By Shad Super in Questions —

How Can You Verify the Correct Implementation of Hreflang Tags for Multilingual Indexing?

Summary

To verify the correct implementation of hreflang tags for multilingual indexing, you need to ensure proper syntax, mutual linking between language versions, and validation against common errors. This involves tools like Google Search Console's International Targeting Report, online testing utilities, and inspecting HTML source code. Below is a comprehensive guide to effectively verify and troubleshoot hreflang tags.

Understanding Hreflang Tags

Hreflang tags are HTML attributes used to specify language and regional targeting for webpages, helping search engines serve the correct version of a page based on the user’s location and language preferences. Implementing them allows you to improve user experience and avoid duplicate content issues across different language versions.

Example of Hreflang Tag

Here’s what an hreflang tag looks like:

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

Steps to Verify Correct Implementation

1. Check for Proper Syntax

The syntax for hreflang tags must follow specific rules. Verify:

  • Correct hreflang values: Use valid language codes (ISO 639-1) and optional region codes (ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2), e.g., en-us or es-es.
  • Valid URLs: Ensure each href points to the correct, live URL of the alternate page.
  • Self-referencing tags: Each page must reference itself with a correct hreflang tag.

Example:

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

Hreflang tags require mutual linking, meaning that if Page A links to Page B using an hreflang tag, Page B must also link back to Page A with the corresponding hreflang attribute. Missing reciprocal links can cause search engines to ignore your tags.

3. Test Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console provides tools to verify hreflang implementation:

  • International Targeting Report: Navigate to Settings > International Targeting. This report highlights errors or issues with hreflang tags.
  • Coverage Report: Check for crawl errors related to your hreflang URLs to ensure all pages are accessible.

Learn more about this tool on [Google’s International Targeting Help Page, 2023].

4. Use Third-Party Testing Tools

Several tools can analyze your hreflang tags and pinpoint errors:

5. Inspect HTTP Headers

When implementing hreflang tags in HTTP headers (instead of inline HTML or XML sitemaps), ensure correct configuration:

Link: <https://example.com/fr/>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="fr"

Use tools like HTTP Status.io to check if the headers are correctly set.

6. Verify in XML Sitemaps

If you’ve implemented hreflang in XML sitemaps, ensure the correct format. Each sitemap entry should specify the hreflang attribute for available language versions:

<url>
<loc>https://example.com/en-us/</loc>
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-us" href="https://example.com/en-us/" />
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="es-es" href="https://example.com/es-es/" />
</url>

Use tools like the XML Sitemap Validator for verification.

Common Hreflang Errors to Avoid

  • Incorrect hreflang values: Ensure valid and specific language-region codes.
  • Missing self-references: Always include a self-referencing hreflang tag.
  • Non-canonical URLs: Hreflang tags should always point to canonical URLs.
  • Broken links: Avoid including hreflang tags that point to non-existent or inaccessible pages.

Conclusion

Proper implementation and verification of hreflang tags ensure that users and search engines access the correct language or regional version of your website, enhancing user experience and SEO success. Regularly test and validate your hreflang setup using tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and online validators to avoid issues.

References