How to Use Canonical and Hreflang Tags Correctly for Multilingual Websites

The content explains what canonical and hreflang tags are, how they work, and how to use them correctly on a multilingual website to improve SEO performance.
The content also covers some common mistakes to avoid and some best practices to follow when using these tags, as well as some frequently asked questions and a disclaimer.
The content provides some examples, tools, and links to help the reader understand and implement the concepts better.

If you have a website that targets different languages and regions, you may have encountered some challenges with SEO. For example, how do you avoid duplicate content issues when you have multiple versions of the same page for different audiences? How do you ensure that search engines serve the right version of your page to the right users based on their language and location preferences?

One way to solve these problems is to use canonical and hreflang tags correctly on your web pages. These are HTML attributes that tell search engines which version of a page is the preferred one (canonical) and which versions are alternatives for different languages and regions (hreflang). By using these tags, you can help search engines understand your website structure better and improve your ranking and visibility in different markets.

In this article, we will explain what canonical and hreflang tags are, how they work, and how to implement them correctly on your multilingual website. We will also cover some common mistakes to avoid and some best practices to follow. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What are Canonical and Hreflang Tags?
How do Canonical and Hreflang Tags Work?
How to Implement Canonical and Hreflang Tags Correctly on Your Multilingual Website
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Canonical and Hreflang Tags
Best Practices to Follow When Using Canonical and Hreflang Tags
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Canonical and Hreflang Tags
Conclusion
Disclaimer

What are Canonical and Hreflang Tags?

Canonical and hreflang tags are HTML elements that you can add to the <head> section of your web pages. They provide information to search engines about the relationship between different versions of a page. Here is an example of how they look like:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example.com/en/" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/en/" hreflang="en" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/fr/" hreflang="fr" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/es/" hreflang="es" />

The canonical tag indicates which version of a page is the preferred one or the original source. It helps search engines avoid indexing duplicate or similar content and consolidate the ranking signals for a single URL. In the example above, the canonical tag points to the English version of the homepage as the preferred one.

The hreflang tag indicates which versions of a page are alternatives for different languages and regions. It helps search engines serve the most relevant version of a page to users based on their language and location settings. In the example above, the hreflang tags point to the French and Spanish versions of the homepage as alternatives for users who prefer those languages.

How do Canonical and Hreflang Tags Work?

Canonical and hreflang tags work together to help search engines understand your website better and improve your SEO performance. Here is how they work in practice:

When a user searches for something on Google or Bing, the search engine will try to match their query with the most relevant web pages from its index.
The search engine will also consider the user’s language and location preferences, which they can set in their browser or device settings, or which the search engine can infer from their IP address or other signals.
The search engine will then check if there are any canonical and hreflang tags on the web pages that match the user’s query. If there are, the search engine will use them to determine which version of the page to show to the user.
The search engine will prioritize the canonical version of the page over any other versions, unless there is a more relevant alternative for the user’s language and location preferences. For example, if a user searches for “example” in English from France, Google may show them the French version of www.example.com instead of the canonical English version, because it has a matching hreflang tag.
The search engine will also display a link to switch to other language versions of the page if they are available. For example, if a user searches for “example” in Spanish from Spain, Google may show them a link to switch to the English or French version of www.example.com if they want to.

By using canonical and hreflang tags correctly, you can ensure that your web pages are indexed properly by search engines and that your users see the most appropriate version of your content based on their preferences. This can help you avoid duplicate content issues, improve your ranking and visibility in different markets, and increase your traffic and conversions.

How to Implement Canonical and Hreflang Tags Correctly on Your Multilingual Website

Implementing canonical and hreflang tags correctly on your multilingual website can be tricky, especially if you have many pages and languages to deal with. However, there are some general steps that you can follow to make it easier:

