By Tangenix · Published 2026-10-24 · Free template

Hreflang Alternate Evidence Map

Map complete localized page equivalents and verify their reciprocal language annotations without inventing regional pages or confusing them with canonical URLs.

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When to use this template

Use this when a software site has real localized equivalents and a technical owner needs an accurate annotation handoff. Start from actual content equivalence rather than country-keyword permutations.

Choose another approach when: Translations are unfinished, you want a new URL for every region regardless of value, or you intend to use hreflang as a substitute for canonicalization and indexability checks.

Gather these inputs

Complete equivalent pages and their actual language/region audience.
Current final URLs, response states and separately reviewed canonical behavior.
The annotation method in use and an owner who can inspect all equivalent pages.

Copy and adapt the template

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Hreflang Alternate Evidence Map: editable text

Worked example

Illustrative example, not a Crany customer result. Replace every example detail with facts you can verify.

Fictional example: a software tutorial exists as complete English and French pages. The evidence map pairs those equivalents and checks that each includes itself and the other version in its actual annotation set.
A proposed German URL is only a placeholder, so it is held outside the group. The founder does not generate dozens of regional copies to fill the map. A separate canonical review remains necessary; language alternates do not automatically settle duplicate-URL questions.
The map records a missing return reference as a technical gap. Correcting it can make annotations interpretable, but does not prove either version is indexed or ranked. No translations or hreflang configuration are added to Crany by this worksheet.

How to use it

Group only complete pages that serve the same reader task in their stated languages.
Record valid tags and fully qualified URLs with separate canonical/indexability evidence.
Verify self and reciprocal references and recheck affected pages after corrections.

Check before using it

A country code alone is not used as a language annotation.
Every listed equivalent is a real completed destination rather than a placeholder.
Annotation correctness is not reported as indexing or ranking proof.

What to measure

Track missing references, invalid tags and stale equivalent routes within the actual group. Review indexing separately through provider evidence. This map does not establish translation quality, regional demand or guaranteed localized search appearance.

Research and sources

Google documents supported language/region annotations, fully qualified alternate URLs, self-reference and return links. This original evidence map requires completed equivalent content and does not manufacture regional pages to satisfy a page target.

Google Search Central: Tell Google about localized versions of your page — checked 2026-10-24. Actual equivalent pages, supported language/region tags, fully qualified URLs, self-reference and return annotations. No indexing guarantee.

This original template and worked example were prepared with AI assistance. Source documentation supports the principles stated above; it does not endorse Crany or guarantee this template’s performance.

About Crany

Crany is an AI marketing co-founder in development for software founders and vibe coders, designed to strategize, execute approved marketing and improve based on results. This free resource is usable independently of the product. Join the public waitlist.