AI & Automation
Personas
SaaS & Startup
Time to ROI
Short-term (< 3 months)
Last month, I was working with a client who needed their Framer prototype translated into 8 different languages. The typical approach would be to create separate prototypes for each language, update them manually, and pray everything stays in sync. But that's exactly what most agencies get wrong.
Here's what usually happens: agencies create beautiful prototypes, then when translation time comes, they either duplicate everything (maintenance nightmare) or use static mockups that don't reflect real user interactions. The client ends up with inconsistent experiences across languages and a translation workflow that takes weeks to update.
After working on multiple multilingual projects, I discovered that the real power lies in setting up dynamic translation previews that update in real-time. This isn't just about efficiency—it's about maintaining design consistency while giving stakeholders immediate feedback on how translations affect the user experience.
In this playbook, you'll learn how to:
Set up Framer variables for dynamic content switching
Create translation override systems that work with your design workflow
Build preview modes that let clients see translations instantly
Automate content updates without breaking your prototype
Why this approach saves time and improves client satisfaction
The methods I'm sharing have transformed how I handle international projects, and they're based on real client work where translation speed became the competitive advantage.
Industry Reality
What agencies typically do with Framer translations
Most agencies and freelancers approach Framer translations with what I call the "brute force method." They create beautiful prototypes, get client approval, then when translation requests come in, they duplicate the entire project for each language. This seems logical at first—after all, each language gets its own dedicated prototype.
The industry standard workflow looks like this:
Create master prototype in the primary language
Duplicate project for each target language
Manually replace text in each duplicate
Adjust layouts when text length changes
Share separate links with stakeholders for each language
This approach exists because Framer doesn't have built-in localization features like web development frameworks. Agencies stick to what feels safe and predictable. The duplication method guarantees that each language version works exactly as intended, with no technical complexity or risk of breaking interactions.
However, this conventional wisdom falls apart in practice. When the client requests design changes, you're updating 8 different prototypes. When copy changes come in (and they always do), you're manually updating text across multiple projects. The maintenance burden becomes exponential with each additional language.
The worst part? Stakeholders can't easily compare languages or understand how translations affect user flows. They're jumping between different prototype links, losing context, and making decisions based on incomplete information. This creates feedback loops that slow down the entire project and frustrate everyone involved.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
This insight came from a project with a B2B SaaS client who needed their entire onboarding flow translated into 8 languages for different European markets. They had tight deadlines because they were launching at a major conference, and the stakeholder review process involved teams from each target country.
Initially, I followed the standard agency approach. I created the master prototype in English, got approval, then started duplicating for each language. The client provided translations in batches, and I was manually updating each version. Everything seemed under control until the client requested a fundamental change to the user flow.
What should have been a 2-hour update became a 2-day nightmare. I had to implement the same interaction changes across 8 different prototypes, ensuring consistency while dealing with text length variations in different languages. German text was breaking layouts, Italian was too long for buttons, and French was causing navigation issues.
But the real problem emerged during stakeholder reviews. The client had country managers from different regions providing feedback, but they were looking at separate prototypes. One manager would suggest changes based on the German version, while another was reviewing French. We were getting conflicting feedback because people couldn't easily compare how the same interaction worked across languages.
The project was falling behind schedule, the client was frustrated with the review process, and I was spending more time on maintenance than actual design work. That's when I realized the fundamental issue: treating translations as separate projects instead of variations of the same design system.
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
Instead of fighting Framer's limitations, I built a system that treats languages as dynamic content variables. The core insight was simple: instead of creating separate prototypes, create one smart prototype that can display different languages instantly.
Step 1: Variable-Based Content Architecture
I started by setting up Framer variables for every piece of text content. Instead of hardcoding "Sign Up" in buttons, I created a variable called "buttonSignUp" with the English text as the default value. This meant every text element in the prototype was connected to a centralized content system.
For the 8-language project, I created variable sets for each language. The English set had "buttonSignUp: Sign Up", while the German set had "buttonSignUp: Registrieren". This approach meant I could switch the entire prototype's language by changing which variable set was active.
