What is Hreflang and How do I use it for SEO?

What is hreflang?

Hreflang tags are used to specify the language and regional targeting of a website or web page. They are placed in the HTML code and help search engines serve the correct version of a website or web page, increasing relevance to users in specific countries or regions.

Hreflang tags are especially important for websites that offer content in multiple languages.  They are also a useful tool for those that target users in several geographical locations. When used correctly, these tags can help improve a website’s position in search engine results pages (SERPs). In turn, this increases its traffic and revenue.

In this article, we’ll discuss what these tags are, how they work, and how to use them correctly on your website.

What are hreflang tags?

Hreflang tags (short for “hyperlink rel=alternate hreflang=”) are HTML tags that tell search engines what language a website or web page is written in. In essence, they inform the search engine which country or region it is aimed at. They are used to tell search engines which version of a website or web page to show users in different countries and regions.

They are an important part of international SEO.  Without those tags, users in different countries and regions would see the same version of a website or web page. This will occur even if it wasn’t relevant to them.

For example, if you had a website that offered content in both English and Spanish. By using hreflang tags, you would tell search engines which version of the site was intended for which audience. Similarly, if you had a website that was targeted at users in both the United States and Canada, you would use these tags to specify which version of the site was intended for which country.

How do they work?

When a user searches for something on a search engine, the search engine looks at the hreflang tags on a website to determine which version of the site to show the user. If the user is in the United States and searching for something in English, the search engine will show them the version of the site that is targeted at users in the United States. Conversely, when a user is in Canada and searching for something in French, the search engine will show them the version of the site that is targeted at users in Canada.

This is why hreflang tags are so important. They help ensure that users are seeing the version of a website or web page that is most relevant to them.

How to use hreflang tags

So, we’ve discussed what hreflang tags are and how they work. Let’s take a look at how to use them correctly on your website.

When adding these tags to your website, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

1. You need to specify the language and region for each version of your website or web page
2. You need to add hreflang tags to all versions of your website or web page
3. You need to ensure that your hreflang tags are correct. If they are not, they could do more harm than good

Let’s take a closer look at each of these points.

1. You need to specify the language and region for each version of your website or web page

When adding hreflang tags to your website, you need to specify the language and region for each version of your site. For example, if you had a website in both English and Spanish, you would require unique tags for both languages.

2. You need to add hreflang tags to all versions of your website or web page

It’s important that you add hreflang tags to all versions of your website or web page. Even if you think a certain version is unlikely to be seen by users in a specific region, still maintain best practice. The reason for this is that hreflang tags are used by search engines to determine which version of your site to show users. So, it’s important that all versions of your site are tagged correctly.

3. You need to ensure that your hreflang tags are correct. If they are not, they could do more harm than good

It’s also important to ensure that your tags are correct. If they are not, they could actually do more harm than good.

This is because incorrect tags can cause search engines to show the wrong version of your site to users. This can lead to a poor user experience.

How can you ensure that your hreflang tags are correct?

The best way is to use a hreflang tag checker tool. There are a few different ones available online, such as the hreflang Tags Generator from SEOmator. Using a tag checker tool will help you to verify that your hreflang tags are correct. They will also confirm that they are pointing to the right version of your website or web page.

Conclusion

In conclusion, hreflang tags are an important part of international SEO. They help ensure that users are seeing the version of your website or web page that is most relevant to them. If you have a website or web page that is targeted at users in multiple countries or regions, make sure you add these tags to all versions of your site.

And finally, remember to check that your hreflang tags are correct. You can do this by using a hreflang tag checker tool to do so.