Multilingual SEO basics: hreflang tags and common mistakes
"We built both Japanese and English pages properly, but Japanese pages still show in English search results" — or the reverse. When running a multilingual site, this happens often.
In most cases the cause is missing or incorrect hreflang tags. This article explains hreflang fundamentals and common mistakes for ryokan and small inns.
What hreflang tags do
Hreflang tells search engines which language and region a page targets, and where alternate-language versions live.
Basic implementation
Each page should list all language versions including itself. Use subdirectory URLs like /en/ rather than ?lang=en.
Common mistakes
- Missing self-reference on each language page
- One-way links only (must be reciprocal)
- URL mismatches (trailing slashes, http vs https)
- Hreflang without real English content
- CMS plugin defaults never reviewed
Summary
Hreflang is foundational for multilingual SEO. HAKO Scan checks hreflang as part of international readiness.