Duplicate URL’s used in HREFLang Elements

We have detected that you have used the same URL multiple times in your HREFLang elements.   Typically, each HREFLang element would be unique to a language version of the site.  There are cases where it is acceptable to repeat the URL multiple times.

Use Case 1 – Global and Local Site are the same

In this case with ESPN, this example we should NOT show an error as this is the suggested method for using the same page for a global language and a target market like the US and even an X-Default.  

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”en” href=”https://espn.go.com/” />
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”en-us” href=”https://espn.go.com/” />

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”x-default” href=”https://espn.go.com/” />

1.  The global home page is in English and the desired page for all English countries where another page has been designated for that region.

2.  The global home page is also the page for the United States – note, you can get the same impact using the “en” version but as this is a .com want to ensure it is the version used in the US.

3.  The global home page is also the “default” page to show in any country where there is not a designated page.

Use Case 2 – Regional or Local Site Used for Multiple Markets 

In this use case, the company may have a regional site like /latam or /apac or a /eu site and they want to set it for multiple markets.  Our tool will flag it as a warning just to make sure you did this on purpose.
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-ve” href=”https://www.espn.com.ve/” />
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-cr” href=”https://www.espn.com.ve/” />
<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-gt” href=”https://www.espn.com.ve/” />

Outbrain is an example where they have a single site for Latin America and the Caribbean and don’t want to use the Spain Spanish (see note below) page for all those markets.  They have set each of the countries to the regional page.

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-LA” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-AR” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-BO” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-CL” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-CO” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-CR” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-CU” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-DO” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-EC” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-GT” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-HN” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-HT” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-MX” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-NI” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-PA” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-PE” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-PR” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-PY” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-SV” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-US” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-UY” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-VE” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>

This is not bad except for this entry which is incorrect since the ISO region code for LA is Laos which is in South East Asia not Latin America” which does not have a code.

<link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”es-LA” href=”https://www.outbrain.com/es_la”>