation and machine translation. Here’s how these approaches compare:

Traducción humana

Human translation relies on professional linguists to manually translate text from English to Spanish. A key benefit of human translation is contextual understanding; translators consider tone, intent, and cultural differences. Professional human translation usually yields greater precision and engagement in marketing copy, branding materials, legal documents, and customer-facing content.

However, human translation services are more time-consuming and can be more expensive than automated solutions. For large-scale website translation, businesses may be better off using machine translation or a combination of both approaches, like Smartling’s AI Human Translation.

Traducción automática

Machine translation (MT) automates the process, making it faster and more cost-effective than professional human translators. However, traditional MT translates text directly without human intervention, often producing literal translations that may miss context or produce unnatural phrasing. It’s useful for bulk translations, but MT typically requires human editing to improve quality.

Advanced MT engines employ cutting-edge AI translation tools to improve website translation software. Examples include translation extensions like Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, and DeepL. They analyze large datasets to generate translations, offering greater fluency and contextual accuracy. Still, results vary depending on the language pair and content complexity. 

Machine translation with large language models

Some AI-powered machine translation improves traditional MT even further by leveraging large language models (LLMs) to enhance output.

Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are designed for understanding and generating human-like text, not just translation. Instead of strictly following word-for-word matches, LLMs look at the context of entire sentences to create natural and conversational translations. They’re better at handling idioms, cultural references, and complex sentence structures.

If you’re weighing various website translation services, Smartling provides an all-in-one solution. Our robust suite of language translation services suits various website translation needs.

How to translate a web page to Spanish in 5 steps

Translation from English to Spanish can be challenging, especially for companies that are just entering international markets. Fortunately, Smartling’s translation management system streamlines this process. Our step-by-step guide will get you started: 

1. Capture website content for translation

First, you must integrate Smartling’s TMS into your content management system (CMS) so it can capture text from your website for translation. Here’s how to use it:

• In your project, go to the Settings tab.
• Click “Domains” in the left-hand menu.
• Select the domain containing the content you want to translate.
• If capturing content for the first time, click the > icon on the source domain and select “Capture Content.”
• If you’re recapturing updated website content, click the > icon on the localized domain and select “Capture Content” again.
• Navigate through every webpage of your website just like a visitor would, and the GDN will automatically capture content, including dropdown buttons, text boxes, and forms.

2. Crear un trabajo de traducción

Captured content will appear in Smartling’s GDN project. From here, it’s ready to be processed via a translation job. Grouping content into jobs helps you manage translation workflows and track progress. Here is how to create a translation job:

• In your GDN project, go to the “Strings” tab.
• Use filters to find untranslated content (e.g., by selecting “Awaiting Authorization”).
• Select the strings you want to translate and click “Request Translation.”
• Name the job, set a due date, and choose Spanish as the target language.

3. Authorize the translation job

Before translation begins, you must review and authorize the job.

Go to the jobs tab in your GDN project and use the filters to find the job. Enter the job name in the search bar and set the “Job Status” filter to “Awaiting Authorization.” Review all information to ensure accuracy before proceeding. These include:

• Target languages
• Due date
• Word count and cost estimates
• Visual context and attachments to assist translators
• Additional details (e.g., job descriptions, reference numbers, or other notes)
• Strings list

Once all details are confirmed, click “Authorize” to approve the translation request. A summary of costs and estimated delivery times will appear, allowing a final check before proceeding.

4. Select the workflow

Now, you can select a translation workflow. Your content can be translated by a professional translator for supreme accuracy and nuance, converted to a new language with AI-powered machine translation for faster turnaround, or processed with a hybrid approach, where human translators refine AI-generated translations. You can apply the same workflow for all languages or choose a different one for each language.

Once everything is finalized, click “Confirm” to begin the translation process. The job will move into the selected workflow, and our translation team will start working on the content.

5. Publish and review the translated page

Once the translation is complete, the Spanish version of your website updates automatically. You can visit your localized domain to review the translated page and make improvements. If anything needs adjusting, you can edit the text directly in Smartling, and the changes will instantly appear on your site.

Primeros pasos con Smartling

Smartling’s Global Delivery Network (GDN) will help you launch a fully localized Spanish version of your website. The platform captures content automatically, offers flexible translation options, and updates your site in real time. Whether you want human translation, AI-powered translation, or both, Smartling makes the process easy.

If you’re looking for the best approach to website translation, download “The Complete Guide to Translation Services.” This eBook breaks down the modern translation process and helps you choose the right strategy for your business to avoid wasting time and money on outdated translation methods.

Preguntas frecuentes 

Which Spanish dialect should I use?

Spanish varies across regions. The proper dialect depends on your target audience. If you’re focused on Mexico, Mexican Spanish would be appropriate. If you want to attract European customers, you may choose Peninsular Spanish.

How will translation affect my website’s SEO?

A Spanish version of your website will show improved performance in search results for Spanish-speaking users. Translation also improves engagement and time spent on your site among Spanish speakers, which can boost rankings.

What is the cost of translating a website into Spanish?

The cost depends on the method and content complexity. In 2025, professional human translation ranges from $0.10 to $0.30 per word, with higher rates for specialized fields like medical or legal content.