Ahrefs for Multilingual SEO: Targeting Both English and French Audiences in Canada

To target both English and French audiences in Canada effectively using Ahrefs for multilingual SEO, you should adopt a bilingual SEO strategy that goes beyond simple translation to include keyword research, localized content, hreflang tags, and technical SEO tailored for each language and region.

Key steps and considerations include:

• Use Ahrefs’ Multilingual SEO Matrix to strategically plan your approach, which for Canada fits the quadrant of targeting many languages (English and French) within a single region (Canada). This means creating distinct content and SEO efforts for both English and French speakers within Canada.

• Perform keyword research separately in English and French using Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer and AI Keyword Translator tools. This helps identify language-specific search terms and user intent, which often differ significantly between the two languages (e.g., “cheap flights” vs. “vols pas chers”).

• Create unique, localized content for each language rather than direct translations. This respects cultural nuances and search behaviour differences among English and French Canadian users.

• Implement hreflang tags correctly to signal to search engines which pages correspond to which language and region, avoiding duplicate content penalties and ensuring users see the right language version. For Canada, use hreflang codes like en-CA and fr-CA.

• Use separate URLs or subfolders for each language version, such as /en/ for English and /fr/ for French, which Ahrefs and SEO best practices recommend for clarity and better indexing.

• Leverage Ahrefs’ AI features to automate keyword translation and technical SEO fixes, improving efficiency and maintaining site health across languages.

• Monitor performance and adjust using Ahrefs’ analytics tools to track rankings, backlinks, and traffic for each language segment, optimizing based on data-driven insights.

This bilingual SEO approach is essential in Canada due to its official bilingual status and distinct linguistic regions, especially Quebec’s large French-speaking population. It ensures your website is discoverable and relevant to both English and French users, maximizing your reach and competitive advantage in the Canadian market.

In summary, Ahrefs supports multilingual SEO in Canada by providing tools for keyword research, content optimization, hreflang implementation, and technical SEO automation, enabling you to effectively target both English and French audiences within the same geographic region.