Hreflang Tags in Practice, Done Properly
The markup that tells search engines which language and region version of a page to show, and the errors that commonly break it.
Samir Haddad
Where most projects go wrong
The usual mistakes:
- One-way annotations
- Invented country codes
- Hreflang pointing at redirecting URLs
- Mixing implementation methods inconsistently
What good looks like instead
- Include self-referencing tags
- Use valid language and region codes
- Add an x-default page
- Keep annotations consistent in both directions
- Monitor hreflang reports for errors
Why it matters
Hreflang is easy to get wrong, and broken implementations leave the wrong pages ranking in the wrong markets.
The specs that matter
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Return tags | each page must reference the others, including itself |
| Codes | language and optional region codes follow defined standards |
| x-default | marks the fallback page for unmatched users |
| Delivery | hreflang can go in HTML, HTTP headers or sitemaps |
Knowing when to hand it over
Tip: Bring in help when international pages rank in the wrong markets.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Tell Google about localized versions of your page
- Google Search Central — International SEO
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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