How to add hreflang tags in WordPress

How to add hreflang tags in WordPress ( with plugin and without plugin)

If you’re wondering how to add hreflang tags in WordPress, you’re likely aiming to improve your international SEO and target multiple languages or regions. Properly implementing hreflang tags ensures Google understands which language or region your website is optimized for, helping you reach the right audience globally.

What are Hreflang Tags?

Hreflang tags are HTML attributes that help search engines understand the language and geographic targeting of your web pages. They are particularly useful for websites that serve content in multiple languages or target different regions. By implementing hreflang tags, you ensure that users see the version of your website that best matches their language and location preferences.

Example of an Hreflang Tag:

<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/us/" hreflang="en-US" />

This tag is refer that this page language is USA English.

How to add hreflang tags

Why Are Hreflang Tags Important?

Implementing hreflang tags correctly can offer several benefits:

  • Improved User Experience: Direct users to content in their preferred language or relevant to their region.
  • Enhanced SEO: Prevent duplicate content issues and ensure that search engines index the correct version of your pages.
  • Increased Conversion Rates: By serving the right content to the right audience, you can boost engagement and conversions.

Without hreflang tags, search engines might not serve the most appropriate version of your site to users, leading to a suboptimal user experience and potential SEO penalties.

How to Add Hreflang Tags in WordPress

There are two primary ways to add hreflang tags to your WordPress site: using a plugin or manually without a plugin. Both methods have their advantages, and the best choice depends on your comfort level with WordPress and coding.

How to add hreflang tags in WordPress without plugin

If you prefer not to use a plugin, you can manually add hreflang tags to your WordPress site. This method is more technical and requires familiarity with HTML and your theme’s files.

Method 1: Manually Adding Hreflang Tags in the <head> Section

  1. Access Theme Editor:

From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Theme Editor.

Select header.php from the list of theme files on the right.

2. Insert Hreflang Tags:

  • Locate the <head> section of your HTML. Add your hreflang tags within the <head> and </head> tags.

<head>
    <!-- Existing head content -->

    <!-- Hreflang Tags -->
    <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/bangladesh" hreflang="en-BD" />
    <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/texas" hreflang="en-US" />
    <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com" hreflang="x-default" />

    <!-- Other head elements -->
</head>

3. Save Changes:

After adding the hreflang tags, click Update File to save your changes.

Pros:

  • Complete control over hreflang tag placement.
  • No reliance on third-party plugins.

Cons:

  • Time-consuming, especially for large websites.
  • Higher risk of errors if not implemented correctly.
  • Requires technical expertise in WordPress theme development.

Method 2: Editing the function.php file

For dynamic websites with multiple pages, adding hreflang tags programmatically can be more efficient.

  1. Go to Appearance > Theme Editor.

Select functions.php from the list of theme files.

2. Add Hreflang Function:

  • Insert the following PHP function to automatically add hreflang tags.

function add_hreflang_tags() {
    if (is_page()) {
        // Define your language and region URLs
        $hreflangs = array(
            'en-US' => 'https://www.example.com/texas',
            'en-BD' => 'https://www.example.com/bangladesh',
            'x-default' => 'https://www.example.com'
        );

        foreach ($hreflangs as $lang => $url) {
            echo '<link rel="alternate" href="' . esc_url($url) . '" hreflang="' . esc_attr($lang) . '" />' . "\n";
        }
    }
}
add_action('wp_head', 'add_hreflang_tags');

Note: Replace above URLs and language with your own URLs and language.

Click Update File to save the function.

Pros:

  • Automates hreflang tag generation across multiple pages.
  • Reduces manual effort for large sites.

Cons:

  • Requires PHP knowledge.
  • Potential for theme updates to override changes unless using a child theme.

How to add hreflang tags in WordPress with plugin

Using a plugin is the easiest and most efficient way to add hreflang tags, especially if you’re not comfortable with code. Several WordPress plugins can help you manage hreflang tags seamlessly.

Method 1: Using Yoast SEO

Step-by-Step Guide:

Yoast SEO is one of the most popular SEO plugins for WordPress. While the free version offers limited hreflang support, the premium version or additional extensions can handle hreflang tags effectively.

  1. Install and Activate Yoast SEO:

    Navigate to your WordPress dashboard.
    Go to Plugins > Add New.
    Search for “Yoast SEO“.
    Click Install Now and then Activate.

  2. Upgrade to Yoast SEO Premium (if necessary):

    Hreflang functionality may require the premium version.
    Purchase and install Yoast SEO Premium from the Yoast website.

  3. Configure Hreflang Tags:

    Note: Yoast SEO’s free version has limited support for hreflang. For full functionality, consider using the premium version or an additional plugin like Yoast SEO Multilingual if you’re using WPML.
    Navigate to SEO > Search Appearance.
    Follow the setup wizard to configure language and regional settings.
    Assign the appropriate languages and regions to your pages or posts.

  4. Verify Implementation:

    After setting up, inspect your pages’ source code to ensure hreflang tags are present.
    Right-click on a page and select View Page Source.
    Search for hreflang to verify the tags.

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface.
  • Comprehensive SEO features beyond hreflang.

Cons:

  • Full hreflang support may require the premium version.

