Introduction to Joomla SEO

Steve BurgeDecember 5th, 2008

Three Joomla Problems

1) URLs2) Metadata3) Too Many Pages

#1 URLs

What’s wrong with this? www.example.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=1

#1 URLs

•They are human readable•Search engines analyze your URLs for keywords

•Keyword URLs avoid having more than URL for the same page

#1 URLs

Solution is to turn this …•index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=1

Into this …•great-url-article.html

#1 URLs

Three Extensions•sh404SEF

•Artio SEF

•SEF Advance

#1 URLs

When to use•Default SEF: small sites•sh404SEF: most sites•Artio SEF: complex Itemids

•SEF Advance: very large sites

#1 URLsCaution!

Sometimes sticking with a less-

than-perfect is better than changing URLs

Change everything else freely, except URLs

#2 MetadataWhat’s wrong with this?

#2 MetadataTitles and descriptions are there for a reason!

#2 Metadata

Page titles are the mostimportant onsite SEO

factor.

#2 Metadata

So can you guess what Joomla

is missing?

#2 Metadata

Solution #1: SEF Patch from Joomlatwork.com

#2 Metadata

Solution #2: URL Component

#2 Metadata

When to use SEF Patch: •Ease-of-use is key•Mostly using core Joomla

When to use sh404SEF etc:•Lots of extra extensions

#3 Extra Pages

How Joomla.org looks to us:

#3 Extra Pages

How Joomla.org looks towebsite builders:

#3 Extra Pages“I installed a Calendar. It displayed months, weeks or days that did not have an event scheduled. The Googlebot indexed empty calendar event pages out until the year 3,500”

#3 Extra PagesProblem extensions:•Calendars•Photo Galleries•Extensions with Ordered Lists

•Extensions with Review / Report / Contact for Listings

#3 Extra PagesSolution: check your website

using the site command …site:example.com

#3 Extra PagesSolution 1: Robots.txtThis is a file in your site root:

Disallow: /calendar/Disallow: /photos/Disallow: /*.pdf$

#3 Extra PagesSolution 2: Nofollow on links.Tells Google not to index the page you’re linking to.1)SEF Patch2)URL Component3)Search Google for “Alledia nofollow menu”

#3 Extra PagesSolution 3: Google Webmaster

Tools Dashboard > Tools > Remove URLS

Three Joomla Solutions

1) URLs = insert keywords2) Metadata = improve3) Too Many Pages =

remove

Other Useful ToolsRSS Feeds: •Feederator•BCA Syndicate•Virtuemart Froogle Feed

Other Useful ToolsSite Maps:•Xmap•SEF Service Map

Find plugins for your extension

Other Useful ToolsInternal Links – Simply Links

Create one page per keyword

Over to you …

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