Hreflang Sync

Why do you need Hreflang Sync?

Hreflang annotations must be present on all localized versions of a page to be valid. This bidirectional requirement means that every time you add, update, or change a page, hreflang data must be updated consistently across the entire network.

On a small setup this may be manageable. On networks with a high number of site, it quickly becomes tedious, error-prone, or simply unrealistic.

Hreflang Sync solves this problem by allowing you to enter hreflang data on one single site only, while all other sites automatically inherit and stay aligned with that configuration. New pages, URL changes, and updates are propagated without requiring repeated manual edits on every site.

How the sync feature works

When Hreflang Sync is enabled, one site in your network is designated as the controller. This is the only site where hreflang data is manually entered and managed.

All other sites are configured as responder sites. These sites do not require manual hreflang configuration. Instead, they automatically inherit hreflang data from the controller site and apply it locally, ensuring consistent annotations and proper reciprocal linking across the network.

This controller–responder model allows you to centralize hreflang management while keeping every site compliant.

Technical implementation (behind the scenes)

From a technical perspective, the controller site exposes its hreflang data through a dedicated REST API endpoint. Responder sites retrieve this data using scheduled background tasks implemented via WordPress WP-Cron.

The synchronization runs automatically in the background and requires no user interaction once configured. This approach ensures compatibility with standard WordPress hosting environments while remaining scalable across large multisite networks.

Defining the sync frequency

Different networks have different needs. A small site with infrequent updates may not require the same sync frequency as a large publishing network with daily changes.

Hreflang Manager allows you to configure how often synchronization runs by adjusting the WP-Cron scheduling options. This lets you balance update speed, server resources, and indexing requirements based on the size and activity of your network.

Getting started with Hreflang Sync

Setting up Hreflang Sync is straightforward:

1. Choose the site where hreflang data will be manually managed and configure it as the controller.
2. Configure the remaining sites as responder sites and enter the controller site’s URL.

Once configured, hreflang data is automatically synchronized across the network. No further manual updates are required to keep sites aligned.