hreflang stops German buyers from seeing Chinese titles and prevents language duplicates from cannibalizing each other. Align with localization and schema.
Patterns
- /zh-cn/ vs /en/ subfolders for single-domain authority
- Subdomains/ccTLD for site clusters with stronger differentiation
- x-default to global default; reciprocal tags on every locale
- Template-level tags on news, MPN, plans
Pitfalls
Missing MPN hreflang, machine-translated dupes, wrong canonicals — fix with Search Console playbook and GEO. Default output on Mall RFQ. Inquire; FAQ, news, contact.
Implementation checklist
- hreflang on all major templates
- x-default matches business default
- No orphan locales
- Currency/date formats follow locale
- Quarterly SERP language spot-checks
Deep dive
hreflang declares locale relationships — it doesn’t fix bad translations. Broken reciprocals and missing MPN tags cause wrong-language SERPs. x-default must reflect real default buyers.
Pair with localization and regional shipping terms.
Related reading
Plans & conversion
Auto hreflang on Mall RFQ; ccTLD matrices on Site Cluster. Inquire with language/domain map.
Extended FAQ
Q: Partial third language? Don’t ship half-translated MPN — hub-only or wait.
Q: hreflang vs canonical? Self-canonical per locale; hreflang across locales.