Method 2: Using Rank Math

Rank Math is another powerful SEO plugin that offers built-in support for hreflang tags.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Install and Activate Rank Math SEO:
    • From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
    • Search for “Rank Math SEO“.
    • Click Install Now and then Activate.
  2. Set Up Rank Math:
    • Follow the setup wizard to configure basic SEO settings.
  3. Enable Hreflang Tags:
    • Navigate to Rank Math > Titles & Meta > Global Meta.
    • Look for the International SEO section.
    • Enable hreflang support and configure your language and region settings.
  4. Assign Hreflang Tags to Pages:
    • Edit the desired page or post.
    • Scroll down to the Rank Math SEO meta box.
    • Navigate to the Advanced tab.
    • Add the appropriate hreflang tags (en-BD for Bangladesh, en-US for Texas, etc.).
  5. Verify Implementation:
    • Check the page source to ensure hreflang tags are correctly added.

Pros:

  • Comprehensive SEO features.
  • Built-in support for hreflang tags.

Cons:

  • Might be overwhelming for beginners due to extensive features.

Method 3: Using Polylang

Polylang is a multilingual plugin that can also manage hreflang tags, especially when combined with its pro version.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Install and Activate Polylang:
    • Go to Plugins > Add New.
    • Search for “Polylang“.
    • Click Install Now and then Activate.
  2. Configure Languages:
    • Navigate to Languages > Languages.
    • Add the languages and regions you want to target (e.g., English for Bangladesh en-BD and English for USA en-US).
  3. Assign Translations:
    • For each post or page, assign translations for each language/region.
    • Ensure that each version of a page corresponds to the correct language and region.
  4. Hreflang Tags:
    • Polylang automatically adds hreflang tags based on your language and region settings.
  5. Verify Implementation:
    • Inspect your pages to ensure hreflang tags are present.
    • Right-click on a page and select View Page Source, then search for hreflang.

Pros:

  • Ideal for multilingual sites.
  • Automatic hreflang tag generation based on language settings.

Cons:

  • Advanced features may require the pro version.
  • Primarily designed for multilingual, not just multi-regional, websites.

Hreflang checker:

There are couple tools to check hreflang.

Best Practices for Hreflang Implementation

To maximize the effectiveness of your hreflang tags, adhere to the following best practices:

1. Use Correct Language and Region Codes

  • Ensure you’re using the correct ISO 639-1 codes for languages and ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 codes for countries.
    • Examples:
      • English (United States): en-US
      • English (Bangladesh): en-BD
      • Bengali (Bangladesh): bn-BD

2. Self-Referencing Tags

Each page should include a self-referencing hreflang tag to indicate its language and regional targeting.

Example:

<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.example.com/texas" hreflang="en-US" />

3. Mutual Linking

  • Ensure that all versions of a page link to each other with hreflang tags. This mutual linking helps search engines understand the relationship between different language or regional versions.

4. Use Absolute URLs

  • Always use absolute URLs in hreflang tags, not relative ones. This means including the full URL (including https://) in the href attribute.

5. Avoid Using x-default Excessively

  • The x-default hreflang tag should be used to indicate the default page when no other language or region matches. Use it judiciously to avoid confusion.

6. Regularly Audit Your Hreflang Implementation

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Implementing hreflang tags incorrectly can lead to SEO issues and a poor user experience. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1. Incorrect Codes

  • Using wrong or non-standard language and region codes can mislead search engines.
  • Solution: Always refer to the official ISO standards for language and country codes.

2. Missing Tags

  • Failing to add hreflang tags to all relevant pages can result in search engines not recognizing your regional content.
  • Solution: Ensure every targeted page has the appropriate hreflang tags.

3. Broken Links

  • Hreflang tags pointing to non-existent or incorrect URLs can harm your site’s SEO.
  • Solution: Regularly check that all URLs in hreflang tags are valid and accessible.

4. Duplicate Tags

  • Adding multiple hreflang tags for the same language and region on a single page can confuse search engines.
  • Solution: Ensure each hreflang tag is unique and correctly corresponds to the intended language and region.

5. Not Including Self-Referencing Tags

  • Omitting self-referencing hreflang tags can make it harder for search engines to understand your content’s targeting.
  • Solution: Always include a hreflang tag that points to the page itself.

Conclusion

Implementing hreflang tags is a critical step in optimizing your WordPress site for a global audience. Whether you choose to use a plugin or add the tags manually, ensure that you follow best practices to avoid common pitfalls. By correctly setting up hreflang tags, you enhance your site’s SEO, improve user experience, and effectively reach your target audiences in different regions.

Key Takeaways:

  • Use SEO Plugins: Tools like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, and Polylang streamline hreflang implementation.
  • Consider Manual Implementation: For greater control or specific needs, manually adding hreflang tags is feasible but requires technical expertise.
  • Follow Best Practices: Ensure accuracy in language and region codes, use absolute URLs, and maintain mutual linking between pages.
  • Regular Audits: Continuously monitor and validate your hreflang tags to ensure they function as intended.

By following this guide, you can effectively implement hreflang tags on your WordPress site, enhancing your global SEO strategy and providing a better experience for your international visitors.

Ready to Optimize Your Site?

If you’re looking to enhance your website’s SEO and reach a global audience, implementing hreflang tags is a strategic move. Whether you choose to use a plugin or handle it manually, Twin Tech Lab is here to support you. Contact us today for expert assistance in optimizing your WordPress site for international success!

Author

  • Mamun Mondol

    I'm Mamun, digital marketing expert with over 7 years+ experience and a tech enthusiast. I love to share my experience to help people to grow their business. I love to travel with my family and having coffee when I get bored!

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