This post was sponsored by Weglot, and the opinions expressed are those of the sponsor. With the 2024 launch of Google’s AI Overviews, SEO professionals faced a key question: as AI curates and summarizes search results, how can websites achieve visibility, especially in multiple languages?To address this, Weglot conducted a data-driven study analyzing 1. 3 million citations from Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT, investigating if large language models (LLMs) cite content across languages when it exists. The study’s key finding: translated websites gained up to 327% more visibility in AI Overviews than untranslated ones, underscoring that international SEO is now closely tied to AI search. Additionally, websites with another language version were more likely to be cited regardless of the language used in the query. **The Changing Search Landscape** AI Overviews and LLMs have shifted how information is found, moving from ranking pages to citing sources in generated answers. This raises risks if a website lacks content in the user's search language—AI may overlook it or direct users to Google Translate’s proxy page. While Google Translate facilitates access, it provides no control over translation quality and does not drive traffic to the original site. **Study Design** Weglot focused on Spanish-language websites from Spain and Mexico, comparing untranslated sites to those with both Spanish and English versions. Phase one examined 153 high-traffic sites without English translations (98 from Spain, 55 from Mexico). Phase two analyzed 83 Spanish/Mexican sites with English versions. The study generated 22, 854 queries in phase one and 12, 138 in phase two by translating top non-branded keywords between Spanish and English, resulting in an analysis of 1. 3 million citations. **Key Results** - *Untranslated Sites Have Low AI Visibility:* Untranslated sites performed well in Spanish but were nearly invisible in English searches. For Spain’s untranslated sites, there were 17, 094 citations in Spanish versus only 2, 810 in English queries—a 431% visibility gap. Mexican sites showed a similar pattern (12, 038 Spanish vs. 3, 450 English citations). ChatGPT citations were slightly more balanced but still favored translated sites. - *Translated Sites Achieve 327% More AI Visibility:* Sites with English versions had much smaller visibility gaps—Spanish sites in Spain showed 10, 046 citations in Spanish and 8, 048 in English (22% difference), while in Mexico, cited 5, 527 times in Spanish and 3, 325 in English (59% difference).

Overall, translated sites earned 24% more citations per query. ChatGPT citations were nearly equal between languages for translated sites. **Next Steps: Translate Your Website to Boost AI Search Visibility** Translation not only broadens reach but multiplies overall visibility. Translated sites saw a 24% increase in citations per prompt, with English citations rising 33% and Spanish 16%. Weglot’s data suggests translations act as a signal of authority and reliability for AI Overviews and ChatGPT, elevating citation rates across all languages, not just those translated. **AI Search Rewards Translated Content** Traditional SEO relied on hreflang tags and localization, but AI search adds new factors: - *Language Alignment:* AI favors content in the query language. - *Authority Building:* Multilingual content signals trustworthiness. - *Traffic Control:* Proper translations avoid users being routed through Google Translate proxies. - *Semantic Reach:* Multilingual content widens AI training data and citation opportunities. In essence, content unavailable in the query language is unlikely to appear in AI-generated answers. **Business Impact Example** A major Spanish book retailer selling English titles without an English site version appeared 64% less often in AI Overviews and ChatGPT for English searches, and 36% of clicks went to Google Translate’s proxy rather than the retailer’s site, resulting in lost visibility, traffic, and sales. **Broader Implications** These findings extend beyond Spanish markets. AI search redefines SEO, shifting focus from ranking to being cited and summarized by multilingual AI systems. Translation is no longer a localization afterthought but a critical SEO and AI strategy. With Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT incorporating real-time multilingual web data, unilingual sites risk invisibility in other languages. **Final Takeaway** Untranslated sites remain largely invisible in AI-driven search environments. Translating your website boosts recognition by AI and audiences alike. For an easy translation solution, try Weglot’s free trial and get a 15% discount for 12 months on public plans with promo code SEARCH15. *Image Credits* Featured and in-post images used with permission from Weglot.