Href lang issues - help needed!

[mypetgiftbox]

Hi, I have an issue with Google indexing the US version of our website rather than the UK version on Google.co.uk. I have added hreflang tags to both sites (https://www.pacapod.com/ and https://us.pacapod.com/), have updated and submitted an XML sitemap for each website and checked that the country targeting in search console is set-up correctly but Google are still indexing the wrong website.  I would be grateful for any assistance with this issue. Many thanks Eddie

[mypetgiftbox]

Hi Tom, I'm not too sure what the developers have done but the issue is that the UK website doesn't appear to be getting indexed in Google.co.uk but their US website is.  When you visit the site you are prompted to select which country site you would like to visit and I'm not sure if this is causing the issue.  I've also used the fetch as Google tool in search console and it's returning a re-direct message from https://www.pacapod.com/ to https://us.pacapod.com/.

Thanks Eddie

[ThomasHarvey]

When you say country targeting, do you mean ip redirects?

[mypetgiftbox]

Hi, I haven't managed to resolve this issue unfortunately and wondered if anyone could provide some assistance please.  The hreflang tags look to be set-up correctly but when I use the fetch and render as Google tool in search console I'm getting a re-direct from https://www.pacapod.com/ to https://us.pacapod.com/. I'm waiting on a response from the developers but any help or advice would be much appreciated:-) Many thanks Eddie

[mypetgiftbox]

Hi Tom, many thanks for getting back to me.  I've updated the href lang tags now.  I've also used the Google fetch tool in search console this morning and I'm getting a re-direct message (https://www.pacapod.com was re-directed to us.pacapod.com).  The developers of the website implemented some country targeting a few weeks ago which seems to coincide with this issue.  I've asked them for a response without success so far!

[ThomasHarvey]

I'm even more awake than the last time I checked too!

Looking at the source of say: https://au.pacapod.com/collections/classic-plain-changing-bags

You have the following code:

Whereas on https://www.pacapod.com/collections/classic-plain-changing-bags you have:

and https://us.pacapod.com/collections/classic-plain-changing-bags being:

In short, looks like your AU site is setup incorrectly to just reference the homepage.

[mypetgiftbox]

Thanks for your help Tom, it's much appreciated.  I've moved the hreflang tags to the top of the head and removed the duplicate canonical tag.  Fingers crossed this does the job:-). Thanks Eddie

[ThomasHarvey]

Hi  Eddie,

Sorry, hadn't woken up when I looked this morning!

If possible, try moving your hreflang toward the top of the head. You've also got two canonicals in the head too.

Having a look at the hreflang code though, I don't see any mistakes in it, so perhaps it's just placement.

Tom

[mypetgiftbox]

Hi Tom, ive added the hreflang to the Shopify template file. Do I need to add them to the sitemap as well? I’ve also just used the fetch tool in console and Google is reporting a re-direct to the US site so I’m not sure if that is the issue. I can’t seem to replicate the redirect at my end. Many thanks for your help much appreciated. Eddie

[ThomasHarvey]

Hi Eddie,

I've had a check of your sitemaps, I can't see any hreflang? https://www.pacapod.com/sitemap.xml

Tom