Repair workflow
- List only equivalent alternate pages.
- Use valid language or language-region codes.
- Include self and reciprocal references.
- Use x-default only for a genuine fallback or selector page.
Issue library · 4 international seo checks
Hreflang implementation issues
Connect equivalent language and regional pages with complete, reciprocal annotations and clear default handling.
Direct answer
Each hreflang set should use valid language-region values, identify one preferred URL per value, include the current page, and be reciprocal across equivalent alternates.
Why this area matters
Incomplete or conflicting alternate annotations can prevent search engines from understanding which regional or language version is intended for a user.
Verification checklist
- Fetch every alternate URL and compare canonicals.
- Confirm each page returns the same hreflang set.
- Test redirects, status codes, and language consistency separately.
Exact findings explained
Incomplete hreflang reference
An alternate annotation lacks a language value or destination.
What to do
Provide a valid language-region code and canonical HTTP(S) URL.
How to verify
Inspect every rendered alternate tag for complete values.
Duplicate hreflang values
More than one URL is assigned to the same language-region value.
What to do
Choose one preferred equivalent page for each value.
How to verify
Group tags by hreflang value and confirm each is unique.
No x-default fallback
A multi-language set has no x-default; this is an opportunity only when a fallback page exists.
What to do
Point x-default to a real language selector or broadly appropriate fallback, not automatically to one locale.
How to verify
Open the fallback and confirm it serves users who match no declared alternate.
Current page missing from its hreflang set
The alternate set does not reference the current page.
What to do
Include a self-referencing language annotation and reciprocal references on alternates.
How to verify
Compare the full set on every equivalent page.