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So I'm writing at Medium, and I'm planning to create a publication, which is a kind of collection. But here comes the question, I write content in two languages, English and Chinese, and every story got two version, one in English and one in Chinese. So I think it should be weird to have two languages mixing together in one collection, so I'm thinking to make two publication to post stories in two languages, but now I'm stuck in the decision.

So I really prefer mixing all stories in one publication, and I'll tell what I get out of it, and can you guys tell me is it fine design?

Mix languages

I really prefer this solution, but I think users' experience is the first thing. It'll be strange if two languages are mixed together without order, but how about I post the content so the order is story1 (Chinese) -> story1 (English) -> story2 (Chinese) -> story2 (English), so the collection page is ordered by one Chinese story and follow it's English version. Is this kind of design fine? Will it be a mess? How about if there is a search which can filter out Chinese and English content?

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    Is it possible to publish this separately? I can imagine you'll have many people who will drop out upon seeing the language they can't read, or assume the article is over once they see a different language show up.
    – Wendy Wojenka
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 7:25
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    The only way I'd consider doing both languages in one "page" would be side-by-side, not alternating languages - but that doesn't work too well on most tablets or pretty much any phone. Better to follow @CalRowston 's guidance.
    – Jeff Zeitlin
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 12:42
  • @Wanda As you say showing language visitor don't know might lose traffic, then if my home page is a cover with only two posts (a wallpaper with site name then two columns for two posts) which one uses English and write If you prefer reading with English start here and another post uses Chinese to write the same word. Now the site has two link leading different languages' user to different destinations, but what it's causing is at homepage the two language must be mixed, then is the design fine?
    – Andrew.Wolphoe
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 16:39

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By combining the stories English speakers browsing medium may not understand the Chinese title and therefore won't click into the post, and visa versa, therefore you are loosing that traffic.

I would suggest you create separate posts and provide a link to the other.

Read this post in English here

and repeat the same way in Chinese.

This way you can direct traffic to the right source. It will also allow you to post a link on social media in your chosen language with the correct link to the post in the language of their choice.

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