First, you need to decide which version of each page is the canonical one or the original source. This should be the most authoritative or comprehensive version of your content, usually in your main language or market. You should also make sure that this version has a unique URL that does not change over time.
Next, you need to create alternative versions of each page for different languages and regions that you want to target. These should be localized versions of your content that are relevant and useful for your specific audiences. You should also make sure that these versions have unique URLs that follow a consistent structure and format.
Then, you need to add the canonical tag to the <head> section of each page, pointing to the canonical version of the page. You should also add the hreflang tag to the <head> section of each page, pointing to all the alternative versions of the page, including the canonical one. You should use the ISO 639-1 language code and the ISO 3166-1 region code to specify the language and region of each version. For example, en for English, fr for French, es for Spanish, us for United States, fr for France, es for Spain, etc.
Finally, you need to verify that your canonical and hreflang tags are implemented correctly and that they are recognized by search engines. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to check if your tags are valid and if there are any errors or warnings. You can also use tools like Hreflang Tags Generator Tool or Hreflang Tags Testing Tool to create and test your tags.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Canonical and Hreflang Tags

Using canonical and hreflang tags can be beneficial for your SEO, but only if you use them correctly. There are some common mistakes that you should avoid when using these tags, such as:

Using the wrong language or region codes. You should always use the standard ISO codes to specify the language and region of each version of your page. For example, you should not use en-uk for English in the United Kingdom, but en-gb. You should also not use generic codes like x-default or und, but specific codes like en or fr.
Using relative URLs instead of absolute URLs. You should always use absolute URLs to point to the canonical and alternative versions of your page. For example, you should not use <link rel=”canonical” href=”/en/” />, but <link rel=”canonical” href=”https://www.example.com/en/” />. This will help search engines find and index your pages correctly.
Using inconsistent URLs across different versions of your page. You should always use consistent URLs to identify different versions of your page. For example, you should not use <link rel=”alternate” href=”https://www.example.com/fr/home” hreflang=”fr” />, but <link rel=”alternate” href=”https://www.example.com/fr/” hreflang=”fr” />. This will help search engines understand the relationship between your pages better.
Using conflicting or contradictory tags on your page. You should always use consistent and coherent tags on your page. For example, you should not use <link rel=”canonical” href=”https://www.example.com/en/” /> and <meta name=”robots” content=”noindex” /> on the same page. This will confuse search engines and may cause them to ignore or penalize your page.
Using too many or too few tags on your page. You should always use the right amount of tags on your page. For example, you should not use more than one canonical tag or more than one hreflang tag for the same language and region on the same page. This will cause search engines to ignore or discard some of your tags. You should also not use less than one canonical tag or less than one hreflang tag for each language and region that you target on your page. This will cause search engines to miss some of your versions or serve them incorrectly.

Best Practices to Follow When Using Canonical and Hreflang Tags

Using canonical and hreflang tags correctly can be challenging, but there are some best practices that you can follow to make it easier and more effective, such as:

Use a clear and consistent URL structure for your multilingual website. You should use a URL structure that reflects the language and region of each version of your page. For example, you can use subdomains (e.g., en.example.com, fr.example.com, etc.), subdirectories (e.g., www.example.com/en/, www.example.com/fr/, etc.), or parameters (e.g., www.example.com/?lang=en, www.example.com/?lang=fr, etc.). You should also avoid using mixed structures (e.g., www.example.com/en/fr/, www.example.com/?lang=en&country=fr, etc.) or dynamic structures (e.g., www.example.com/index.php?lang=en, www.example.com/index.php?lang=fr, etc.). This will help search engines and users find and navigate your pages easier.
Use a content management system (CMS) or a translation plugin that supports canonical and hreflang tags. You should use a CMS or a plugin that allows you to create and manage different versions of your pages easily and automatically add the canonical and hreflang tags to your pages. For example, you can use WordPress with plugins like [WPML] or [Polylang] to create and manage your multilingual website and add the tags automatically.

Use a sitemap or a link element to provide additional information about your multilingual website. You should use a sitemap or a link element to list all the versions of your pages and their canonical and hreflang tags. This will help search engines discover and index your pages faster and more accurately. For example, you can use an XML sitemap with the <xhtml:link> element or an HTML link element with the rel=”alternate” attribute to provide this information. You can also use tools like [Sitemap Generator] or [Hreflang Sitemap Tool] to create and validate your sitemaps.
Monitor and optimize your multilingual website performance. You should monitor and optimize your multilingual website performance regularly to ensure that your canonical and hreflang tags are working properly and that you are reaching your target audiences effectively. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to check your site’s performance, traffic, ranking, errors, and warnings. You can also use tools like [Hreflang Analyzer] or [Hreflang Checker] to test and troubleshoot your tags.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Canonical and Hreflang Tags

