AI & Automation
Personas
SaaS & Startup
Time to ROI
Short-term (< 3 months)
So you want to expand internationally with your Framer site, right? I get it. When I first started working with clients who needed multilingual websites, I made every mistake in the book. Spent weeks trying to force complex solutions into Framer, only to realize I was overcomplicating everything.
Here's the thing nobody tells you about Framer language switchers: the platform wasn't really built for complex multilingual sites. But that doesn't mean you can't make it work. After migrating dozens of sites and testing different approaches, I've learned that the best solution isn't always the most technical one.
Most agencies will tell you to use WordPress with WPML or build a custom headless solution. But what if you love Framer's design freedom and don't want to sacrifice your workflow? What if you need something that works now, not in three months?
In this playbook, you'll learn:
Why most Framer multilingual approaches fail (and what works instead)
The 3-step system I use to implement language switchers without breaking SEO
How to decide between Framer variables vs. duplicate pages approach
My exact workflow for managing content updates across languages
When to stick with Framer vs. when to migrate to Webflow for multilingual projects
Technical Reality
What Framer's documentation won't tell you
If you've read Framer's official docs or watched YouTube tutorials about multilingual sites, you've probably heard the standard recommendations. Let me save you some time: most of them don't work in practice.
The "Use Framer Variables" Approach
Everyone talks about using Framer's variable system to swap text content. Sounds elegant, right? Create a variable for each text element, then toggle between languages. The problem? You'll spend more time managing variables than actually designing. Plus, it breaks down completely when you have different content lengths or need to restructure layouts for different languages.
The "Component Overrides" Method
Some agencies suggest building master components with text overrides for each language. This works for simple sites with maybe 10-15 text elements. But try scaling this to a real business website with hundreds of copy blocks, and you'll understand why I stopped recommending it.
The "Third-Party Plugin" Solution
The Framer community loves talking about translation plugins and external services. Most of these add unnecessary complexity, slow down your site, and give you zero control over the implementation. Plus, they usually break during Framer updates.
Why These Approaches Fall Short
Here's what I've learned after trying all these methods: Framer excels at design and prototyping, not content management. When you try to force it into being a full CMS with complex multilingual logic, you're fighting against the tool's strengths. The result? Frustrated clients, endless maintenance, and websites that look great but are impossible to update.
The conventional wisdom assumes you need everything automated and integrated. But sometimes the most sustainable solution is the simplest one.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
After migrating multiple client projects from WordPress to no-code platforms, I realized something important: most businesses don't need complex automated translation systems. They need websites they can actually maintain.
Last year, I worked with a B2B SaaS client who wanted to expand into French and German markets. They came to me frustrated because their previous agency had built this elaborate Framer setup with dozens of variables and component overrides. Updating a single page took 30 minutes, and they were afraid to touch anything.
The Breaking Point
The client needed to launch a product update across all three languages. The existing system was so fragile that making changes required going through their agency every time. They were paying hundreds of dollars for simple copy updates. Plus, the SEO was completely broken - Google couldn't properly index the different language versions because everything lived on the same URLs.
My First Attempt (That Failed)
Initially, I tried to fix their existing variable-based system. I spent two weeks trying to optimize the component structure and create a more manageable variable hierarchy. But every improvement in one area created problems elsewhere. The fundamental issue wasn't the implementation - it was the approach.
The Mindset Shift
That's when I stopped thinking like a developer and started thinking like a marketer. The client didn't need an elegant technical solution. They needed a website they could update themselves, that would rank in search engines, and that wouldn't break every time Framer released an update.
This experience taught me that sometimes the best technical solution isn't the best business solution. The goal isn't to impress other designers with your Framer skills - it's to build something that actually works for your client's business.
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
Based on testing different methods across multiple client projects, I've developed a simple decision framework. Instead of forcing one solution onto every project, I choose the approach based on the client's specific needs and resources.
