In Quebec and across many Canadian markets, a large share of searches happen in French, and the French results are often less competitive than the English ones. Since June 2025, businesses in Quebec also face stricter French language requirements under the amended Charter of the French Language, which includes websites. A properly built French version is therefore both a legal consideration and an SEO opportunity. This guide covers the SEO side. For compliance questions, speak to a lawyer familiar with the Charter.
1. Choose a URL structure and stick with it
Each language needs its own URL. Google recommends against showing different languages at the same address based on cookies or browser settings, because its crawler usually sees only one version. You have three common options:
- Subfolders, such as example.com/en/ and example.com/fr/. The simplest choice for most businesses, because both languages share the domain's authority.
- Subdomains, such as fr.example.com. Workable, but often treated more like a separate site to build up.
- Separate domains, such as example.ca and exemple.ca. Useful when the brand name differs by language, but each domain has to earn its own links.
Translate the slugs too: /fr/services/renovation-de-cuisine reads better and matches French searches more closely than /fr/services/kitchen-renovation.
2. Add hreflang so search engines show the right version
Hreflang annotations tell Google which pages are language versions of each other. Each page lists every version, including itself, and every listed page must link back. For a Canadian bilingual site, a typical set looks like this:
hreflang="en-ca"on the English page URL.hreflang="fr-ca"on the French page URL.hreflang="x-default"on whichever version, or language selector page, should appear when neither matches.
You can add these as link tags in the head, in HTTP headers, or in your XML sitemap. Pick one method, and check the result with a crawler, because missing return links are the most common reason hreflang is ignored. Bing has said it relies more on signals such as the lang attribute on the html element than on hreflang, so set <html lang="fr-CA"> correctly on French pages as well.
3. Never auto redirect by language or location
Detecting a visitor's browser language or IP address and forcing a redirect sounds helpful. It frequently stops search crawlers, which mostly crawl from the United States in English, from ever reaching the French pages. It also frustrates bilingual users who want the other version. Show a clear language switcher on every page instead, linking to the equivalent page rather than the homepage, and if you must suggest a language, use a dismissible banner.
4. Do keyword research in French, not translation
Canadian French searchers do not always use the words a translation tool produces. People in Quebec search for "thermopompe" more than "pompe à chaleur" in many contexts, use "courriel" rather than "e-mail", and mix English brand and product terms into French queries. Research French keywords from scratch using Google's autocomplete set to French, Search Console filtered to French pages, and your own customers' wording. Our keyword research guide explains the process, which works the same way in any language.
5. Localize the content, not just the words
Machine translation is a fine first draft and a poor final version. Have a fluent Canadian French writer adapt each page: idioms, examples, units, reference points and calls to action. Keep the same depth in both languages. A French page that is half the length of its English twin, with missing sections, signals lower quality and is less likely to be indexed or cited by AI assistants.
Translate everything a visitor or search engine sees: titles, meta descriptions, headings, image alt text, button labels, form messages, structured data text and PDFs. Untranslated fragments are a common sign of a thin version.
6. Build local signals in both languages
- Set your Google Business Profile description, services and posts in the language of most customers, and answer reviews in the language they were written in.
- Keep your business name, address and phone identical in both language versions of every citation, as covered in our local citations guide.
- Earn links and mentions from French language sources, such as local media, associations and directories, not only English ones.
- Create location pages in both languages for the areas you serve. See our guide to location pages.
7. Link the two versions sensibly
Internal links should stay within one language. A French page should link to French pages, with the language switcher as the only cross link. Mixed language navigation confuses visitors and weakens the topical signals each version sends. Each language should also have its own XML sitemap or a sitemap section, and both should be submitted in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
8. Measure each language separately
In Search Console, filter the Performance report by page path, such as /fr/, to see French queries, clicks and positions on their own. In GA4, compare engagement and conversions by language path. A French version with plenty of impressions and few clicks usually needs better titles and descriptions. One with no impressions usually has a technical problem: missing hreflang, blocked pages or thin content. Our technical SEO audit guide covers how to find it.
Montreal businesses can see how we combine bilingual content and social media in our Montreal content guide.
A quick bilingual SEO checklist
Run through this list after launching a French version, and again whenever you add a batch of pages:
- Every English page has a French equivalent at its own URL, and the reverse is true.
- Each pair lists both versions plus x-default in hreflang, and both link back.
- The html lang attribute matches the page language, such as fr-CA on French pages.
- Titles, meta descriptions, headings, alt text and structured data are translated, not left in English.
- The language switcher links to the matching page, not to the other homepage.
- No script or server rule redirects visitors or crawlers by language or IP address.
- Both language sitemaps are submitted to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- French pages earn at least some links and mentions from French language sources.
Sources and further reading
See Google's guides to telling Google about localized versions of your page and managing multi-regional and multilingual sites, and the Office québécois de la langue française's official website.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a French version of my website in Quebec?
Many businesses operating in Quebec do. The Charter of the French Language, as amended by Bill 96, requires French for many commercial materials, including websites, with stricter rules in force since June 2025. Check your specific obligations with a lawyer, then build the French version to rank as well.
What hreflang codes should a Canadian bilingual site use?
Use en-ca for English pages, fr-ca for French pages, and x-default for the version or language selector shown when neither matches. Every page should list all versions, including itself, and each version must link back.
Is machine translation bad for SEO?
Unedited machine translation often produces awkward, thin pages that rank poorly and can fall under Google's scaled content abuse policies when published in bulk. It is fine as a first draft if a fluent writer edits and localizes it.
Should bilingual sites use subfolders or separate domains?
Subfolders such as /en/ and /fr/ are the simplest choice for most businesses because both languages share one domain's authority. Separate domains make sense mainly when the brand name itself changes by language.
Should my website redirect French speakers automatically?
No. Automatic redirects based on language or location can stop search crawlers from reaching your French pages and frustrate bilingual visitors. Use a visible language switcher that links to the equivalent page.