Hreflang is an HTML attribute. The role of this attribute is to signal search engines which language and regional versions of a webpage are available for use. It provides information on the localized version of the page to the user based on the language and location preferences of Google and other search engines.
Hreflang can be implemented using:
- HTML tags (<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”xx” href=”URL” />)
- HTTP headers
- Sitemaps
Why is Hreflang important for SEO?
- Hreflang is crucial for performing international SEO as it is location location-based.
- Ensures users see the most relevant localized version of a page and is more clear.
- Helps avoid duplicate content issues across different country-specific versions
- Allows ranking signals to be shared across localized pages
Best Practices for Hreflang Implementation:
- Use self-referencing hreflang tags – Each page should include a hreflang tag for itself.
- Follow correct language and region codes – Use ISO 639-1 for languages and ISO 3166-1 Alpha-2 for regions. Example: en-gb (English for the UK), not en-uk.
- Include the x-default attribute – Acts as a fallback for users outside the specified languages.
- Ensure hreflang consistency – All language versions should reference the same set of hreflang tags.
Example of Hreflang Implementation:
html
CopyEdit
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”en” href=”https://example.com/en/” />
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”fr” href=”https://example.com/fr/” />
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es” href=”https://example.com/es/” />
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”x-default” href=”https://example.com/” />
By correctly implementing “hreflang,” websites can enhance user experience, improve search visibility, and prevent duplicate content issues in international SEO.
