Hreflang tags tell Google which language version of a page to show a searcher. On a UAE site with Arabic and English pages, they stop Google from sending Arabic speakers to your English page. For them to work, each version has to list itself and every other version, use valid codes and point to full, live URLs.
So if your Arabic pages barely get traffic, or the wrong language keeps turning up in Google, start here.
What Are Hreflang Tags?
They're small <link> elements in a page's <head> that connect the same content across languages or countries. On a bilingual services page, they'd look like this:
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.ae/en/services/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="ar" href="https://example.ae/ar/services/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.ae/en/services/" />
The exact same block goes on the English page and on the Arabic page.
One thing people often get wrong: hreflang doesn't tell Google what language a page is in. Google works that out on its own. The tags only say "these pages are versions of each other."
Who Needs Hreflang Tags?
Any site that has the same content in more than one language, or for more than one country, needs them. In the UAE, that usually means:
Arabic and English websites (the most common case by far)
GCC brands with separate UAE and Saudi pages, where the prices or rules differ
Property, clinic and tourism sites that also publish in Russian, Hindi or Persian
If your whole site is in one language for one market, you can skip hreflang. It won't do anything for you.
Still deciding which languages to add? Our guide to multilingual SEO in Dubai covers that decision. Hreflang comes after it.
How Do Hreflang Tags Work?
Google treats the linked pages as one group. When someone searches, it shows whichever page in the group best fits that person's language and location.
Say your English page ranks for a query. An Arabic-speaking user in Sharjah searches the same thing. If your tags are set up properly, Google swaps in the Arabic page at that same position.
A few things to keep in mind:
It's a hint. Google can ignore it if your other signals disagree.
Links have to go both ways. If English points to Arabic but Arabic doesn't point back, Google drops that pair.
Every page lists itself too, not just the other versions.
Should You Use ar or ar-AE?
Most UAE sites only need ar and en. Use a country code like ar-AE only if you've got separate pages for different countries.
Plenty of local guides say to always use ar-AE. Google doesn't require that, and it can work against you. If your only Arabic page is tagged ar-AE, you've told Google it's meant for the UAE. An Arabic speaker searching from Riyadh or Doha might not get it.
Your setup | Codes to use |
|---|---|
One Arabic and one English version | ar, en, x-default |
Separate UAE and Saudi pages | ar-AE, ar-SA, en-AE, en-SA, plus ar and en as a fallback |
Homepage with a language picker | Point x-default at the picker page |
Watch the format. The language goes first, then the country, with a hyphen between them (ar_AE won't work). A country code can't stand alone, either. hreflang="ae" gets read as a language, not the Emirates. And for Britain, it's en-GB. Google ignores en-UK.
Where Do Hreflang Tags Go?
You've got three options, and Google treats them all the same:
In the page <head>. Most WordPress and Shopify setups do this, usually through a plugin.
In your XML sitemap. This is easier to manage on big ecommerce sites with lots of languages.
In HTTP headers. You'd only really need this for PDFs.
Pick one. Running two or three at once doesn't help, and it gives you more places for mistakes to hide.
How to Add Hreflang Tags Correctly
List your page pairs. A spreadsheet works fine: one row per page, one column per language. Only pair pages that really match.
Give each language its own URL. Folders like /en/ and /ar/ are the simplest. If a toggle just swaps the text on one URL, Google only ever sees one language.
Add the full block to every version. Use complete URLs with https://. Relative paths like /ar/contact won't work.
Check your canonicals. Each page should have a canonical tag pointing to itself. Your Arabic canonical should never point to the English page.
Link only to live pages. Every URL should load normally, with no redirects or 404s. Our guide to HTTP status codes explains why.
Set the page language. Add <html lang="ar" dir="rtl"> on Arabic pages. Bing and screen readers use it, even though Google doesn't.
Got a large site where full linking gets messy? Google accepts partial sets. Just make sure each new language links both ways to your main one.
Common Hreflang Mistakes on UAE Websites
The one we come across most on Dubai sites is missing return tags. English points to Arabic, and Arabic says nothing back. To fix it, copy the identical block onto every version.
The next most common is a canonical pointing to the wrong language. The Arabic page's canonical names the English URL, so Google drops the Arabic page and the tags have nothing to swap in.
Other mistakes to look out for:
Half-translated pages. If the menu is in Arabic but the main content is still in English, Google treats the page as a duplicate.
Tags added only by JavaScript, or tags that end up outside the <head> because of a broken template.
Old tags after a redesign that still point to URLs that now redirect. If traffic fell after a relaunch, read our guide to rankings drops in SEO.
Redirecting visitors by location. Googlebot mostly crawls from the US, so it may never see your Arabic pages. Let people choose their language instead.
How Do You Check Hreflang Tags in 2026?
You'll need a crawler. Google took the hreflang report out of Search Console back in 2022, though some guides still tell you to look for it.
Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, Ahrefs and Semrush all flag missing return links, bad codes and alternates that redirect. After that, run URL Inspection in Search Console to make sure each language version is actually indexed. Then re-crawl every time the site changes, because hreflang tends to drift as pages get added or moved.
On larger sites, broken alternates also waste crawl budget. If you'd rather have the whole site checked, here's how a technical SEO audit in Dubai works.
Do Hreflang Tags Affect AI Search?
Indirectly, yes. AI Overviews pull from pages Google has already indexed. If broken tags lead Google to fold your Arabic page into the English one, that Arabic content can't be cited, because as far as Google's concerned it isn't there. And since fewer brands compete for Arabic AI answers, a clean setup can make a real difference. There's more on this in our guide to AI Overviews SEO.
Get Your Hreflang Setup Checked
Most hreflang problems can be fixed without rebuilding the site. At Eyes On Solution, we review hreflang, canonicals and language URLs as part of our technical SEO service, then fix the pairs that cost you the most traffic first. Planning to expand past the UAE? Our guide to hiring an international SEO expert explains what that work involves. You can contact us for a free audit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need hreflang tags for an Arabic and English website?
Yes, as long as the two versions sit on separate URLs. Without the tags, Google has to guess which version to show each searcher.
What is hreflang x-default?
It's the fallback page for anyone whose language you don't cover. It's optional. Most UAE sites point it at the English page or at a language selector.
What happens if hreflang tags are wrong?
Google ignores the broken parts. The wrong language may rank, your versions may compete with each other, or your Arabic pages may fall out of the results.
Can I use hreflang and canonical tags together?
Yes, and you should. Each version gets a canonical pointing to itself. Don't point one language's canonical at another language.
Is hreflang a ranking factor?
No. It won't move you up the results. It decides which version shows in the position you've already earned.
Does Bing use hreflang?
Bing reads it, but it relies more on the lang attribute and the content-language setting. That's why it's worth setting lang correctly on every page.
How do I add hreflang tags in WordPress?
Plugins like WPML, Polylang and TranslatePress add them for you. It's still worth checking the output, because themes and settings can break it.
