In today's globalized world, businesses and websites cater to audiences from all over the world, and it has become essential to communicate with them in their native language. This is where language selectors come into play. Implementing a language selector on your website is not just a good user experience, but it is also a vital step towards SEO success. 

In this blog, we will explore the best practices for implementing a Hreflang & language selector and how it can positively impact your SEO efforts.

A language selector is a feature that allows users to choose their preferred language on a website. It can be in the form of a drop-down menu, flags, or language buttons. When a user selects their preferred language, the website content is automatically translated, making it easier for them to navigate and understand.

1. Place the Language Selector in a Visible Location
   Your language selector should be easy to find and access. It is best to place it in a visible location, such as the top of the page, where it is visible to all users.
    
2. Use Clear and Concise Language Options
   Make sure the language options you offer are clear and concise. Use the standard language codes such as "EN" for English, "FR" for French, and so on. Avoid using ambiguous language such as "Other" or "Miscellaneous."
   
   For example- Amazon France
   For example- Amazon United Kingdom 
    
3. Use a Universal Icon for the Language Selector 
   Using a universal icon for the language selector, such as a flag or globe, makes it easier for users to understand the function of the selector.
    
4. Ensure Accurate Translations 
   The translations of your website content must be accurate and high-quality. Poor translations can harm your website's credibility and negatively impact user experience. You can either use a professional translation service or machine translation with post-editing by a professional.
    
5. Internal Linking for Translations 
   The following section emphasizes the careful considerations that must be prioritized when implementing an internal linking structure while selecting translated versions of a webpage from the language selector. This includes hyperlinks, redirects, and subfolders. 
   
   1. Hyperlinks- 
      To improve the user experience, it is important to include hyperlinks to other language versions of a webpage from the language selector instead of automatically redirecting users from one language version of the site to another. Such redirections could prevent users and Google from viewing or crawling all versions of the site.
       
   2. Redirects- It is important to ensure that links redirect to the 1-1 variant of the page so that users do not end up on a page they did not intend to view when selecting their preferred language. Internal linking between pages via the language selector can also help with Hreflang mapping and ensure that users are directed to the correct page on Google. The Hreflang attribute signals to Google bots that users who search in language "A" should be directed to this result instead of a page with similar content in language "B". A well-structured internal linking strategy from the language selector (1-1 variant) reinforces this signal and increases the likelihood that the page will appear in Google based on relevancy. Importantly, this will ensure that the user is served the correct localized language variant of the page.
      
      If this is not implemented, users may leave the site entirely due to poor navigation when returning to their desired page. An efficient internal linking structure requires a simple and seamless user journey.
       
   3. Subfolders- It is recommended to use language subfolders when optimizing for a multilingual site to ensure that the translated content is appropriately indexed by Google (e.g., .com/en or .com/fr). Implementing language subfolders can enhance the website's search engine rankings and improve the overall user experience. 
       
6.   Use Hreflang Tags 
   Hreflang tags are HTML attributes that tell search engines which language version of a page to serve to users based on their language and location. These tags help search engines understand the relationship between different language versions of a page, preventing duplicate content issues and ensuring the correct language version appears in search results. Ensure to use Hreflang tags properly to ensure your website's SEO success. 

In conclusion, implementing a language selector & Hreflang is a best practice for SEO success. By providing users with the ability to choose their preferred language, you can improve the user experience, increase engagement and conversion rates, enhance localization, and gain a competitive advantage. So, if you have an international website, make sure to implement a language selector to help drive SEO success.