What is Hreflang?
Hreflang is an HTML attribute that tells search engines (like Google) which language and regional version of a page they should show to users. For example, if you have an English page for the US and a Spanish page for Mexico, hreflang ensures an American sees the English version and a Mexican user sees the Spanish version.
Common Hreflang Mistakes
- Missing Return Links: If Page A points to Page B, Page B must point back to Page A. If the return link is missing, Google ignores the tag entirely.
- Invalid Codes: Using
en-UKinstead of the correct ISO standarden-GBfor the United Kingdom. - Missing x-default: The
x-defaulttag is the fallback for users whose language you don't explicitly support. It is highly recommended. - Conflicting Canonicals: Do not point a hreflang tag to a URL that has a different canonical tag.