If your business operates in multiple countries or languages, you need to use hreflang tags. These are small pieces of code that tell search engines like Google and Bing which language and country a page is meant for. Think of them as a language-targeting tool. They ensure that a person in Germany, for example, sees your German-language website in their search results instead of your English one. This is a crucial step for providing a good user experience and for preventing duplicate content issues.
How Hreflang Tags Work
An hreflang tag helps a search engine in a few different ways. It tells a search engine what the alternate, localized version is for different languages or countries. For example, if you have a page in English and a page in German, the hreflang tags on the English page would tell a search engine that a German version of the page exists. This not only helps a search engine show the right version to the right audience but also helps a search engine discover your content in new markets.
How Hreflang Tags Help SEO
Hreflang tags are essential for a successful international SEO strategy. Here’s why they are so important:
- They prevent duplicate content issues: If you have two pages with similar content in different languages, a search engine might see them as duplicates. Hreflang tags tell a search engine that the two pages are related but are for different audiences.
- They help you rank in new markets: Hreflang tags help a search engine understand which version of a page is the best result for a specific country or language. This can help you rank higher in new markets, even if your page is new.
- They improve user experience: Hreflang tags ensure that a person who speaks German sees your German website, and a person who speaks English sees your English website. This is a great way to improve the user experience and build trust with your audience.
How to Implement Hreflang Tags
There are a few different ways to implement hreflang tags. You can add them to the HTML of your page, to your XML sitemap, or to your HTTP header.
In the HTML Header
The most common way to implement hreflang tags is by adding a line of code to the <head> section of your page. The tag looks something like this:
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”en-us” href=”https://www.example.com/en-us”>
This tag tells a search engine that the page is in English and is meant for users in the United States.
In Your XML Sitemap
You can also specify the localized variants in XML sitemap. This is a great alternative if you can’t add hreflang tags to the HTML of your page, for example, for PDF documents. The same rules apply to the sitemap version: always include the full URL and specify a language and country.
In an HTTP Header
If you can’t specify the hreflang tag in the HTML or a sitemap, you could use an HTTP Header instead. The format is very similar to what you would use in a sitemap.
Hreflang Best Practices and Common Mistakes
Simple Rules to Follow
- Always use the full URL: Your hreflang tags must always use the full URL, including https:// and the domain name. You should never use a relative URL.
- Tags must point both ways: Your hreflang tags only work if both pages point to each other. For example, the English page must point to the German page, and the German page must point to the English page.
- Include the page itself: In addition to listing the alternate pages, you also need to include a tag for the page itself.
- Language and country codes: You should use the correct language and country codes. For example, en is for English, and en-us is for English-speaking users in the United States.
An automated SEO platform Clickrank can help you with this. The platform’s Hreflang Report can analyze your website and show you which pages have hreflang tags and where something is missing. This allows you to focus on your content and other SEO tasks while the platform takes care of the technical side.
What is a hreflang tag?
A hreflang tag is a piece of code that tells a search engine which language and country a page is meant for. They are a must-have for any website that is targeting multiple countries or languages.
Why are hreflang tags important for SEO?
Hreflang tags are important for SEO because they help a search engine show the right version of your page to a user based on their language and country. They also prevent duplicate content issues.
How do I set up hreflang tags?
You can set up hreflang tags by adding a piece of code to the head section of your page. You can also add them to a sitemap or a HTTP header.
