What Is Hreflang? A Practical Guide
What Is Hreflang? A Practical Guide
The attribute that tells Google which language and region each version of a page targets — non-optional for multi-country sites.
Hreflang is the HTML attribute that tells Google which language and region a page targets — essential for multi-country SEO — LemRank.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need hreflang if I only target one country?
No — hreflang is only for multi-language or multi-region sites. Single-country single-language sites should skip it entirely.
What is x-default?
The fallback version shown when no other hreflang matches the user's language. Typically used for the language picker page or the English default.
Should I use hreflang or ccTLDs for country targeting?
Both work — ccTLDs (example.de, example.fr) give strong signals but require separate sites. Subdomains or subfolders with hreflang are cheaper to maintain and equally effective when done correctly.