Glossaire · SEO

Hreflang

The hreflang attribute is an HTML signal that tells search engines which language and geographic region a page targets. In practice, hreflang links a URL to a language code (e.g. fr) and, optionally, a country code (e.g. fr-CA for Canadian French), so that Google and Bing serve the right version of a page to each user based on their language and location. It can be declared in three ways: in a <link> tag inside the <head>, in HTTP headers, or in the XML sitemap. Its golden rule is reciprocity: every page in a language group must point to all the other versions, including itself, or it gets ignored. When implemented correctly, hreflang prevents duplicate content across markets, reduces wrong-version errors, and improves the experience for international audiences. It does not change rankings but corrects which page appears in which local SERP.

The hreflang attribute is the go-to tool for managing a website available in multiple languages or targeting multiple countries. It ensures that a Spanish user sees the Spanish version and a Quebec user sees the version adapted to Canadian French.

How it works

Hreflang works in groups of linked pages. Each version of a piece of content declares all the other available versions through an ISO-format code: the language alone (fr, en, es), or the language followed by the country (fr-FR, es-MX). Three implementation methods exist: <link rel="alternate" hreflang="..." /> tags in the <head>, HTTP headers (useful for PDFs), or annotations in the XML sitemap. The special x-default value designates the page served by default when no match is found.

Key takeaway

All hreflang markup must be reciprocal: if the FR page points to the EN page, the EN page must point back to the FR page. Without this reciprocity, Google simply ignores the annotations.

A concrete example

An e-commerce store sells in France, Belgium, and French-speaking Canada. Three URLs exist with different prices and currencies. Without hreflang, Google might serve the Canadian page to a French buyer, or treat these pages as duplicate content. With correctly reciprocal fr-FR, fr-BE, and fr-CA markup, each market receives its adapted version.

Why it matters

On an international site, poor language handling undermines your SEO work: high bounce rates, mismatched currencies, frustrated users. Hreflang does not increase traffic on its own, but it routes the right visitor to the right page. Combined with a consistent canonical tag, it forms the technical foundation of any solid multilingual strategy.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

No, hreflang is not a ranking factor. It only indicates which version of a page to serve based on the user's language and country. It optimizes display relevance, not your position in the SERP.

The lack of reciprocity: page A points to page B, but B does not point back to A. Google then ignores the markup. Also remember to include a self-reference to the page itself.

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