Hreflang Basics for Single-Language and Multi-Language Sites

Crystal Ball checks covered

HREFLANG_FOUND, HREFLANG_NOT_FOUND, international SEO context

What the flag means

Crystal Ball may mention hreflang when it finds language alternates or when a page appears to have multilingual context. Hreflang is used for alternate language or regional versions of the same content.

This is not usually needed for a normal single-language local website. The problem appears when multilingual sites have missing, mismatched, or fake alternates. Bad hreflang can send crawlers through a crooked portal.

Common causes

Common causes include multilingual plugins, Shopify Markets, copied theme code, translated pages without reciprocal tags, language selectors that use JavaScript only, or hreflang tags pointing to URLs that do not exist.

How to fix it

Custom HTML/static: Only add hreflang when you have alternate language or regional versions. Googleâ€™s localized versions guide explains reciprocal tags.
WordPress: Use a multilingual plugin such as WPML, Polylang, or TranslatePress and verify reciprocal tags on published URLs.
Shopify: Shopify Markets and translation apps may generate hreflang. Check language/market URLs and make sure alternates are accurate.
Wix: Wix Multilingual can create language versions and SEO settings. Confirm each translated page points to the correct alternate version.
Webflow: Add hreflang manually or through localization settings/integrations when using language-specific URLs. Do not add fake alternates for pages that do not exist.

Need help?

If the fix gets murky, visit Support and send the details. Bug reports and Crystal Ball questions are free support. Implementation and development work may be paid support, but we will tell you clearly before anything becomes paid. No surprise invoices from the tower.