Why Multilingual Website Search Matters in India
India's internet users search in many languages, scripts, and informal mixes. Treating English as the default leaves a huge portion of users with a poor experience.
Mixed-language queries are the norm
People often combine English terms with local-language words (for example, "best cashback offer in Hindi" or 'mp3 kaise download kare'). These mixed queries need a search engine that understands phrase-level code-switching and can match content across languages and scripts.
Transliteration and phonetic matching bridge gaps
Many users type local-language words in Roman script (Hinglish). Transliteration mapping — converting Romanized phonetic text to native scripts — unlocks content that would otherwise be invisible. Add phonetic fuzzy matching for common spelling variations and local name forms.
Cross-language retrieval and language-agnostic embeddings
Embedding-based retrieval that's language-agnostic retrieves semantically similar content regardless of the query's script. This lets a Hindi query return a relevant English help article (and vice versa) when no native-language content exists. Still, prioritize native-language content where available and label results so users know the language of the answer.
Localize relevance and UX
Don't stop at retrieval: localize result snippets, UI labels, and promoted content based on region and language preferences. For India, surface regional help centers, local payment docs, or state-specific compliance pages where relevant.
For products serving India, multilingual search isn't optional. Support code-switched queries, transliteration, and cross-language retrieval to serve the diverse range of search behavior users bring.
Reach users in the languages they actually use.
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