Glossary of Hreflang & International SEO Terms
Alternate URLs
Alternate URLs are different URLs specified for a language and/or region when there is more than one version of a page to display to users. These alternate URLs are linked together using hreflang annotations.
Aspirational Hreflang Settings
Aspirational hreflang settings is the correct implementation of hreflang attributes across a website’s specified pages before the content of those pages has been localized for the specified region or language.
(reference: Bill Hunt’s definition at Hreflang Builder)
Bidirectional
Bidirectional refers to hreflang annotations that link pages between languages or regions, indicating a two-way connection. Hreflang will not work correctly without a bidirectional hreflang attribute specified on two or more pages.
(reference: Bill Hunt’s guide to fixing No Return tags errors)
Cannibalization
Cannibalization refers to when multiple pages on a website compete for the same keywords, which can be affected by hreflang.
Canonical
A canonical tag is used in HTML to specify the preferred version of a webpage, which can be important for hreflang implementation.
ISO Language and Country Codes
ISO Language and Country Codes are codes that specify languages and countries, often used in hreflang tags to indicate the target audience.
(reference: W3 list of ISO Language Codes, W3 list of ISO Country Codes)
Fallback Page
A fallback page is a default page displayed when there’s no specific language or region match in hreflang annotations.
Hreflang
Hreflang refers to HTML tag attributes that inform search engines about the localized versions of the same content existing on multiple regions. Both language and geographical location can be specified, but Google doesn’t use hreflang to determine the language.
(reference: Google on how they find localized versions of a page)
Multinational
Multinational websites pertain to websites that operate in multiple countries or regions, requiring closer review of international SEO strategies.
Redirects
Redirects (most commonly 301s and 302s) are techniques used to forward users from one URL to another, which should be handled carefully in hreflang setups to achieve your desired results. For example, IP detection based on region may use a certain type of redirect that can impact the display of your site’s listing in search results.
(reference: Hreflang Builder on how to use x-default correctly)
Regions and Markets
Regions and markets refer to the different geographical areas and target audiences that are considered when search engines display pages. Examples of regions include Spain, Great Britain, Argentina, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Malaysia, United States, South Africa, etc. Examples of languages include Spanish, French, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, German, etc.
Self-Referencing
Self-referencing refers to when a page includes hreflang attributes for duplicate pages as well as a pointing to itself, which is required for correct implementation of hreflang. (reference: definition from seoClarity)
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
A Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is the place where search engine users find listings of web pages that match their query, including pages with hreflang annotations.
Localization
Localization is the process of adapting content to suit the specific country or region. Localized content should be adapted to the specific language and cultural preferences.
Valid URLs
Valid URLs are properly formatted URLs that have a valid URI reference, no query component and don’t contain any special/non-ASCII characters. Valid URLs are required for hreflang to function properly.
(reference: W3.org on HTML5 URL terminology)
X-Default
X-Default is an hreflang attribute value that specifies a default language or region when a page doesn’t target any specific language or locale and is the default page when no other page is better suited.
(reference: Google’s introduction of x-default in 2013)