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about canonical and hreflang tags that you may find useful:

Q: Do I need to use both canonical and hreflang tags on my multilingual website?
A: Yes, you should use both canonical and hreflang tags on your multilingual website. The canonical tag tells search engines which version of a page is the preferred one, while the hreflang tag tells search engines which versions are alternatives for different languages and regions. Using both tags will help you avoid duplicate content issues, improve your ranking and visibility in different markets, and increase your traffic and conversions.
Q: How do I choose the canonical version of a page?
A: You should choose the canonical version of a page based on the following criteria:
- It should be the most authoritative or comprehensive version of your content, usually in your main language or market.
- It should have a unique URL that does not change over time.
- It should have the highest quality and relevance for your users.
- It should have the most backlinks and social signals from other websites.
Q: How do I specify the language and region of a page using the hreflang tag?
A: You should specify the language and region of a page using the ISO 639-1 language code and the ISO 3166-1 region code in the hreflang tag. For example, en for English, fr for French, es for Spanish, us for United States, fr for France, es for Spain, etc. You can also use a combination of language and region codes to target specific variants of a language or region. For example, en-gb for English in the United Kingdom, fr-ca for French in Canada, es-mx for Spanish in Mexico, etc. You can find a list of all the codes [here].
Q: What if I have multiple versions of a page for the same language but different regions?
A: If you have multiple versions of a page for the same language but different regions, you should use the hreflang tag to indicate which version is relevant for which region. For example, if you have an English version of a page for the United States, Canada, and Australia, you should use the following hreflang tags:

<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/en-us/" hreflang="en-us" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/en-ca/" hreflang="en-ca" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/en-au/" hreflang="en-au" />

This will help search engines serve the most appropriate version of your page to users based on their location preferences.

Conclusion

Canonical and hreflang tags are important HTML elements that you should use on your multilingual website to improve your SEO performance. By using these tags correctly, you can help search engines understand your website structure better and serve the most relevant version of your page to users based on their language and location preferences. This can help you avoid duplicate content issues, improve your ranking and visibility in different markets, and increase your traffic and conversions.

However, using these tags correctly can be challenging, especially if you have many pages and languages to deal with. Therefore, you should follow some general steps to implement them correctly on your website:

Decide which version of each page is the canonical one or the original source.
Create alternative versions of each page for different languages and regions that you want to target.
Add the canonical tag to the <head> section of each page, pointing to the canonical version of the page.
Add the hreflang tag to the <head> section of each page, pointing to all the alternative versions of the page, including the canonical one.
Verify that your canonical and hreflang tags are implemented correctly and that they are recognized by search engines.

You should also avoid some common mistakes when using these tags, such as:

Using the wrong language or region codes.
Using relative URLs instead of absolute URLs.
Using inconsistent URLs across different versions of your page.
Using conflicting or contradictory tags on your page.
Using too many or too few tags on your page.

You should also follow some best practices when using these tags, such as:

Use a clear and consistent URL structure for your multilingual website.
Use a content management system (CMS) or a translation plugin that supports canonical and hreflang tags.
Use a sitemap or a link element to provide additional information about your multilingual website.
Monitor and optimize your multilingual website performance.

We hope that this article has helped you understand what canonical and hreflang tags are, how they work, and how to use them correctly on your multilingual website. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! 😊

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The author and the publisher are not responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damages arising from its use. The reader should always consult a qualified professional before implementing any of the suggestions or recommendations in this article. The reader should also always verify the accuracy and validity of any information provided in this article before relying on it. The author and the publisher are not affiliated with any of the tools or websites mentioned in this article. The links provided in this article are for convenience only and do not imply any endorsement or sponsorship by the author or the publisher. The reader should always exercise caution and due diligence when visiting any external websites or using any external tools. The reader should also always respect the intellectual property rights and privacy policies of any external websites or tools that they use. The author and the publisher are not liable for any loss or damage caused by the use or misuse of any external websites or tools that are mentioned in this article.