Glossary · seo
Hreflang
Definition
Hreflang is an HTML attribute that tells Google which language and country a page targets. On multilingual or multi-regional sites it ensures the right content reaches the right user; if misapplied, all pages can be flagged as duplicates.
Detailed explanation
Hreflang was announced by Google in 2011. It links different language/country versions of the same page. Example: Turkish page `` → Google shows this to users in Turkey.
Correct usage: Every page needs its own hreflang + all alternates + `x-default` (for language mismatches). It can be in HTML head, HTTP header, or XML sitemap. XML sitemap is more manageable for large sites.
Common mistakes: One-directional link (A→B but not B→A), missing `x-default`, hreflang conflicting with canonical, wrong language code (using tr-TR when just tr usually suffices). Verify in Google Search Console → International Targeting report.
Use cases
→TR + EN bilingual website
→Region-specific content (Turkey vs Germany)
→Programmatic SEO multilingual pages
→Multi-country e-commerce store
→Global SaaS marketing site
Pros
- +Right language shown to right user
- +Protection from duplicate content penalty
- +International traffic growth
- +Reduces GSC International Targeting errors
Cons
- −Wrong application affects entire site
- −Maintenance overhead on large sites
- −Only Google + Yandex support it (Bing partial)
- −XML sitemap approach requires non-code management
Related terms
Related services
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