You’ll get practical checks for hreflang syntax, reciprocal linking, and canonical conflicts, plus the audit steps that catch common mistakes quickly. Expect clear tactics to map language targeting to URL structure, diagnose CMS pitfalls, and prioritise fixes that deliver measurable gains.
Hreflang Fundamentals and Language Targeting
Hreflang coordinates which language or regional page a user should land on and prevents duplicate-content issues across versions. Implement precise language and country codes, set an x-default for unspecified cases, and ensure your CMS outputs consistent tags and html lang attributes.
How Hreflang Tags Work
Hreflang tags tell search engines the language and optional region for each URL so the correct page appears for a user. You can deliver these signals via link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”…” in the HTML head, in HTTP headers for non-HTML files, or in XML sitemaps. Each hreflang annotation must reference every version (reciprocal linking) including a self-reference to avoid indexing confusion.
Common problems include missing reciprocity, conflicting tags across templates, and CMS-driven URL variations (trailing slashes, parameters). Use absolute URLs, consistent canonical tags, and validate with Google Search Console or specialised crawlers to confirm search engines recognise the relationships.
Proper Use of Language and Country Codes
Use ISO standards: ISO 639-1 two-letter language codes (en, fr, es) and ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes (GB, CA, AU) when specifying region variants. Combine them as language-country (for example, en-GB or fr-CA) to target users by both language and locale. Avoid using only country codes without a language — that confuses intent.
Match the hreflang value to the page content and the HTML lang attribute. For example:
- hreflang=”en-GB” on the URL serving British English
- in the page source
Do not mix script variants or informal codes. Keep tag formats consistent across page head, sitemap entries, and HTTP headers to prevent search engines from treating versions as duplicates.
Understanding the Role of x-default
x-default acts as the fallback when no language or region matches the user’s settings. Use hreflang=”x-default” for homepage redirects, language selector pages, or any landing page you want served to international users without a specific target. It signals “no specific target” rather than a language choice.
Apply x-default in the same mutual-reference pattern as other hreflang tags. For example, include link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”x-default” pointing to your generic international landing page alongside all localized variants. That helps search engines avoid serving the wrong locale and supports proper indexing of your language switcher or global hub.
Critical Hreflang Mistakes and Audit Process
You need to verify that every language or regional page points correctly, uses matching canonicals, and is indexable. Run a crawl, check sitemaps, and export hreflang directives to compare source and target pages.
Reciprocal and Self-Referencing Hreflang Issues
Reciprocal hreflang requires that if Page A (en-GB) points to Page B (fr-FR) then Page B must point back to Page A with the matching hreflang values. Missing return tags is a common hreflang mistake that causes Google to ignore the set or serve the wrong version.
Self-referencing hreflang must be present on every variant. You should include a self-link using the exact URL used by crawlers (same protocol, trailing slash, and parameters). Use your site audit tool (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, Semrush or Ahrefs) to export hreflang pairs and flag non-reciprocal entries.
Practical checks:
- Export hreflang pairs and run a join to find one-way links.
- Normalise URLs (http vs https, trailing slash) before matching.
- Fix missing return tags or incorrect language-region codes (e.g., en vs en-GB).
Canonical Tag Conflicts
Canonical tags can override hreflang signals if they point to a different regional or language version. A self-referencing canonical should match the page URL you list in hreflang. If the canonical points to a global or default page, search engines may ignore localized copies and create duplicate content issues.
Audit steps:
- Crawl with Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to collect canonical and hreflang values.
- Flag pages where canonical ≠ hreflang-target URL.
- Check for self-referencing canonical absence or use of cross-language canonicals.
Fixes include aligning canonicals with their respective language pages or using hreflang plus self-referencing canonicals on every variant. Document every change in your site audit checklist and re-crawl to confirm search visibility improves.
Broken, Redirected or Non-Indexable URLs
Hreflang values that point to broken (404), redirected (3xx) or non-indexable (noindex, blocked by robots.txt) URLs are ineffective. Google treats these as errors and may drop the hreflang group from selection, harming localisation and performance.
Audit actions:
- Use Google Search Console and a crawler (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb) to list status codes and indexability.
- Identify hreflang targets with 3xx chains, 4xx responses, or “noindex” tags.
- Check XML sitemap entries against hreflang targets to ensure consistency.
Resolve by updating hreflang to point to final canonical URLs, removing noindex where appropriate, and fixing redirect chains. Mark each corrected URL in your hreflang audit checklist and re-run the crawl to confirm indexability.
Incomplete Hreflang Coverage
Partial coverage—where some pages in a language group lack hreflang annotations—creates inconsistent signals and can split search visibility. You must ensure every page variant in the same content set has matching hreflang entries, and that XML sitemaps include the same URLs where used.
How to verify:
- Build a mapping of canonical URLs to language variants and compare against hreflang exports from Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, Semrush or Ahrefs.
- Use a spreadsheet to detect missing entries and identify patterns (for example, missing tags on paginated pages or CMS-generated product pages).
