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URL Structures for Multi-Language, Multi-Market Websites: SEO Beginner’s Guide

  • Writer: Mag Shum
    Mag Shum
  • Mar 21
  • 3 min read

Learn how to structure URLs for a multi-language, multi-market website to boost SEO, improve user experience, and target the right audiences. This guide covers best practices, examples, and tips for managing language switches—like showing English on a French site—without confusion.


Introduction

Running a website that serves multiple markets and languages—like a French site with an English option—can feel overwhelming. How do you organize URLs to keep search engines happy and users in the right place? The good news: with the right URL structure, you can target specific regions, support language switches, and rank well in search results. This guide walks you through the best practices, using simple examples to show you how it’s done.


Why URL Structure Matters for SEO

Search engines like Google use URLs to understand your site’s content, language, and target audience. A clear structure also helps users navigate and trust your site. For multi-language, multi-market sites, the goal is to signal:


  • Which market (e.g., France, US) you’re targeting.

  • Which language (e.g., French, English) the content is in.

  • How versions relate to avoid duplicate content penalties.


Let’s explore the top approaches and how to apply them.


1. Choose the Right URL Structure

There are three main ways to organize a multi-market, multi-language site. Here’s what they look like with examples:


  • Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs)

    • Example: example.fr (France), example.com (US).

    • Best for: Strong country targeting (e.g., a French brand).

    • Pros: Clear market signal to Google.

    • Cons: Separate domains mean more upkeep.


  • Subdomains

    • Example: fr.example.com (France), us.example.com (US).

    • Best for: Market separation under one domain.

    • Pros: Flexible and manageable.

    • Cons: Slightly weaker country signal than ccTLDs.


  • Subdirectories (Recommended)

    • Example: example.com/fr/ (France), example.com/us/ (US).

    • Best for: Most sites due to simplicity and SEO benefits.

    • Pros: Consolidates domain authority, easy to scale.

    • Cons: Needs extra setup for geotargeting.


    Tip: Subdirectories (example.com/fr/) are the go-to choice for most because they’re cost-effective and SEO-friendly. We’ll use this in our examples below.


2. Handle Language Switching Like a Pro

What if your French site (example.com/fr/) defaults to French, but a user wants English? Here’s how to structure it:


  • Add a Language Layer

    • Default French: example.com/fr/ (e.g., example.com/fr/produits for “products”).

    • English option: example.com/fr/en/ (e.g., example.com/fr/en/products).

    • Why it works: Keeps the market (France) clear while showing the language (English).


  • Example Scenario

    • A user in France visits example.com/fr/ and sees French content.

    • They click “English” in your language switcher, and the URL shifts to example.com/fr/en/.

    • The content switches to English but stays relevant to France (e.g., Euros, local shipping).


  • Avoid This: Don’t use parameters like example.com/fr/?lang=en. Google doesn’t love them, and they’re messy for users.


3. Use Standard Codes for Clarity

Stick to universal codes to label languages and regions:

  • Language: ISO 639-1 (e.g., fr for French, en for English).

  • Region: ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 (e.g., fr for France, us for US).

  • Example:

    • example.com/fr/ → French for France.

    • example.com/fr/en/ → English for France.


This keeps your URLs consistent and search-engine-friendly.


4. Boost SEO with Hreflang Tags

Tell Google which page is for which audience using hreflang tags in your HTML <head>:

<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/fr/" hreflang="fr-fr" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/fr/en/" hreflang="en-fr" />

5. Keep URLs Descriptive and Localized

Use words that match the language and market:


  • French: example.com/fr/chaussures (“shoes”).

  • English for France: example.com/fr/en/shoes.

  • Bad Example: example.com/fr/shoes (English word in a French path—confusing!).

This helps users and search engines understand the page at a glance.


6. Set Up Your Default Market

Decide how to handle your main audience:


  • Root domain: example.com/ (e.g., English for the US).

  • Subdirectories: example.com/fr/ (French), example.com/de/ (German).

  • Example:

    • example.com/ → Default English (US).

    • example.com/fr/ → French (France).

    • example.com/fr/en/ → English (France).


Using the root for your biggest market keeps things clean and builds authority.


7. Test and Tweak

  • Google Search Console: Use the International Targeting report to check geotargeting.

  • Analytics: See if users land on the right version (e.g., French users on example.com/fr/).

  • Redirects: Optionally redirect based on IP or browser language, but let users override it.


Full Example: A Multi-Market Site

Imagine a store targeting the US, France, and Germany:


  • US (Default): example.com/ (English), example.com/products.

  • France:

  • Germany: example.com/de/ (e.g., example.com/de/produkte).

  • Hreflang:

<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/" hreflang="en-us" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/fr/" hreflang="fr-fr" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/fr/en/" hreflang="en-fr" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/de/" hreflang="de-de" />


Conclusion

Building a multi-language, multi-market site doesn’t have to be tricky. Stick with subdirectories (e.g., example.com/fr/), handle language switches clearly (e.g., example.com/fr/en/), and back it up with hreflang tags. Test your setup, keep URLs descriptive, and you’ll rank better while giving users a smooth experience. Start small, scale smart, and watch your global reach grow.

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