Key takeaways
- Pick one URL structure per client: country domains, subfolders or subdomains. Avoid URL parameters.
- Use hreflang so each version points to itself and to every other version, with return links.
- Do not redirect visitors or change content automatically by IP; let them choose.
- Localize keywords and proof for each market, then track each version separately in Search Console.
International SEO is the work of helping the right version of a client's site appear in each country or language. For agencies, it usually starts with a client in the US, UK, Canada or Australia expanding into another of those markets, or adding a second language. This guide covers the decisions and the setup; it fits inside the same white label SEO delivery as any other technical project.
What is the best URL structure for international SEO?
There is no single best option. Google's documentation describes country-code domains, subdomains and subdirectories as workable, each with trade-offs, and advises against URL parameters. Country domains send the clearest country signal but cost the most to run. Subfolders are easiest to maintain on one site. Subdomains sit in between.
| Option | Example | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country-code domain | example.co.uk | Clear country signal | Costly, more infrastructure, one country per domain |
| Subfolder | example.com/uk/ | Easy setup and maintenance | Country is less obvious from the URL |
| Subdomain | uk.example.com | Easy setup, can use other servers | Users may not know if it means language or country |
| URL parameter | example.com?loc=uk | None | Not recommended by Google |
The table summarizes Google's guide to managing multi-regional and multilingual sites. The subfolder versus subdomain debate in general (blogs, shops, apps) has its own guide: SEO subdomain or subdirectory. For international work, the practical rule we use is simple: if the client will run each country as a separate business with its own team, country domains make sense; if one team runs everything, subfolders are easier to keep consistent.
How does hreflang work?
Hreflang tells Google which pages are language or regional versions of each other. Each version must list itself and every other version, and the links must go both ways, or Google ignores them. You can add it in the HTML head, in HTTP headers or in the XML sitemap. Add an x-default page for unmatched visitors.
Google's guide to localized versions sets the rules agencies get wrong most often:
- Codes: language in ISO 639-1 (en, fr), optional region in ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 (en-GB, en-AU). Other codes are not supported.
- Return links: if two pages do not point to each other, the tags are ignored.
- Self-reference: each page lists itself as well as the others.
- One method: HTML, headers and sitemap are equivalent; pick the one the client's CMS handles best.
- Language detection: Google does not use hreflang or the lang attribute to detect a page's language; it reads the content.
The same guide notes that localized pages are only treated as duplicates if the main content stays untranslated. For English-speaking markets, that means en-US and en-GB pages that differ only in spelling are a weak case; differences in prices, delivery, proof and contact details make each version useful.
Should a site change content automatically by visitor location?
Google advises against it. Its documentation says not to use IP analysis to adapt content and to avoid automatic redirects based on a guess about language, because users and Googlebot may never reach the other versions. Googlebot's default crawl IPs appear to be in the US and it sends requests without an Accept-Language header.
Those two facts come from Google's page on locale-adaptive pages, which recommends separate URLs for each locale with hreflang annotations. In client terms: a UK visitor who lands on the US page should see a clear link to the UK version, not be forced there. Web design agencies often build automatic redirects as a convenience; this is one of the first things to check when a client's international pages are missing from search.
How do you localize content for each country?
Start with keyword research per market, because people in different countries search with different words for the same thing. Then adapt prices, currency, units, spelling, legal notes, contact details, reviews and case examples. Translation alone is rarely enough. Map one primary keyword to one page per market so versions do not compete.
Google lists local signals that help it understand a page's target country, including local addresses and phone numbers, local language and currency, and links from local sites, in the multi-regional sites guide. Use one language per page for content and navigation, as the same guide recommends. Our keyword mapping template works per market: duplicate the sheet for each country and keep the URL column aligned across versions.
How should you set up Search Console for an international site?
Verify a Domain property to see the whole site, then add URL-prefix properties for each country folder or subdomain so each market has its own reports and users. Give each local team access only to its version. Compare clicks and impressions by country filter, and check the Page indexing report per version after every launch.
Search Console's help on adding a property explains that a Domain property covers all subdomains, protocols and paths and requires DNS verification, while a URL-prefix property covers only URLs starting with that prefix. For a client with example.com/uk/ and example.com/au/, that gives one combined view plus one clean view per market.
How do agencies scope international SEO for a client?
Scope it as a setup project followed by per-market retainers. The setup covers the URL structure decision, hreflang implementation, redirects if anything moves, Search Console properties and a keyword map per market. The retainer then covers content and links for each country. Price each market separately, because the work grows with every version.
Setup project
Structure decision, hreflang, Search Console, keyword map per market.
Localization
Rewriting key pages per market, not just translating them.
Migration risk
If URLs change, follow a full migration plan with redirects.
Per-market reporting
One section per country in the monthly report.
If the expansion moves existing pages to new URLs, treat it as a migration and use the domain migration SEO checklist. We support agencies whose clients sell across the US, UK, Canada and Australia; see the markets on our locations page, or book a 30-minute call.
Frequently asked questions
Does a .com rank in other countries?
Yes. Generic domains can target any country; signals such as hreflang, local content and links help Google show the right version.
Is hreflang needed for one language in several countries?
Yes, if you have separate pages for each country, such as en-US and en-GB versions.
Can we use es-419 for Latin American Spanish in hreflang?
No. Google's documentation says only ISO 639-1 language and ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 region codes are supported.
Should every page exist in every market?
No. Publish the pages each market needs; hreflang only links versions that exist.
Is machine translation acceptable?
Only if a fluent person edits it. Google's spam policies cover low-value content made at scale.
About the author
Juan José Giraldo is a senior SEO specialist with 5+ years of experience. He works on technical and local SEO for 600+ US car dealerships and supervises the SEO of 18 US e-commerce stores. He runs White Label SEO LATAM from Medellín, Colombia, and delivers white label SEO for agencies in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Read more · LinkedIn.