AI SEO Glossary
What is hreflang?
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TL;DR — hreflang is an HTML annotation that tells search engines which language and regional version of a page to show users in each market, so a store's US, Canadian, UK, and other localized pages don't compete with or replace each other in the wrong country's results. Implemented as link elements, HTTP headers, or sitemap entries, each version lists every alternate (including itself) with a language-region code like en-us or en-ca. Correct hreflang is reciprocal — every page it points to must point back — which is why implementations fail so often.
Definition & scope
For cross-border eCommerce, hreflang solves a revenue problem, not a cosmetic one: currency, shipping, and availability differ by market, and sending a Canadian buyer to the US page (or vice versa) adds friction exactly where the sale closes.
Common failure modes are one-directional annotations, region codes without matching content differences, and hreflang pointing at non-canonical URLs. Audits validate the full reciprocal set before trusting the targeting.
Related terms
- Canonical URL — hreflang must reference canonical versions.
Related services
- Canada SEO Agency — cross-border US/Canada targeting in practice.
- eCommerce SEO Agency — international targeting inside a full campaign.
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