What are the hreflang related errors that can occur when running site audits on a Webflow site using Weglot for multilingual functionality?

When auditing a Webflow site using Weglot for multilingual functionality, several hreflang errors may appear due to misconfigurations or conflicts. Below are the common errors and how to address them.

1. Missing Hreflang Tags

• Weglot automatically generates language-specific URLs, but it may not always insert hreflang meta tags directly in the page source.
• Some SEO auditing tools might flag this as a "Missing hreflang" issue.
• Solution: Weglot manages hreflang declarations dynamically, so this warning can usually be ignored unless you manually implemented hreflang tags and they are incomplete.

2. Incorrect Hreflang URL Paths

• Some audits detect missing self-referencing hreflang (the page must reference itself).
• Webflow’s default structure might cause audits to flag Weglot’s translations as invalid due to incorrect hreflang URL references.
• Solution: Go to Weglot Dashboard → Settings → SEO and ensure auto-generated hreflang tags are enabled.

3. Hreflang and Canonical Conflict

• If a page has a canonical tag pointing to the original language version, SEO tools may warn that hreflang and canonical conflict.
• Weglot dynamically switches the content, but the canonical tag in Webflow may not update accordingly.
• Solution: Weglot automatically handles this by adding localized hreflang and canonical URLs, so check if Webflow has a conflicting manual canonical tag.

4. Inconsistent Language Codes

• Weglot uses ISO 639-1 language codes (e.g., fr for French, es for Spanish), but if manual hreflang tags have different formats (e.g., fr-FR vs. fr), it could cause hreflang mismatch errors.
• Solution: Ensure consistency in language codes used in Webflow settings, manual hreflang tags, and Weglot’s autogenerated tags.

5. No Return Hreflang Tags

• Search engines expect bidirectional hreflang confirmation—if Page A in English links to Page B in Spanish, Page B must also link back to Page A.
• If missing, site audits may flag "No return hreflang" warnings.
• Solution: Weglot generally handles this automatically, but check in Weglot Dashboard → Settings → SEO if hreflang tags are not appearing.

6. Incorrect x-default Hreflang

• The x-default hreflang should indicate the default language version of your site.
• If missing or incorrectly pointing to a translated version, SEO audits may flag this issue.
• Solution: Ensure that Weglot specifies an x-default hreflang tag for the default language version under Settings → SEO in the Weglot Dashboard.

Summary

Most hreflang errors in Webflow site audits with Weglot come from missing or conflicting tags, incorrect return hreflang links, and canonical discrepancies. Since Weglot dynamically generates hreflangs, manual fixes in Webflow are usually unnecessary. Check the Weglot Dashboard → Settings → SEO to confirm the setup.