How to use the Google Translate widget on your website

If you’re wondering what the purpose of this blog is, don’t worry – they didn’t remove it for everybody. You can still use Google Translate on a website if you are part of the public sector.

Google defines this as “if you’re an academic institution or government, nonprofit or non-commercial website, you may be eligible to sign up for the Google Translate website translator shortcut”.

At Bluestorm, we have a number of public sector partners, varying from education clients such as colleges and schools to Police & Crime Commissioners and councils, and have recently utilised the Google Translate website widget on some of the sites we have built such as Boston College and Affected By Crime.

What is the Google Translate widget and how does it work?

Google’s free of charge service offers a platform to instantly translate text and documents between English and more than 100 other languages. 

The Google Translate widget is a tool that can be used directly on your website at the click of a button, translating the on-page content of your site to the selected language. 

Many public sector websites find it critical to offer their online information in other languages, without relying on the sometimes inaccurate translate function within a browser – a problem that Google Translate solves. 

How do you get the Google Translate widget?

If you think you’re eligible to use the Google Translate widget, you must apply online through Google. They will then provide you with access and instructions for how to implement it onto your website.

For our clients, we can provide information and links to help you apply for the Google Translate widget, although adding it to your website will require some work from our web development team.

Got a question about the Google Translate widget or another aspect of your website? Our team is ready to assist. Contact us today.