What the visitor sees
Before clicking, they read the URL under the title in the search results. A URL in their own language confirms they'll land on a page they understand. A URL in a language they can't read makes them hesitate.
What Google sees
Google asks for a separate URL for each language: that's what really counts. Its best practices also include using words in your audience's language in the URL: that's a plus, not a requirement, and it isn't what decides rankings. Above all, the same URL must not change language from one visit to the next.
What to avoid
- Changing a URL Google already knows. If you rename a page, the old URL must lead to the new one, or you lose what it had earned.
- Two pages at the same URL. Two pieces of content with the same title must not get the same translated URL.
- A URL that depends on the browser. If the language is chosen by a cookie or by the browser's language, under a single URL, Google only sees one version.
Sources (read on 15/10/2026)
- Google Search Central, “Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites”
- Google Search Central, “URL structure best practices for Google Search”