Shopify Markets and hreflang: International SEO Done Right
How Shopify Markets handles hreflang, subfolders and domains, the mistakes that stop stores ranking abroad, and how to set up international SEO properly.
- Updated
- 3 min read
- Shopify Markets can serve each country from a subfolder, subdomain or separate domain, and adds hreflang tags for the market URLs you set up.
- hreflang tells Google which version of a page is for which language and country. It does not make a page rank on its own.
- The most common mistakes are identical content in every market, forced redirects based on location and prices that do not match the market.
- Localise more than the currency: keywords, product names, sizing, delivery details and collections.
On this page6 sections
Shopify Markets lets one store sell in many countries, and adds hreflang tags that point Google to the right version of each page for each market. Those tags are necessary, but not enough. Stores that rank abroad also localise their content, avoid forced redirects and keep prices and delivery details consistent in every market.
What does hreflang actually do?
hreflang tells search engines that several URLs are versions of the same page for different languages or countries, for example en-ae for English in the UAE and en-gb for English in the UK. Google uses it to show the right version to the right searcher. It does not make a page rank by itself; it only helps Google choose between versions.
How does Shopify Markets set it up?
When you create markets, you choose how each is served:
| Option | Example | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Subfolder | yourstore.com/en-gb/ |
Most stores: all authority stays on one domain |
| Subdomain | uk.yourstore.com |
Rarely the best choice for SEO |
| Country domain | yourstore.co.uk |
Large brands with local teams and local links |
Shopify then adds hreflang tags for the market URLs, plus an x-default for visitors who do not match a market.
What are the most common mistakes?
- Identical content everywhere. The UK, UAE and US versions share the same copy, same collection names and same FAQs. They are technically correct but give Google little reason to rank them locally.
- Forced geolocation redirects. An app that redirects every visitor based on IP address can stop Google crawling other markets. Use a banner or pop-up that suggests a market instead.
- Prices and delivery that do not match. A UK page showing AED prices, or UK structured data with no UK shipping details.
- Missing or conflicting canonicals. Market pages should canonicalise to themselves, not to the primary market.
- Too many markets too early. Twenty thin markets are harder to maintain and rank than three well-localised ones.
How do you localise a Shopify market properly?
- Keyword research per market. “Trainers” in the UK, “sneakers” in the US, and different product terms in the GCC.
- Localised collection names and copy where the words differ.
- Local delivery and returns on product pages and in structured data.
- Market-specific prices that match what Merchant Center shows in that country.
- Local proof: reviews, press and payment options buyers in that market recognise.
How do you check the setup?
- View the source of a product page in each market and confirm the hreflang tags list every version, including itself.
- Check each market URL returns 200, has a self-referencing canonical and is not blocked in robots.txt.
- In Search Console, filter performance by country and compare which market URLs get impressions where.
- Test from each country (or with a VPN) to make sure no forced redirect blocks access.
Where does this fit?
International setup is one of the areas we check first for Dubai brands selling abroad. See our Shopify SEO checklist, our Shopify SEO services, or the wider ecommerce SEO services we run for stores selling worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify add hreflang tags automatically?
Yes. When you set up Shopify Markets with subfolders, subdomains or domains, Shopify adds hreflang tags that point to each market's version of a page. You should still check they validate and match your setup.
Subfolders or separate domains for Shopify Markets?
Subfolders such as /en-gb/ keep all authority on one domain and are the simplest choice for most stores. Separate country domains can make sense for large brands with local teams and local link building.
Should I redirect visitors based on their location?
Avoid automatic redirects. Google recommends letting users choose, for example with a banner that suggests the right market. Forced redirects can stop Google crawling other versions.
Can the same English content be used in several markets?
It can, and hreflang tells Google which version to show where. But pages rank better when they are localised with the right prices, delivery details and local search terms.
Sources
Lou Hewie
Lou writes Qube Digital’s guides on SEO and AI search for ecommerce brands and UAE businesses.
