Bilingual SEO for
Montreal businesses.
In Montreal, the same customer might search in French on Monday and English on Friday. We set up your site so Google shows the right language version to the right person, then build rankings in both markets instead of splitting your strength between them.
Two search markets sharing one city
Statistics Canada counted 4,291,732 people in the Montréal census metropolitan area in 2021, the second largest in Canada. In search terms, that population behaves like two overlapping markets. Many people search mainly in French, some mainly in English, and a large group switches depending on the topic, the device or simply habit. According to the 2021 census, 69.8% of Montreal residents were multilingual, and close to one in five spoke three languages.
For your business, the key point is that French and English searches are different keywords with different competitors. Someone searching "plombier urgence Montréal" and someone searching "emergency plumber Montreal" may want the same thing, but Google treats those as separate queries, and the results often differ. A business that only ranks in English is invisible to a large share of the city, and one that only ranks in French misses English speakers, visitors and newcomers.
There is also a legal floor. The Government of Quebec's summary of the Charter of the French Language includes making websites accessible in French, so a French version is expected regardless. The SEO question is whether that French version is built to rank, or just exists.
Separate pages and hreflang, done correctly
The technical heart of bilingual SEO is simple to describe and easy to get wrong. Google's documentation on localized versions of pages sets out the rules we follow:
- One URL per language. Each French page and each English page has its own address, for example a /fr/ and an /en/ path. Switching languages with a script on the same URL hides one version from search.
- hreflang annotations on every version. Each page lists itself and all of its language alternates, using codes such as fr-CA and en-CA. The annotations can live in the page head, in HTTP headers or in an XML sitemap, and picking one method keeps things clean.
- Links in both directions. Google's documentation says that if the French page points to the English one, the English page must point back, or the annotations may be ignored.
- Full URLs. Annotations need complete addresses including https, not relative paths.
- An x-default where useful. A fallback page, often a language selector, for people whose language matches neither version.
One detail surprises people: Google says it does not use hreflang or the HTML lang attribute to detect what language a page is in. It works that out from the content itself. So a French page with half its text still in English, or menus and buttons left untranslated, sends mixed signals. Full, professionally translated pages matter for rankings, not just for compliance.
French keyword research is its own job
Translating your English keyword list into French is the most common bilingual SEO mistake. Quebec French has its own vocabulary, and customers use words that a direct translation or a France-focused tool will miss. Search habits also differ: the French query might be shorter, use a different service name, or include a borough or neighborhood rather than the city.
We research each language separately, looking at real search suggestions, the pages that already rank and the terms your customers use when they call or email. The result is two keyword maps, one per language, that share a page structure but not a word list. Your French service pages then target French demand directly instead of mirroring the English ones.
Bilingual SEO problems we fix most often
Many Montreal sites we review already have both languages, yet one version barely ranks. The cause is usually one of a handful of issues:
- French pages that are only partly French. Translated body text, but English titles, meta descriptions, image alt text, buttons or footers. Google reads the whole page, and so do customers.
- English URL slugs on French pages. A French page at an address full of English words is a missed relevance signal and looks careless in search results.
- Broken or one-way hreflang. Alternates pointing to redirected or deleted pages, missing return links, or codes like "fr-FR" on a site aimed at Quebec.
- Automatic language redirects. Scripts that force visitors into one language based on browser settings can stop people, and sometimes crawlers, from reaching the other version.
- A language switcher that resets to the homepage. It frustrates visitors and means the two versions are not linked page to page.
- Thin French content. French pages that are shortened summaries of the English ones rarely outrank competitors that wrote complete French pages.
If you suspect one of these is holding you back, a website audit is a quick way to find out, and fixes like these often produce gains well before new content does.
Local visibility across the island and beyond
Map results are driven by proximity, relevance and prominence, and Montreal's geography makes proximity a big factor. The city is divided into boroughs such as Ville-Marie, Plateau-Mont-Royal, Verdun, Saint-Laurent, Lachine and Le Sud-Ouest, and many customers search by borough or neighborhood. Beyond the island, the metro area takes in Laval, Longueuil and the wider South Shore and North Shore communities.
