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When it comes to search engine rankings, there are several factors that can influence which URL is considered for ranking, including language targeting, regional settings, and content relevance. The specific behavior you described, where the English URL is ranked instead of the local URL, can be influenced by multiple factors:

Language Targeting: Search engines, like Google, use language targeting signals to determine which language a webpage is primarily targeting. If your website has clear language targeting signals indicating that the English version is intended for English-speaking users, search engines may prioritize the English URL for English-oriented keywords. This is done to provide the most relevant results to users based on their language preferences.

Hreflang Tags: Hreflang tags are HTML elements that help search engines understand the language and regional targeting of different versions of a webpage. By implementing hreflang tags correctly, you can indicate to search engines which URL version is intended for specific languages or regions. Ensuring that hreflang tags are implemented accurately and consistently across your website can help search engines rank the appropriate URL version for the intended audience.

Content Relevance: Search engines consider the relevance of the content on a webpage to the search query. If the English version of your webpage is more relevant or contains stronger signals for certain English-oriented keywords, it is possible that search engines may prioritize that URL over the local URL. This can happen if the English version has more comprehensive content, better keyword optimization, or stronger backlink profile.

To address the issue and potentially improve rankings for local keywords, you can consider the following steps:

Language Targeting: Make sure that your website's language targeting signals, such as HTML lang attributes and language-specific content, clearly indicate the intended audience for each URL version.

Hreflang Implementation: Double-check the implementation of hreflang tags on your website. Ensure that they are correctly set up and consistent across all relevant pages. Hreflang tags help search engines understand which URL version to rank for specific languages or regions.

Content Optimization: Review the content on your local URL versions to ensure they are well-optimized for relevant local keywords. Conduct keyword research specific to the target region and incorporate those keywords naturally within the content.

Backlink Strategy: Consider implementing a backlink strategy that targets local websites and directories in the region you want to rank for. Localized backlinks can help improve the visibility and ranking of your local URL versions.

Are URLs a ranking factor?
URLs are a minor ranking factor search engines use when determining a particular page or resource's relevance to a search query. While they do give weight to the authority of the overall domain itself, keyword use in a URL can also act as a ranking factor.