How to Use Canonical Tags for International SEO and Multilingual Sites

If you have a website that targets users in different countries or languages, you might face some challenges when it comes to SEO. One of these challenges is how to deal with duplicate content issues that can arise from having multiple versions of the same page for different locales. Duplicate content can negatively affect your site’s ranking and user experience, as Google might not be able to determine which version of your page is the most relevant for a given query.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem: canonical tags. Canonical tags are HTML elements that tell Google which version of a page is the preferred one to index and show in the search results. By using canonical tags, you can avoid duplicate content issues and ensure that Google displays the right page for the right audience.

In this blog post, we will explain how to use canonical tags for international SEO and multilingual sites, and what are the best practices to follow.

What are canonical tags?

Canonical tags are HTML elements that look like this:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/en/page" />

The rel="canonical" attribute indicates that the page is the canonical version of itself or another page. The href attribute specifies the URL of the canonical page.

A canonical tag can be self-referential, meaning that it points to the same URL as the current page. This is useful when you have multiple URLs that display the same content, such as:

• https://example.com/en/page
• https://example.com/en/page?utm_source=facebook
• https://example.com/en/page/index.html

By adding a self-referential canonical tag to each of these pages, you tell Google that they are all equivalent, and that the first URL is the preferred one to index and show in the search results.

A canonical tag can also be cross-referential, meaning that it points to a different URL than the current page. This is useful when you have different versions of the same page for different languages or regions, such as:

• https://example.com/en/page (English version)
• https://example.com/fr/page (French version)
• https://example.com/de/page (German version)

By adding a cross-referential canonical tag to each of these pages, you tell Google that they are all variations of the same page, and that one of them is the preferred one to index and show in the search results. For example, if you want the English version to be the canonical one, you would add this tag to each page:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/en/page" />

How to use canonical tags for international SEO and multilingual sites?

Using canonical tags for international SEO and multilingual sites can help you avoid duplicate content issues and improve your site’s performance. However, there are some best practices that you should follow to ensure that your canonical tags work properly and do not cause any confusion or errors.

Here are some tips on how to use canonical tags for international SEO and multilingual sites:

• Use different URLs for different language or region versions of your page. This will make it easier for Google and users to identify and access your content. You can use subdomains, subdirectories, or parameters to differentiate your URLs. For example:
  • https://en.example.com/page (subdomain)
  • https://example.com/en/page (subdirectory)
  • https://example.com/page?lang=en (parameter)
• Use hreflang annotations to tell Google about the different language or region versions of your page. Hreflang annotations are HTML elements or HTTP headers that indicate the language and region of a page. They help Google understand the relationship between your pages and display the appropriate version in the search results based on the user’s location and preference. You can use hreflang annotations in combination with canonical tags to optimize your site for international SEO and multilingual sites. For example, if you have three versions of your page for English, French, and German users, you would add these tags to each page:
  • <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/en/page" /><link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/en/page" /><link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://example.com/fr/page" /><link rel="alternate" hreflang="de" href="https://example.com/de/page" />
  The rel="alternate" attribute indicates that the page is an alternative version of another page. The hreflang attribute specifies the language and region of the page using ISO codes. The href attribute specifies the URL of the page.
• Choose one version of your page as the canonical one and point all other versions to it using cross-referential canonical tags. This will help Google consolidate your signals and rank your site more effectively. You can choose any version of your page as the canonical one, but it is recommended to choose the one that has the most traffic, links, or authority. For example, if you want the English version to be the canonical one, you would add this tag to each page:
  • <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/en/page" />
• Make sure that your canonical tags are consistent and accurate. Do not use conflicting or incorrect canonical tags, as this can confuse Google and cause indexing or ranking issues. For example, do not use:
  • Self-referential canonical tags on pages that have cross-referential canonical tags on other pages.
  • Cross-referential canonical tags that point to non-existent or irrelevant pages.
  • Canonical tags that point to pages with different content or functionality.
• Test and validate your canonical tags using Google Search Console and other tools. You can use Google Search Console to check if your canonical tags are working properly and if Google is indexing and displaying your pages correctly. You can also use other tools such as Bing Webmaster Tools, Moz, or Screaming Frog to audit and analyze your canonical tags and identify any issues or errors.

Conclusion

Canonical tags are a powerful tool for international SEO and multilingual sites, as they can help you avoid duplicate content issues and improve your site’s performance. By using canonical tags correctly and following the best practices outlined in this blog post, you can ensure that Google understands your site and displays the right page for the right audience.

If you need any help with implementing or optimizing canonical tags for your site, feel free to contact us. We are a team of SEO experts who can help you achieve your online goals. We offer a free consultation and a customized quote for your project. Contact us today and let us help you grow your business online.