How do I configure hreflang tags for multilingual versions?

Why configure hreflang tags?

Key points • Hreflang tags tell Google which language version to display • They prevent duplicate content between French and English pages • Proper configuration strengthens your international SEO and user experience

Hreflang tags are essential for any hotel website offering multiple languages. They allow Google to automatically display the most appropriate version based on the visitor's language or country. When properly configured, they prevent duplicate content and ensure a seamless user experience for your international guests.

Understanding how hreflang tags work

Each multilingual page must link to its equivalent version in other languages, as well as to itself. This explicitly tells search engines: • “Here is the French version of this page” • “Here is the English version of this same page”

Thus, Google knows that the pages are linguistic variations and not duplicate content.

Configuring hreflang tags on your site

1. Create independent versions for each language

Ensure that for each French page there is an equivalent English page. For example: • /fr/chambres/chambre-deluxe • /en/rooms/deluxe-room

Organize your dynamic CMS pages with language fields to filter and structure your content by version (FR, EN).

2. Add the hreflang tags to your SEO settings

In your Page Settings, go to the “SEO” section and use the Custom Code area in the <head> tag.

For a French page, you would add:

Each version must include tags to all other versions, including itself.

💡 Tip: always use absolute URLs (starting with https://).

3. Integration into dynamic CMS pages

For your dynamic pages (Rooms, Offers, Blog), create in your collection: • a Language field (FR/EN) • a Linked Page field (Reference) → to associate the opposite version Example: a FR article points to its EN equivalent.

In your CMS template, insert conditional code using your fields:

Thus, each article, room or offer automatically generates its own hreflang.

4. Add the x-default tag

The x-default tag tells Google which version to display when it doesn't know the user's language. You can define: • the French homepage, • the English homepage, • or a neutral version like /home.

5. Check your hreflang tags

Use external tools such as: • Ahrefs Hreflang Checker • Screaming Frog • Search Console → International Targeting

These tools detect: • missing tags • mismatches • non-reciprocal URLs (a common problem)

💡 Golden rule: each page must link to other versions AND be linked from them.

Conclusion

Configuring hreflang tags on a multilingual hotel website ensures better indexing, avoids duplicates, and improves the international experience. By using FR/EN mirror pages, CMS fields for linked versions, and clean tags in your templates, you guarantee clear and effective SEO across all your markets.