Technical Implementation

Compliant hreflang implementation with full ISO support

A feature of the Hreflang Manager plugin for WordPress

What does the plugin hreflang implementation do?

Hreflang Manager implements hreflang following Google’s hreflang specifications and fully supports all relevant ISO standards for languages, scripts, and regions. This implementation allows you to configure simple or complex international and multilingual setups while ensuring maximum compatibility and complete flexibility.

Build a reliable hreflang foundation

  • Ensure full compliance with Google’s hreflang specifications
  • Use valid ISO language, script, and region codes worldwide
  • Support complex international setups without technical limitations
Upgrade your international SEO with Hreflang Manager
Manage, validate, and maintain a correct hreflang implementation across your entire site or multisite network.

Why full hreflang compliance matters

Hreflang is not just a configuration detail, it is a technical specification governed by Google’s guidelines and multiple ISO standards. Even small deviations, such as invalid codes or unsupported combinations, can cause hreflang annotations to be ignored entirely.

Hreflang Manager is built with strict compliance in mind. Every hreflang tag generated by the plugin follows the official standards, giving you confidence that your implementation is technically correct, future-proof, and recognized by search engines.

How Hreflang Manager implements hreflang

Hreflang Manager outputs hreflang annotations as <link rel="alternate" hreflang="…"> tags in the <head> section of each page. This is the most widely supported and recommended method for hreflang implementation and works with any theme or front-end setup.

The implementation is independent of page builders, content editors, or front-end frameworks, making it suitable for both simple websites and complex enterprise networks.

Supported languages (ISO 639-1)

Hreflang Manager supports all languages defined by the ISO 639-1 standard, allowing you to target every officially recognized two-letter language code.

This makes the plugin suitable not only for common languages, but also for less frequently used or highly specialized language setups.

Supported scripts (ISO 15924)

Hreflang Manager fully supports ISO 15924 script codes, enabling precise targeting for languages that use multiple writing systems.

For example, you can correctly differentiate between Simplified and Traditional Chinese or other script-specific variations, ensuring search engines understand exactly which version should be shown to each audience.

Supported countries and regions (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2)

The plugin supports all ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes, allowing you to create region-specific hreflang combinations for any country worldwide.

This makes Hreflang Manager suitable for global businesses, international publishers, and regionally targeted content strategies.

X-default support

Hreflang Manager allows you to define an x-default hreflang value to specify a fallback page when no language or regional match applies.

This is especially useful for:

  • global landing pages
  • language or country selector pages
  • default versions shown to users outside your targeted locales

The x-default option is implemented according to Google’s specifications and integrates seamlessly with other hreflang annotations.

Network size and scalability

The Pro version of Hreflang Manager supports up to 100 alternate pages per URL.

This makes it suitable for large multilingual networks and enterprise-level installations where a single page may have dozens of localized or regional variants.

Frequently asked questions

Does Hreflang Manager use the recommended hreflang implementation method?
Yes. Hreflang annotations are added as <link> tags in the page head, which is the most widely supported and recommended approach by search engines.
Are all ISO codes validated?
Yes. The plugin only supports valid ISO language, script, and country codes, helping prevent invalid hreflang values that could cause search engines to ignore your annotations.
Is the 100-locale limit per site or per page?
The limit applies per page and defines the maximum number of alternate hreflang references that can be associated with a single URL in the Pro version.
Upgrade your international SEO with Hreflang Manager
Manage, validate, and maintain a correct hreflang implementation across your entire site or multisite network.