One topic of interest that has created controversy in the United States is the inclusion of Spanish versions of English websites, billboards, and instruction manuals, among other various items. This is largely due to the influx of Spanish-speaking immigrants from Mexico and a variety of other Latin American countries. Regardless of differing viewpoints on English as a national language of the United States, website developers should consider including Spanish versions of their websites for a variety of reasons.
Including a Spanish version of an English website can greatly increase the number of people who visit the site. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the United States, so it makes sense to include a Spanish version in order to disseminate the content to a greater number of potential viewers. This also helps to improve the geographical boundaries of your website, since Spanish and English are both widely spoken around the world. The Internet allows for information to go viral, and having a bilingual page will increase the likelihood that your website reaches a vast audience.
In addition, including a Spanish website could also generate more revenue if the purpose of the website is to sell a product or a service. Promoting your business as a Spanish-friendly entity is important for attracting a wide variety of customers and maintaining a competitive stance in today’s economy. Businesses with website content in both English and Spanish will likely make more money than those that only have information listed in English. Having a bilingual website could mean the difference between making it big and going bankrupt.
Furthermore, American websites that present information in English and in Spanish tend to be identified as contemporary, progressive businesses that are inclusive of many different cultural backgrounds. Since the United States is known as a ‘melting pot,’ intercultural understanding is an important value to many Americans. Therefore, providing information in both English and Spanish will make your website more accessible and relevant to current trends.
Whether you are disseminating information about a business, trying to inform others of a particular perspective, or presenting your own work to the world, including a Spanish version of your English website
will help you to reach a larger audience and cross cultural boundaries. Giving information in a bilingual format shows that the author understands the current trends in American diversity and is willing to reach out to a worldly base of viewers.