Step 2: Translation Override System
The real magic happened with Framer's override functionality. I created a master component for each UI element that could accept language-specific content through props. A button component would receive its text through a "label" prop that connected to the language variables.
This meant I could update all buttons across the entire prototype by changing a single variable value. When the German translation for "Sign Up" changed to "Jetzt Registrieren", I updated one variable and every button instance updated automatically.
Step 3: Live Preview Toggle System
The breakthrough was adding a language selector directly in the prototype. I created a dropdown component that could switch between language variable sets in real-time. Stakeholders could now compare how the same user flow worked in German versus French without leaving the prototype.
For the client review process, this was transformative. Country managers could select their language from the dropdown and provide feedback on the actual experience, not a static copy. They could also compare languages side-by-side by switching the toggle during their review.
Step 4: Automated Content Pipeline
To handle translation updates efficiently, I connected the variable system to a Google Sheet where the client could update translations directly. Using Zapier, any sheet updates would trigger variable updates in Framer. The client could make copy changes and see them reflected in the prototype within minutes, not days.
This automation eliminated the manual update process entirely. When the marketing team wanted to test different value propositions in multiple languages, they could update the sheet and instantly see how each variation performed across all target markets.
Variable Setup
Create dynamic content variables for every text element instead of hardcoded strings
Live Toggle
Build an in-prototype language selector that switches content in real-time
Component Architecture
Design reusable components that accept language content through props and overrides
Automated Updates
Connect variables to external data sources for instant translation updates without manual work
The impact on project efficiency was immediate and measurable. What used to take 2 days of manual updates across 8 prototypes now took 10 minutes of variable changes. But the real transformation was in client collaboration and decision-making speed.
During stakeholder reviews, country managers could instantly switch between languages and provide contextual feedback. Instead of saying "the German version might have layout issues," they could toggle to German, see the actual layout, and provide specific feedback. This eliminated guesswork and reduced revision cycles significantly.
The client reported that their review timeline shortened from 3 weeks to 1 week because feedback was more accurate and actionable. Teams could make decisions faster because they weren't working from separate, potentially outdated prototypes.
From a business perspective, this approach became a competitive differentiator. Clients could see translations update in real-time during presentation calls, creating "wow moments" that demonstrated technical sophistication. The ability to switch languages instantly during stakeholder meetings impressed decision-makers and shortened sales cycles.
The system also caught translation issues early. When German text broke button layouts, we could see it immediately and adjust the design accordingly. This prevented last-minute surprises during development handoff.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
Key Lessons from Real Implementation:
Variables are your foundation - Every text element should connect to a variable from day one, even for single-language projects. This future-proofs your work and makes updates effortless.
Component thinking scales - Building reusable components with language props means changes propagate automatically. One update affects every instance, eliminating manual busywork.
Real-time preview changes everything - The ability to switch languages instantly transforms how stakeholders review and provide feedback. It eliminates confusion and speeds up decision-making.
Automation prevents bottlenecks - Connecting variables to external data sources means translation updates happen without designer intervention. The client controls their own content updates.
Design for text expansion early - German and Dutch translations can be 30% longer than English. Planning for text length variations prevents layout breaks later.
Client presentation value is huge - The ability to demo language switching during calls creates impressive moments that differentiate your service from standard agency work.
Documentation becomes critical - With dynamic systems, clear documentation helps team members understand how to update content without breaking functionality.
The biggest mistake I see agencies make is treating this as a technical challenge when it's actually a workflow challenge. The goal isn't to build complex systems—it's to eliminate manual work and improve collaboration quality.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
For SaaS projects:
Set up user onboarding flows with language variables from the start
Create dynamic error message systems for different markets
Build feature announcement previews in multiple languages
Design admin interfaces that support international teams
For your Ecommerce store
For Ecommerce stores:
Create product page templates with language-specific content variables
Build checkout flows that adapt to local payment methods and languages
Design promotional banners with real-time translation switching
Set up category navigation that works across different market structures