How to Add Hreflang Tags in WordPress with a Plugin?

Introduction

Imagine a user in Spain searching for your product. They land on your English website instead of the Spanish version. They bounce. Why? Because they didn’t see content in their language. That’s where hreflang tags come in.

Hreflang tags tell search engines which version of your site to show based on the user’s language and region. If you’re running a multilingual or multi-regional WordPress website, skipping this step can mean lost traffic, higher bounce rates, and confused visitors.

The good news? You don’t need to touch code. With the right plugin, you can add hreflang tags quickly and correctly – even if you’re not a developer. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to implement hreflang tags in WordPress using a plugin, step by step.

Whether you’re targeting users in India, Canada, or Germany, hreflang helps your content reach the right audience. Let’s dive into why it matters, and how to do it the right way using trusted plugins.

Why Hreflang Tags Matter for SEO

Hreflang tags are HTML attributes that signal to search engines which language and regional version of a page to display. Without them, Google might serve your UK audience the US version of your page, or your French visitors the German one.

Here’s what hreflang tags solve:

• Language mismatches (wrong language version in search)
• Duplicate content issues across country-specific domains
• Improved user experience by serving localized content

Let’s say you run example.com with these country variations:

• example.com (default English)
• example.com/fr/ (French)
• example.com/es/ (Spanish)

With hreflang tags, you tell Google exactly which page version to show for each audience. This boosts SEO by reducing confusion, keeping users engaged, and signaling your site’s international relevance.

Choosing the Right Plugin for Hreflang Tags

WordPress doesn’t handle hreflang tags natively. So, you’ll need a plugin. Not all plugins are created equal – some are built specifically for multilingual sites, while others are more SEO-focused.

Here are a few trusted plugins:

Tip: Choose a plugin based on your site’s setup. If you already use Polylang or WPML, stick with it for hreflang too.

Setting Up Hreflang Tags Using Polylang (Free Plugin)

Polylang is one of the most user-friendly WordPress plugins for managing multilingual websites. It automatically generates hreflang tags in your site’s header as long as your content is properly translated and linked. Below is a step-by-step guide to using it effectively.

Step 1: Install and Activate Polylang

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New.
3. In the search bar, type Polylang.
4. Click Install Now next to the Polylang plugin.
5. Once installed, click Activate.

✅ Tip: Make sure no other multilingual or SEO plugins are active that handle language switching or hreflang tags to avoid conflicts.

Step 2: Add Your Desired Languages

Once the plugin is active, you’ll be prompted to set up languages.

1. Navigate to Languages > Languages in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Click the “Add New Language” button.
3. From the dropdown menu, select a language (e.g., French, Spanish, German).
4. Choose a language code (automatically filled), a flag icon, and default locale.
5. Click Add New Language.

Repeat this for each additional language you want to support.

⚠️ Caution: The language code (like fr for French or es for Spanish) will be used in hreflang tags, so make sure you choose the correct language from the preset list.

Step 3: Translate Pages, Posts, or Custom Post Types

Once languages are added, you’ll need to create translations for your existing content.

1. Go to Pages > All Pages (or Posts > All Posts).
2. You’ll now see a language column with a “+” icon for each non-default language.
3. Click the “+” icon next to a page under your target language.
4. Add the translated content in the WordPress editor.
5. Publish or update the page.

📝 Polylang treats translations as separate posts that are linked internally. Each language version has its own URL.

You must repeat this process for every page or post that you want available in multiple languages.

Step 4: Check If Hreflang Tags Are Working

Polylang automatically generates hreflang tags in your site’s HTML <head> as soon as multiple versions of a page exist and are linked.

Here’s how to confirm:

1. Visit a translated page on your site.
2. Right-click anywhere on the page and choose View Page Source.
3. Press Ctrl+F (or Command+F on Mac) and type hreflang.

You should see output like:

✅ Make sure each language version links to all the others, including itself, and the x-default (if applicable).

Adding Hreflang Tags with WPML (Premium Plugin)

WPML is a paid plugin that provides full control over multilingual content and SEO. It supports professional translation workflows and integrates hreflang tags automatically.

Step 1: Purchase, Download, and Install WPML

You’ll need to buy a license from wpml.org and download the following components:

• WPML Multilingual CMS
• String Translation
• Translation Management

Then:

1. In WordPress, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
2. Upload each ZIP file and activate them.

Step 2: Configure Site Languages Using WPML Wizard

Once activated, WPML will guide you through a setup wizard:

1. Choose your default language (e.g., English).
2. Select additional target languages from the list (e.g., German, Japanese, Arabic).
3. Configure language switchers for menus, widgets, or footers.
4. Save and complete the setup.

WPML automatically creates translated versions of pages as linked duplicates with distinct URLs.

