Hreflang Tag for Multi-Language Websites
Why Is Language Tag Optimization Important for SEO?
The hreflang tag is a special HTML attribute that tells Google which language version of a page should appear for users in different countries.
If your website has multiple languages — like English, Tamil, Hindi, French, or regional versions such as India (IN), UK (GB), or US — this tag ensures that every visitor sees the right language version of your content.
Without hreflang tags, Google may show the wrong language page to users, which can reduce your traffic, increase bounce rate, and confuse search engines about duplicate content.
What Exactly Is an Hreflang Tag?
An hreflang tag tells search engines:
👉 The language of the page
👉 The region the page is meant for
👉 Which alternate language versions exist
Example of an English (India) page:
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/in/” hreflang=”en-in” />
This means:
“Show this page to users in India who read English.”
Why Hreflang Tags Matter for Multi-Language Websites
If your website targets different languages or countries, hreflang tags are essential for your SEO success.
Here’s why they are important:
- Shows the correct language to the correct audience
- Improves global ranking by reducing confusion for Google
- Prevents duplicate content issues
- Reduces bounce rate (users stay longer when content is in their language)
- Boosts user experience, trust, and conversions
- Helps Google understand your international site structure
For multilingual and multi-country websites, hreflang is a must-use SEO tool.
How to Add Hreflang Tags (3 Easy Methods)
You can add hreflang tags in one of these places:
1. Inside the <head> Section of Each Page
This is the most common method.
Example for English (US), English (India), and Tamil:
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/us/” hreflang=”en-us” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/in/” hreflang=”en-in” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/ta/” hreflang=”ta” />
2. In Your XML Sitemap
Useful for large websites with many language versions.
3. In HTTP Headers
Mostly for non-HTML files like PDFs.
When Should You Use Hreflang Tags?
Use hreflang tags if your website has:
- Multiple languages (e.g., English, Tamil, Hindi, French)
- Different versions for different countries (US, India, UK, UAE, etc.)
- Content that looks similar but is adjusted for local users
- Multi-country product pricing or currency differences
- Separate URLs for each language (subfolders or subdomains)
Examples of Hreflang for Multi-Language Websites
Example 1: English, Tamil, and Hindi Versions
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/en/” hreflang=”en” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/ta/” hreflang=”ta” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/hi/” hreflang=”hi” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/” hreflang=”x-default” />
How Google understands it:
- English users → get /en/
- Tamil users → get /ta/
- Hindi users → get /hi/
- Others → get the default version
Example 2: Country-Specific English Versions
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/in/” hreflang=”en-in” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/uk/” hreflang=”en-gb” />
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://example.com/us/” hreflang=”en-us” />
Google shows the correct version based on the user’s location.