International SEO in Webflow: Full Guide

Expanding your website into global markets is no longer a luxury, it’s a strategic necessity. But with multilingual audiences come new SEO challenges. From proper URL structure and localized content to ensuring your pages rank in the right country, international SEO in Webflow requires a careful, strategic approach.

Thankfully, Webflow has recently made massive strides with its Localization feature, opening up native support for multi-language sites. Still, many teams wonder: Should we use Webflow Localization or stick with third-party tools like Weglot? What about hreflang tags? Is a subfolder or subdomain strategy better for SEO?

This guide unpacks the latest options available in Webflow, compares them to tools like Weglot, and outlines best practices for building multi-language websites without hurting your SEO.

Why international SEO matters for Webflow users

If your Webflow site targets users across different countries, search engines need clear signals about which pages belong to which regions and languages. Otherwise, Google might:

• Show the wrong language page to users
• Treat duplicate content in different languages as SEO spam
• Fail to index region-specific versions at all

Proper international SEO ensures your localized pages are indexed, ranked, and displayed to the right audiences, maximizing organic visibility and conversions globally.

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Webflow’s Localization feature: native multi-language support

Launched in late 2023, Webflow Localization allows you to build multi-language sites directly in Webflow without third-party integrations. It supports:

• Localized URLs with subfolders (e.g., /fr/, /de/, /es/)
• Automatic hreflang tag generation
• Language-specific SEO meta tags
• Unique localized content, images, and CMS entries
• Visual content editing for each locale

This is a major leap forward, especially for enterprise websites looking to manage complex multi-language content structures natively.

Pros of Webflow Localization

• Fully integrated into Webflow Designer
• Clean and SEO-friendly subfolder structure
• Easier to manage CMS localization without sync issues
• Native hreflang support = less technical setup
• Faster site speeds vs. loading via third-party JavaScript

Cons

• Still lacks automated translation (you need to input translations manually or via API)
• Fewer third-party integrations for workflows like glossaries or memory banks
• Extra cost: each locale adds to your Webflow hosting bill

Want to learn more about Webflow localization pricing and setup?
See our guide on Setting Up Localization in Webflow

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Weglot: a powerful alternative for fast translation

Weglot remains a popular option, especially for fast-growing companies who need:

• Automatic machine translation
• Human translation editing
• Easy integration with other CMS platforms
• Quick setup with no CMS restructuring

With Weglot, you can add multilingual capabilities to any Webflow site in under an hour. It creates translated versions of your content on language-specific subdomains (e.g., fr.yoursite.com), while automatically handling SEO tags and hreflang.

Pros of Weglot

• Very fast to implement
• Offers machine + human translation mix
• Supports glossaries and translation memory
• Hreflang and SEO are handled out of the box

Cons

• Uses subdomains, which can dilute SEO authority
• Adds third-party JS to your site, which may impact speed
• Content lives on Weglot servers, not in Webflow CMS
• Paid plans scale with word count and languages—can get pricey

Curious how Weglot stacks up against Webflow’s native tools?
Read our full Webflow vs. Weglot Comparison

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URL structures: subdomains vs. subfolders vs. ccTLDs

One of the biggest SEO decisions for global websites is how to structure URLs for different languages:

Webflow Localization supports subfolder URLs, which is ideal for SEO. This lets your global pages benefit from the domain authority of your primary site.

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Hreflang tags in Webflow: now handled automatically

Correct hreflang implementation is one of the most technically challenging aspects of international SEO. It tells search engines:

“This is the German version of this page, and this other one is in French.”

In the past, implementing hreflang in Webflow required custom code or third-party scripts. But with the new Localization feature, Webflow automatically inserts hreflang tags for each localized page.

Best practices for hreflang:

• Always include a self-referencing hreflang tag
• Use x-default to define fallback/default language
• Match hreflang locale code with page language and region (e.g., fr-FR, en-US)
• Double-check tags in your page source and test with Google’s hreflang testing tool

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Translating content without hurting SEO

Content translation can actually hurt your SEO if not done correctly. Here’s how to avoid common pitfalls:

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1. Avoid duplicate translations

Don’t just auto-translate entire pages and leave them unedited. Poor-quality translations hurt user experience and can get flagged as thin content.

Solution: Use professional translators or review machine translations manually.

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2. Translate meta tags too

SEO titles and meta descriptions should be translated and localized (not just word-for-word translated).

Example:
Don't translate “Best CRM Software” to “Meilleur logiciel CRM” if that’s not what French users search. Instead, research local keywords.

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3. Localize slugs and URLs

Webflow lets you localize page slugs (e.g., /about → /a-propos). This improves local SEO and user clarity.

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Should you use Webflow Localization or Weglot?

Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

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Bonus: advanced international SEO tips for Webflow

Even with Webflow’s built-in features, here’s what separates good from great international SEO:

1. Create locale-specific landing pages
   Not just translated content, build pages specific to local needs, search behavior, and cultural context.
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2. Localize Schema Markup
   ‍Add inLanguage, location, and offerRegion tags to your structured data to help AI tools and Google understand content relevance.
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3. Optimize local site speed
   Host images via Webflow’s CDN, compress localized assets, and test page load times in each target country using tools like GTmetrix or WebPageTest.

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Conclusion: taking Webflow global the smart way

Webflow’s Localization feature makes multi-language SEO easier than ever, but only if implemented properly. Whether you use Webflow’s native features or third-party solutions like Weglot, the key is to serve relevant, well-structured, and search-optimized content to each locale.

As Webflow continues to expand support for global websites, staying ahead with advanced international SEO strategies will set you apart, especially if you're an enterprise or scaling SaaS company.

Need help going global with Webflow?
Learn more about our Webflow Migration Sprint or get started with a free SEO Audit today.