Multi-lingual site - best approach (SEO vs Maintainability)

I'm about to start with a new multi-lingual site.

The last time I did this with php, I used a single site (not one version per language) and dynamically build the content (from included files with arrays) when the page load.
This was pretty easy to maintain (Just add values to array), but I realized the site got only indexed in English by search engine crawlers.

So if I create a version of the site for each language, but that's going to create a lot more work .... maintaining each version

Just want to start off with this site on the right foot

I think there was already a thread like this started a while ago. Maybe you started it. The way you did it is probably the best, have a language file for each language.

Find out what languages you need, then only make those ones first. Then add more later.

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Originally Posted by dclamp

I think there was already a thread like this started a while ago. Maybe you started it. The way you did it is probably the best, have a language file for each language.

Find out what languages you need, then only make those ones first. Then add more later.

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Could be, but I haven't been around for a few months.

Yeah, I like that approach too, but I just want to make sure the site get indexed in all languages (I mean search engines)

Well one tactic would be to have non-existent sub domains. For example en.mysite.com for english sp.mysite.com for spanish etc.

Then in your php script, check the subdomain and load the proper language file. Then when you are submitting to the se, submit the correct language site, and submit that.