Our local work covers:
- A Google Business Profile that works in both languages, with accurate categories, services, hours and photos, and posts that reach French and English speakers.
- Reviews in both languages. We set up a request process that lets customers reply in whichever language they prefer, and help you respond in kind.
- French language citations and links. Listings and links from Quebec directories, business associations, community organizations and French language media carry weight that English only links do not.
- Area pages with real substance for the boroughs and suburbs where you actually work, written separately for each language rather than cloned.
Our local SEO guide covers the fundamentals in more depth.
How we work, and who writes the French
Our agency works out of Delta, BC, with no office or team anywhere in Quebec. Bilingual SEO is done on your website, profiles and listings, so we handle it remotely, with a reporting dashboard you can open any time, scheduled video check ins and written notes on every change.
We are also clear about language. Our team works in English. French content, from service pages to profile descriptions and review replies, is written by professional translators engaged for your project, with your input on terminology and our team handling the SEO brief, placement and technical setup.
- Audit. We check both language versions, your hreflang setup, indexing, your business profile and where you rank in each language. For a sense of the depth, see our website audit checklist.
- Keyword maps. Separate research for French and English demand.
- Technical fixes. URL structure, hreflang, sitemaps, speed and tracking.
- Content in both languages. New and improved pages, with translation built into the schedule.
- Monthly reporting. Rankings, traffic and leads broken out by language, so you can see which market is growing.
Some platforms simply cannot produce clean language URLs. In that case a rebuild through our website development service is the better investment.
What to expect, and how to choose an SEO partner
Bilingual SEO takes a little longer to set up than single language work, because there is twice the content and the technical foundation has to be right first. A common pattern is technical and profile fixes in the first month or two, French and English pages starting to rank for specific searches in months three to six, and broader terms after that. Competitive categories such as law, real estate, dentistry and renovation take longer in a market this size. Paid search fills the gap well here: Google Ads can run separate French and English campaigns while organic rankings mature.
When comparing SEO providers, ask:
- How will you handle hreflang and separate URLs? A vague answer is a warning sign.
- Will you research French keywords separately? Or just translate the English list?
- Who produces the French content? Machine translation alone tends to read poorly and rank poorly.
- Will reports separate French and English performance? Otherwise you cannot tell which market is working.
- Is there a long contract? We work month to month after setup, and you own everything we create.
Our locations page lists every Canadian city we currently serve.
SEO in Montreal: your questions.
Do I need separate French and English pages for SEO?
Yes. Google's guidance for localized content is to give each language version its own URL and connect them with hreflang annotations. A single page that switches language with a button usually means only one version gets indexed.
Which hreflang codes should a Montreal business use?
Most use fr-CA for the French pages and en-CA for the English pages, sometimes with an x-default for a language selector. If you also target France or the United States, additional versions and codes may make sense. We decide this during the audit.
Will Google show my French page to French speakers automatically?
When hreflang is set up correctly and the pages are fully in their language, Google can serve the matching version to each searcher. It detects a page's language from its content, so complete translation matters.
Do you write French content in-house?
No. Our team works in English. French content is written by professional translators we engage for your account, while we handle the SEO brief, review workflow and placement on your site.
Do you have an office in Montreal?
No. We are a BC agency, and Montreal SEO clients work with us entirely online. Because rankings depend on your site and listings, not our postal code, that has no effect on results.
Is it worth ranking in English if most of my customers speak French?
Often, yes. English searches bring in visitors, newcomers and English speaking residents, and the competition can be lighter for some services. We look at demand in both languages before recommending how to split the effort.
Find out how you rank in French and English
We will review both language versions of your site, check your hreflang and business profile, and show you where you are missing searches in each language. Book a call or get in touch.
Book a Strategy Callor reach us at team@velledigital.com