Step 3: Translate Your Content

You can translate pages using:

• WPML’s Translation Editor (recommended)
• Manual WordPress editor (one by one)
• Assigning jobs to registered translators

Steps:

1. Go to Pages > All Pages
2. Next to each page, click the + icon under the desired language.
3. Add your translation and save.

🎯 WPML stores translations as connected entries and automatically associates them for proper hreflang mapping.

Step 4: Verify and Customize Hreflang Tags

Once translated pages are published, WPML automatically adds hreflang tags in the HTML <head>.

To check:

• View source on any page.
• Look for multiple <link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”…”> entries.

💡 Developers can also customize hreflang behavior using WPML hooks such as wpml_hreflang_tags.

Adding Hreflang Tags with Rank Math Pro

If you rely on Rank Math SEO Pro, you can manage hreflang tags directly through its interface, even if you’re not using a separate translation plugin.

Step 1: Upgrade to Pro and Activate

1. Purchase a license from rankmath.com.
2. Download the Pro plugin ZIP.
3. Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin and activate it.

Step 2: Configure Global Hreflang Settings

1. Navigate to Rank Math > General Settings > Hreflang.
2. Choose your implementation method:
   • Translation Plugin (sync with WPML or Polylang)
   • Different URLs (for TLDs like example.ca, example.fr)
   • Custom Entries

Select how you want Rank Math to generate alternate URLs.

Step 3: Manually Add Hreflang Tags Per Page (if needed)

If you have non-linked or external variations of pages (e.g., different TLDs), you can manually set hreflang entries:

1. Open the desired post/page in the WordPress editor.
2. Scroll to the Rank Math SEO section.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Add alternate language versions under the Hreflang Tags section:

Example:

This tells search engines that this page has equivalent versions in French and Spanish.

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Hreflang Tags

1. Missing Return Links (Bidirectional Linking)

Search engines expect every hreflang link to be reciprocal.

✅ If Page A links to Page B with hreflang,
🔁 Then Page B must link back to Page A with hreflang.

2. Incorrect Language or Region Codes

Use ISO standard codes:

• en = English
• en-US = English (United States)
• fr-CA = French (Canada)

Avoid using unrecognized formats like eng or english.

3. Skipping the x-default Tag

This tag is a fallback for users whose language or region doesn’t match any other version.

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”x-default” href=”https://example.com/” />

4. Plugin Conflicts

Avoid installing multiple SEO plugins or language plugins that try to manage hreflang simultaneously (e.g., using both WPML and TranslatePress). This causes duplicate or invalid tags.

Hreflang Support for Subdomains and Multi-Domain Setups

Whether you use:

• Subdomains (fr.example.com)
• Subdirectories (example.com/fr/)
• Country-specific domains (example.fr, example.de)

…you still need hreflang tags to properly inform search engines.

Make sure:

• Each version is crawlable and indexable
• Canonical tags are not contradicting hreflang
• You configure absolute URLs in the plugin settings (not relative)

Most plugins, including Polylang, WPML, and Rank Math, support cross-domain hreflang if configured properly.

Conclusion

Adding hreflang tags in WordPress is no longer a technical nightmare. With plugins like Polylang, WPML, or Rank Math Pro, you can manage language targeting without writing a single line of code.

If your goal is to grow internationally, reach language-specific audiences, and improve your site’s global SEO footprint, implementing hreflang tags is essential. Just make sure your content is properly translated and mapped.

Once set up, your site becomes more accessible, search engines know what to show, and visitors see content that speaks their language – literally.

Final thought: SEO is not just about rankings. It’s about relevance. Hreflang tags make sure your content is relevant – wherever your visitors come from.

FAQs

How do I know if my hreflang tags are working?

Use Google Search Console’s International Targeting report or tools like ahrefs and hreflang.org.

Can I use hreflang without translating my content?

Technically yes, but it defeats the purpose. Hreflang should be used when versions are at least partially localized.

What’s the difference between hreflang and canonical tags?

Canonical tags prevent duplicate content issues. Hreflang tags help serve the right version based on location or language.

Should I add hreflang to all pages?

Focus on important landing pages, high-traffic blogs, or product pages that have translated versions.

Can I manually add hreflang tags without a plugin?

Yes, via code or functions.php, but it’s risky and hard to scale. Plugins are safer and easier.

Do hreflang tags work with WooCommerce?

Yes. Plugins like WPML and Polylang are WooCommerce-compatible and add hreflang support for product pages.

Is x-default tag mandatory?

No, but it’s recommended to guide users when no regional match exists.

Does hreflang affect page speed or crawl budget?

Not directly. But proper hreflang can reduce bounce rates, boost relevance, and improve crawl efficiency across regional content.

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