Prioritise fixing high-traffic and conversion-critical pages first. For CMS pitfalls, check template logic that generates hreflang, ensure consistent URL formats, and add automated tests in your site audit process to prevent regressions.
CMS Challenges and Structural Pitfalls
You need clear domain decisions, consistent URL patterns, and reliable CMS behaviour to avoid indexing, hreflang and geotargeting breakages. Small CMS defaults — like auto-generated language folders or duplicate canonical tags — often cause the largest international ranking drops.
Domain Strategy: ccTLDs, Subdomains and Subdirectories
Choose the domain strategy that matches your operational needs and resources. Use ccTLDs (example.fr) for strong country signalling and automatic geotargeting in most search consoles, but expect higher hosting and maintenance costs per country and more complex SSL and CDN setups.
Subdomains (fr.example.com) give you easier delegation and separate analytics, but some search engines and link equity treat them like separate sites. Subdirectories or subfolders (example.com/fr/) simplify content management, centralise domain authority, and reduce SSL/CDN configuration, yet require precise server-side geotargeting settings.
Map responsibilities in your CMS for content ownership, canonical rules and sitemap generation. Document where hreflang tags are produced (page head, HTTP header, sitemap) and ensure the CMS can output consistent, absolute URLs for each strategy. Track different hosting or CDN endpoints since server location and CDN configuration can affect regional load times and perceived relevance.
CMS-Generated Hreflang and Language Problems
Many CMS platforms auto-generate hreflang attributes or language folders; these defaults can be wrong or inconsistent. Verify that the CMS emits self-referential hreflang tags, includes all language variants, and uses absolute URLs that match your chosen domain strategy.
Watch for duplicate or conflicting canonical tags: a CMS may insert a canonical to the default language page while hreflang points elsewhere, which confuses indexing and can suppress regional pages.
Check automated translation plugins and syndicated feeds for tag stripping or malformed language codes (use ISO 639-1). Ensure sitemaps reflect language variants and include hreflang annotations when you prefer sitemap-based declarations. Log changes from CMS updates and theme/template swaps — a plugin update can silently remove or alter hreflang output.
Geotargeting and URL Structure Consistency
Keep URL structure and geotargeting signals uniform across platforms. If you use geo-targeting in Google Search Console, ensure the property matches how your CMS serves content (ccTLD property vs domain with subfolders). Mismatches lead to ignored settings and poor country targeting.
Standardise URL parameters and remove session or tracking parameters from indexable URLs using CMS routing or canonicalisation rules. Use server-side redirects instead of client-side scripts to route users to region-specific content, as bots may not execute JavaScript correctly.
Coordinate CDN routing and regional edge rules with your CMS so that cached content serves the correct language or region variant. Flag region-specific content with consistent URL paths (no mixing of subfolders and subdomains for the same market) to preserve link equity and prevent split indexing.
Maximising International SEO Performance
Focus on creating culturally accurate pages and measuring performance continuously. Prioritise user intent, page speed, and correct language signals to improve visibility and conversions across target markets.
Content Localisation and Translation Quality
Localisation goes beyond literal translation; you must adapt tone, examples, date and number formats, and imagery to match each market. Use native speakers for content creation or review to avoid awkward phrasing that raises bounce rate or harms conversion rates.
Apply market-specific keyword research — run Google Keyword Planner for English-speaking markets, use Baidu Keyword Tool for China, and local tools for Yandex or Naver — then map those terms to localized pages and meta tags.
Maintain a clear URL strategy (ccTLDs, subdirectories, or subdomains) and ensure hreflang tags point to each localized page. Keep content parity where needed but tailor calls-to-action and pricing displays to local currencies and legal requirements such as GDPR.
Use image optimisation (WebP where supported) and regional CDN nodes to preserve page speed, because load time directly affects user experience and ranking in each region.
Measurement and Ongoing Optimisation
Set up property-level tracking for each language or country in Google Analytics and connect Search Console for the primary domains and subdomains. Segment organic traffic by landing page language and compare conversion rates and bounce rates to spot underperforming localized content.
Track international visibility metrics — impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position — per market. Use server logs and analytics to check whether search engines like Baidu, Yandex or Naver successfully crawl your localized pages.
Implement A/B tests on headlines and CTAs using local audiences, then iterate based on conversion uplift and engagement. Maintain a maintenance schedule for hreflang and sitemap updates to avoid lost indexing from CMS pitfalls or automated translation plugins like Weglot.
Monitor technical KPIs (page speed, mobile UX, structured data) and regulatory signals (cookie consent for GDPR) to preserve domain authority and steady organic traffic growth.
If you’re tired of traffic that doesn’t convert, Totally Digital is here to help. Start with technical seo and a detailed seo audit to fix performance issues, indexing problems, and lost visibility. Next, scale sustainably with organic marketing and accelerate results with targeted paid ads. Get in touch today and we’ll show you where the quickest wins are.