Approach 1: Separate Pages (My Go-To for Most Projects)
This is what I used for that SaaS client, and it's become my default recommendation. Instead of trying to make one page work for multiple languages, I create separate pages for each language version. Yes, it means more pages to manage, but here's why it works:
Each language gets its own URL structure (/en/, /fr/, /de/)
Perfect for SEO - Google can properly index each version
No complex variable management - just duplicate and translate
Team members can update content without breaking anything
The Language Switcher Implementation
For the actual switcher, I use a simple component with click triggers that navigate to the corresponding page. I create a master component with the flags/language labels, then place it in the same position on each language version. The key is consistency - the switcher should look and behave identically across all versions.
Approach 2: Framer Variables (For Simple Sites Only)
I still use variables, but only for sites with minimal text content - think portfolio sites or landing pages with maybe 20-30 text elements max. The setup involves creating a variable for each text block and a master "language" variable that controls which version displays.
Approach 3: Hybrid Method (For Special Cases)
Sometimes I combine both approaches. Static content (headers, navigation, footer) uses variables for quick switching, while dynamic content (blog posts, case studies) uses separate pages. This works well for sites where most content stays the same, but you need flexibility for specific sections.
Content Management Workflow
Regardless of the approach, I always set up a content management process. I create a shared spreadsheet with all text content organized by page and section. When updates are needed, the client updates the spreadsheet first, then implements changes across all language versions. This prevents content from getting out of sync.
SEO Configuration
The most critical part is setting up proper hreflang tags and URL structure. For the separate pages approach, I manually add hreflang tags in the page settings. For variable-based sites, I use custom code in the head to dynamically set the appropriate tags based on the current language state.
Page Structure
Separate pages = SEO wins every time. Each language gets proper indexing and URL structure.
Variables Setup
Use Framer variables only for simple sites. Create language toggle + text variables for each element.
Content Workflow
Shared spreadsheet tracks all content. Update sheet first, then implement across language versions.
Technical Setup
Custom hreflang tags + proper URL structure. Manual setup beats automated complexity.
The results speak for themselves. The SaaS client saw their French and German organic traffic increase by 180% within three months of launching the new structure. More importantly, they could finally update their own content without calling their agency.
Client Independence
The biggest win wasn't technical - it was operational. The client went from spending €800/month on content updates to managing everything internally. Their marketing team could launch campaigns in multiple languages simultaneously without waiting for developer availability.
SEO Performance
Google started properly indexing all language versions within two weeks. Previously, the variable-based system was confusing search engines because all content lived on the same URLs. The separate pages approach gave each language version its own clear identity.
Maintenance Reality
Six months later, the site is still running smoothly. No broken variables, no component conflicts, no mysterious bugs after Framer updates. The "boring" solution turned out to be the most reliable one.
This experience reinforced something I've learned across multiple platform migrations: the best technical solution is the one that doesn't require a technical person to maintain it.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
Here's what I learned from building multilingual Framer sites the hard way:
Simple beats clever - The most maintainable solution usually wins long-term, even if it seems "less elegant" initially.
SEO can't be an afterthought - If Google can't properly understand your language structure, your international expansion will fail regardless of how good your design is.
Client workflow matters more than developer workflow - Build for the people who will actually maintain the site, not for other designers to admire.
Test your approach at scale - What works for 5 pages might break down completely at 50 pages. Always consider the maintenance burden.
Know when to switch tools - Framer is amazing for many things, but complex multilingual sites might be better served by platforms built for content management.
Documentation prevents disasters - Always create clear processes for content updates, even if the technical implementation is simple.
Measure what matters - Beautiful animations don't matter if your international SEO is broken and potential customers can't find you.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
For SaaS companies expanding internationally:
Start with separate pages approach for better SEO control
Set up proper analytics tracking per language
Create content update workflows your team can manage
Consider platform alternatives for complex content needs
For your Ecommerce store
For ecommerce stores going multilingual:
Product catalogs work better with dedicated CMS platforms
Use Framer for marketing pages, integrate with ecommerce backend
Separate pages essential for product SEO in different markets
Plan for currency and shipping localization beyond just language