Hreflang for Multilingual Sites

Hreflang setup for multilingual sites

Hreflang tells a search engine that these pages are language versions of the same material rather than duplicates. Without it a multilingual site either loses some pages from the index or shows the wrong language to the wrong audience.

What is included

• markup for every language version with reciprocal links between them;
• correct language codes and, where needed, regions;
• a default version for visitors whose language is not represented;
• reconciliation with canonical URLs — the most common source of conflicts;
• verification that every listed address is reachable and returns the right language;
• language versions reflected in the sitemap.

The three most frequent mistakes

One-way links. The Ukrainian page points at the English one, but the English one does not point back. The relationship has to be reciprocal, or the markup is ignored.

A page not referencing itself. Every version must list all language variants, including its own.

A conflict with the canonical. If the English version names the Ukrainian one as canonical, you are effectively asking for it to be dropped from the index — and hreflang no longer matters.

An OpenCart specific

In OpenCart stores there is an added complication: the language is not always resolved from the URL the way a developer expects. As a result a page can be reachable at two addresses and the markup will point at the wrong one. So configuration starts with checking how URLs actually behave on your particular build.