Hreflang Tags
Checks hreflang tags on multilingual sites for correctness and reciprocity.
What this check measures
For sites with multiple languages or regions, we verify that `<link rel="alternate" hreflang="...">` tags exist, use valid ISO codes, include an x-default, and that each language page references the others reciprocally.
Why it matters
Hreflang tells Google which language version to serve to which audience. Wrong hreflang (e.g., `lang="de"` but content in English) causes Google to serve the wrong language to users — high bounce, lost rankings.
How our audit detects it
Parse `<link rel="alternate" hreflang>` tags. Validate language codes against ISO 639-1. Check for reciprocity across the alternate URLs.
Typical findings
- error_outlineNo hreflang tags on a multilingual site.
- error_outlinehreflang="en-uk" — should be en-GB (invalid ISO).
- error_outlineMissing x-default — Google defaults to whichever version it crawled first.
- error_outlineGerman page lists English alternate but English page does not list German.
How to fix
For each language version, list all other versions via hreflang, include an x-default, and make sure every page references every other page. ISO codes: `en`, `de`, `en-US`, `de-CH`, etc.
Frequently asked questions
en-US vs en — which to use?expand_more
Is x-default mandatory?expand_more
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