The playbook
Hreflang Tags: Template and Field Guide
This hreflang tags template turns a broad task into a record another person can use. It captures URL, language, alternate URL, then connects that information to a decision. Copy the table into your working document or system and create a separate record for each item in scope.
Put the task in context
Map equivalent localized pages together and check the references in both directions. The French version of a service guide should refer to its actual English equivalent, not automatically to the English homepage. Verify that alternate destinations are available and appropriate.
Copyable worksheet
| Field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| URL | Record the URL associated with this page or query record. Use a stable reference so later updates can be matched. |
| language | Record the language associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| alternate URL | Record the alternate URL associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| reciprocal check | Record the reciprocal check associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| Decision field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| Observed problem | Describe the actual condition and where it was observed. |
| Recommended action | State the smallest action that resolves the documented problem. |
| Evidence | Link to the record, observation, or test supporting the action. |
| Owner and next review | Name the accountable person and when the decision should be revisited. |
How to complete the worksheet
Begin with URL. Use the same reference throughout the record so notes are not attached to the wrong item. Then create a complete set of equivalent localized URLs. This establishes the information required before the worksheet becomes a request for action.
Next, check language codes and reciprocal references. Use the observed problem and evidence fields to explain why that step is needed. A useful entry describes an actual condition, such as referencing pages that are unavailable or not equivalent, rather than a broad instruction to “improve performance.”
Finally, keep canonical choices consistent with localization. Put repair the alternate set and remove unsupported mappings in the action field only when it addresses the observed condition. If the problem is different, change the action. The template is a structure for judgment, not a reason to apply the same fix everywhere.
Illustrative completed decision
| Part | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Problem | Referencing pages that are unavailable or not equivalent |
| Action | Repair the alternate set and remove unsupported mappings |
| First check | Create a complete set of equivalent localized URLs |
| Follow-up check | Keep canonical choices consistent with localization |
| Outcome to define | valid alternate-page relationships |
Adapt the fields without losing meaning
You can add fields required by your team, but each should change a decision or preserve necessary context. Keep factual observations separate from recommendations. If language changes, record the new value and its effective date instead of silently rewriting the context of an earlier decision.
Use the record in a handoff
Ask the receiving owner to explain the next action using only the worksheet. Missing context becomes visible quickly during that exercise. Repair the record before applying the structure to a larger batch. Keep valid alternate-page relationships connected to the item so the team can later assess whether the action was useful.
Search results and indexing decisions are not controlled by the publisher. Record what your team changed and what was observed afterward. Avoid turning a correlation between a release and a traffic change into a claim of proven causation.
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