Manual Hreflang Annotations are expected to lose more relevance as Google may move forward with auto-language detection instead. This was hinted at during an episode of Search Off The Record, a podcast hosted by the people at Google Search.

Google Search analyst, Gary Ilyes has opined that search engines ought to reduce their dependence on site annotations, annotations. Instead of annotations, Ilyes wishes for more automation. To support his statement, Ilyes remarks that this line of action is much more dependable than manual annotations such as Hreflang.

Hreflang is an attribute of HTML which enables users to designate a site's geographical targeting and language.

Manual Hreflang Annotations and Its Impending Irrelevance

The Google podcast also discussed the present condition of Hreflang. The podcast stated that a mere 9% of websites utilise the manual Hreflang annotations. This alarming low percentage of Hreflang annotations could have had a hand in Google's move towards auto language detection. However, Ilyes has also acknowledged the occasional necessity for manual annotations.

This change of course into auto language detection might come with several notable results. For instance, big websites with more languages are lifted from the technical burdens of applying the Hreflang annotations.

However, Google has not made any official announcements about this hinted change. But users should be able to adjust their SEO plans if Google makes the shift official.

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