This document discusses SEO (search engine optimization) for Drupal websites. It begins with an overview of SEO and the SEO process, noting it is a long-term strategy versus paid search. The document then notes Drupal 7 and 8 cores include only basic SEO features. It outlines several modules that can be installed to improve SEO, such as for XML sitemaps, URL structures, title and meta tags. It stresses SEO should be considered from the start of website development for best results. In conclusion, SEO requires expertise and an evolving understanding of techniques.

1. SEO for Drupal
11th February 2015
Dagmar Muth
@dagmita

2. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions
1

3. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions

4. SEO and SEM
Organic
Search
Engine
Results
(SEO)
Paid Search
Engine
Results
(SEM)
Paid Search
Engine
Results
(SEM)

5. Timeframe of results
SEO = Long-term impact, first results after 4-6 months
SEM = immediate and temporary effect (stops when not
paid anymore)

6. What we click on
www.seoresearcher.com

7. Which one is preferred
EyeTracking Study by Did-it, Enquiro and Eyetools, iProspect, Search Engine Behavior Study, Enquiro, MarketingSherpa
62%
look only at the first
page.
76%
Prefer organic
results over
AdWords.
View Rate of Organic Results:
1. Result: 100%
2. Result: 100%
3. Result: 100%
4. Result: 85%
5. Result: 60%
6. Result: 50%
7. Result: 50%
8. Result: 30%
9. Result: 30%
10. Result: 20%

8. SEO: Previous and Current Process
Previous Process:
• Meta Tags
• Links schemes, link farms
• Article spinning
• Comment spamming
• Keyword stuffing
Current Process:
• On-Site Audit:
Technical audit, mobile audit, indexing audit,
usability quick check
• Link building strategy
• Blogs, news
• Social media strategy (SEO perspective)
• Well written website content
Content Marketing und Link BuildingBlack Hat SEO
Optimized for Machines Optimized for Humans

9. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions
2
1

10. SEO process
1. Step:
Off-Site
Analysis
2. Step:
On-Site
Audit
3. Step:
Continuous
SEO Tasks
• Keyword Analysis (Content SEO Check)
• Competitive Analysis
• Link Analysis
• Social Media Visibility
• International and Multilingual SEO Strategy
Goal:
• Evaluation of SEO relevant keywords.
• Definition of SEO strategy.

11. SEO process
• Technical Audit
• Mobile Audit
• Indexing Audit
• Usability Check
1. Step:
Off-Site
Analysis
2. Step:
On-Site
Audit
3. Step:
Continuous
SEO Tasks
Goal:
Analysis and recommendations for technical SEO
implementation.

12. SEO process
• Execution of SEO strategy
• Content Creation
• Link Building
1. Step:
Off-Site
Analysis
2. Step:
On-Site
Audit
3. Step:
Continuous
SEO Tasks

13. SEO and Website Development
time
Definition of goals
Off-Site Analysis
Content Strategy
Features Specifications
Implementation
Go Live
On-Site Audit
Continuous optimizations

14. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions
3
1

15. D7 and D8 SEO core features
Almost Nooothing.
Only the very basics such as node title and
possibility to define SEO-friendly URLs.
Drupal 8 is the same.

16. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions
4
1

17. Setup tracking tool
Goal:
Keep track of the success of your website with a tracking tool.
Solution:
We usually use Google Analytics and add the Universal Analytics Code via
the Google Analytics Module

18. Robots.txt file
Goal:
Robots.txt file exists (URL/robots.txt) so that search engines crawl the right
content
Solution:
• Validate the robots.txt file
• Set disallow command for your dev site
• Don’t forget to remove disallow command when you go live :-)

19. XML sitemap
Goal:
XML sitemap exists (URL/sitemap.xml) to help search engines etc. to crawl
your website more intelligently
Solution:
• Install XML sitemap module
• Add sitemap to robots.txt

20. URL structure
Drupal standard
Goal:
URLs should be readable, user friendly and contain keywords in the right language
Max. length 100 characters and words to be separated with dashes
Example optimal URL format
http://www.example.com/category-keyword/subcategory-keyword/primary-keyword

21. Solution:
Install Pathauto module: allows you to define the structure of the URL/path
aliases per file, content type, taxonomy terms, user and per language.
Result = nice URLs:
http://www.sigvaris.com/global/en/news/touchless-determined-legreader-
xt5
URL structure

22. URL redirects
Goal:
• Redirect from the node/123 structure to the user-friendly URL structure works
• As few 302 redirects as possible
Solution:
• Global redirect module checks a current URL for an alias and does a 301
redirect to it
• Set the www to non-www redirect on the live server

23. Faceted search URLs
Goal:
If there is a filtered search options, URLs should have a user-friendly,
readable structure
Drupal standard:
http://www.exped.com/switzerland/en/product-category/tents?f
%5B0%5D=field_min_weight%3A%5B0%20TO%203%5D&f
%5B1%5D=field_construction%3A1

24. Faceted search URLs
Solution:
Facet API Pretty Paths module
Generates nice URL segments such as "<alias>/<value>"

25. Applying pretty paths module

26. Goals:
• Good-looking URLs in roman letters for all languages
Multilingual URLs

27. Multilingual URLs
Solution:
Install the transliteration module: takes unicode text and tries
to represent it in US-ASCII characters
Example:

28. Title tag & meta description tag
Title tag
Meta description tag
Goal:
Title tags and meta description tags are filled out

29. Title tag & meta description tag
Solution:
• Module: Metatag
• Meta Description Tags in views and panels: Enable submodules
Metatag:Views and Metatag:Panels
• Further functionalities:
• Open Graph (Facebook): Enable submodule Metatag:Open graph and
configure settings for each content type

30. Meta tags in Drupal

31. Image names and ALT tags
Goal:
• File name and ALT tags of an image should describe its content

32. Image names and ALT tags
Solution:
• ALT tag must be activated in field configuration

33. Alt text for images

34. Hide unwanted nodes
Goal:
Hide unwanted nodes e.g. nodes that are used only as panel elements and do
not have a full-node view
Example:

35. Hide unwanted nodes
Solution:
• Install Rabbit Hole module
• Configure what should happen when an entity is viewed at its own page

36. Page Load Speed
Goal:
• Performance of your website on desktop and mobile should be high
• Google recommends page load in 1 sec
Solution:
• Check with Google PageSpeed Insights: https://developers.google.com/
speed/pagespeed/insights/
• Implement as many suggestions as possible

37. Aggregation of JavaScript files
Goal:
• Make JavaScript files accessible for search engines
• Otherwise the files are excluded in the robots.txt file (/misc/) and
Google cannot render the pages correctly
Solution:
• Make sure that the JavaScript aggregator is enabled during the
launch
• More information: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.ch/
2014/10/updating-our-technical-webmaster.html

38. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions
5
1

39. SEO modules in D8

40. Agenda 1 What and why SEO?
2 SEO process
3 What is in core of D7 and D8
4
5 State of Modules in D8
Modules in D7
6 Conclusions6
1

41. Conclusions
SEO to be a fix building part of a website.
SEO to be considered from the start of building a new
website.
It requires experts that are following the evolving area
SEO and SEM – mid-term effects versus campaigning,
short-term
Multidisciplinary: technical and content