Google's Martin Splitt Shares 3 SEO Tips For Multilingual Sites

In a recent Google Search Central YouTube video, Martin Splitt from the Google Search team shared three SEO tips for multilingual websites.

The video focuses on three aspects of website internationalization:

Website structure
Hreflang attributes
Language selection

Here’s what Splitt advises when managing these three components.

1. Website Structure

Splitt discussed three ways to structure websites for international audiences:

Using local top-level domains (e.g., .de, .fr)
Implementing subdomains
Utilizing subdirectories

Splitt explained:

“The most common and recommended ways to deal with International sites is to either use local top level domains like .de or .it or so on, or use subdomains or subdirectories.”

He added that:

“each of these come with their own pros and cons, so make sure to pick carefully and pick whatever works best for your specific case.”

You can see the pros and cons he’s referring to in the screenshot below:

Screenshot from: YouTube.com/GoogleSearchCentral, October 2024.

2. Hreflang Attributes

The second tip revolves around the proper use of hreflang attributes.

These attributes help search engines understand the relationships between different language versions of a page.

Splitt outlined three key points:

Use valid language and country code combinations
Ensure all language variations link to each other
Include self-referential links for each language version

Splitt states:

“First things first, make sure the attributes are valid. Use valid language country code variations. And then make sure that all variations link to each other.

Last but not least, make sure to also include a self-referential link. For example, this German page references itself along with the English and Japanese versions.”

See the screenshot below for the example he’s referring to:

Screenshot from: YouTube.com/GoogleSearchCentral, October 2024.

Here are examples of valid use of attributes compared to an invalid use:

Screenshot from: YouTube.com/GoogleSearchCentral, October 2024.

Lastly, Splitt noted that hreflang can be implemented through HTML tags, HTTP headers, or XML sitemaps.

See also: Google On How To Simplify Hreflang Implementation

3. Language Selection

The third recommendation focuses on language version.

Splitt suggests providing links to different language versions rather than automatically redirecting visitors based on assumed preferences.

He stated:

“Do not automatically assume or forcefully redirect your users to a specific version. By linking to different language or country versions, you give users a choice and help Google bot and others discover these versions as well.”

Screenshot from: YouTube.com/GoogleSearchCentral, October 2024.

Bonus Tip: Quality Over Quantity

In an additional tip, Splitt cautioned against over-doing your international SEO efforts.

He recommended focusing on locations that matter to your business and can be properly supported.

Splitt advised

“Don’t overdo it with internationalization. Pick the locales and countries that really matter to you and you’re willing to support properly.

Instead of lackluster translated pages, make sure you have content that is useful to the different audiences in the countries you care about and make sure they have a great experience on each of your language variations.”

See also: 4 Technical SEO Tips For Multilingual Websites

Why This Matters

As your business grows, website internationalization becomes increasingly important.

By following these guidelines from Google, you can improve your site’s visibility in international search results while providing a better experience for visitors.

See the full video below: