International SEO Is 90% Strategy, 10% Tools
Hreflang is the easy part. The hard part is deciding your URL structure, content localization approach, and whether to target languages or countries. Tools help with implementation, not strategy.
Aleyda's Hreflang Generator
The best free hreflang generator. Aleyda Solis is one of the foremost international SEO experts, and this tool reflects that expertise. Generates correct syntax, handles edge cases, and includes the often-forgotten x-default tag.
Hreflang Tools
Hreflang errors are common and subtle. Use generators and validators.
Aleyda's Hreflang Tags Generator
USE ITEnter your URLs and language/country targets, get properly formatted hreflang tags. Handles both HTML and XML sitemap formats. Includes x-default. From someone who actually does international SEO professionally.
TechnicalSEO.com Hreflang Tool
USE ITAnother excellent free hreflang generator and validator. Good for checking existing implementations for errors. Different interface than Aleyda's - try both.
Google International Targeting Docs
USE ITOfficial documentation on hreflang, geotargeting, and language targeting. Read this before implementing anything. Many hreflang errors come from not understanding the spec.
Translation & Localization
DeepL
USE ITBest machine translation quality. Significantly better than Google Translate for European languages. Use for first-draft translations, then have native speakers review. API available for automation.
Weglot
SITUATIONALWebsite translation layer. Adds multilingual support without duplicating your site. Handles hreflang automatically. Good for adding languages quickly. But: creates dependency on their service and adds JavaScript.
TranslatePress
SITUATIONALWordPress multilingual plugin. Visual translation interface. Better than WPML for simple implementations. Creates actual translated pages rather than JavaScript overlay.
Lokalise
SITUATIONALTranslation management system for development teams. Useful for apps and complex sites with many translatable strings. Overkill for content sites, essential for software products.
Smartling
SITUATIONALEnterprise translation management. Workflow automation, translation memory, and professional translator networks. For large-scale localization operations, not small sites.
Non-Google Search Engines
If you're targeting China, Russia, Korea, or Czech Republic, Google isn't dominant.
Baidu Webmaster Tools
SITUATIONALChina's dominant search engine. If you're serious about the Chinese market, you need this. Different SEO rules - Baidu favors Chinese-hosted content and has different crawling behavior. Requires verification and ideally a .cn domain or ICP license.
Yandex Webmaster
SITUATIONALRussia's search engine (~60% market share there). Similar to Google's tools. If targeting Russian speakers, submit your site here. Yandex Metrica is a solid analytics alternative too.
Naver Search Advisor
SITUATIONALSouth Korea's dominant search platform. Very different from Google - portal-style with integrated blogs, Q&A, and shopping. Korean market requires Naver optimization.
Seznam Webmaster
SITUATIONALCzech Republic's search engine (still ~25% market share). If targeting Czech users specifically, worth submitting your site. Otherwise, Google handles Czech fine.
International SEO Strategy Decisions
Before touching any tools, answer these questions:
- Languages or countries? Spanish for Spain vs Spanish for Mexico requires different approaches.
- URL structure? Subdomains (de.example.com), subdirectories (example.com/de/), or ccTLDs (example.de)?
- Content strategy? Full translation, localization, or unique content per market?
- Hosting? Local hosting matters for some markets (especially China).
- Link building? Each market needs local links, not just translated content.
Hreflang generators won't solve strategic mistakes. Get the strategy right first.