Serve the Right Page to the Right Market
Content Localization & Hreflang
Decide what to localize, use hreflang correctly, and run a QA matrix so readers land on the right page. This guide aligns with Google Search Central on localized versions, hreflang implementation, and W3C language tags at w3.org.
Scope and prioritization
Localize pages that drive evaluation and conversion, then add educational content as demand grows.
- Solution and pricing pages
- Docs and legal that differ by region
- High-traffic guides with regional search demand
Hreflang patterns
Add reciprocal hreflang annotations for each language or region pair. Use language codes (ISO 639-1) and optional region codes (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2). Google explains hreflang with examples in the internationalization doc.
HTML link tags
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://accordcontent.com/guide/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-gb" href="https://accordcontent.com/en-gb/guide/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://accordcontent.com/fr/guide/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://accordcontent.com/guide/" />XML sitemap entries
<url>
<loc>https://accordcontent.com/guide/</loc>
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://accordcontent.com/guide/"/>
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-gb" href="https://accordcontent.com/en-gb/guide/"/>
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://accordcontent.com/fr/guide/"/>
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://accordcontent.com/guide/"/>
</url>HTTP headers (for files)
Link: <https://accordcontent.com/guide/>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="en"URL and folder structure
Subfolders
- /fr/, /en-gb/, /es/
- Clear mapping in your CMS
- Language switcher uses real links
Domains/subdomains
- Use when legal or hosting requires it
- Hreflang still required across hosts
x-default
- Points to your fallback version
- Include in every hreflang cluster
Localization rules
Copy and tone
- Native reviewer for product or legal pages
- Use local units, date formats, and spellings
- Adapt CTAs and examples to local norms
Media
- Localize screenshots where UI differs
- Caption updates for language and currency
- Alt text translated with context
Governance
- Track source page changes and notify locales
- Keep dateModified aligned on source and local pages
- Maintain a change log per locale
QA matrix
| Check | How | Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Reciprocal hreflang | View source or test sitemap cluster | All variants point to each other and x-default |
| Correct language tag | ISO code format (e.g., en-gb) | Matches visible language |
| Routing | Manual test via VPN or parameters | Users land on the right locale |
| Metadata | Title and description localized | No mixed-language titles |
| Links | Internal links point to local versions | Cross-locale only where intentional |
Measurement
Search Console
- Clicks by country for each locale
- Coverage for all localized URLs
GA4
- Sessions and conversions by locale folder
- Language dimension in Explorations
Content ops
- Refresh rate and time-to-publish per locale
- Update backlog and SLA adherence
FAQ
Do we need country codes for every language
No. Use language-only tags when one variant serves all regions (e.g., fr). Add region codes when content or legal terms differ (e.g., fr-ca vs fr-fr).
Can we auto-redirect by IP
Prefer a visible language switcher and let users choose. Auto-redirects can frustrate users and search crawlers.