This document provides instructions for optimizing a Drupal site for search engines. It recommends enabling clean URLs using the Path module, installing Pathauto for search engine friendly URLs, using Global Redirect for canonical URLs, fixing the robots.txt file, redirecting between www and non-www, avoiding duplicate content, redirecting changed pages with Path Redirect, adding meta tags with Metatag or Nodewords, blocking indexing of taxonomy pages, and installing modules like SEOTools, XML Sitemap, and SEO Checklist for organization and submission to search engines. Additional resources for Drupal SEO are also provided.
2. Enable Search Engine Friendly Urls
Enable Path module which comes with
core
installation but is disabled by default. Path
module will convert /node?q=1 urls to
/node/1
3. Install Pautauto Module
Install pathauto module too which allows
you to
create search engine friendly urls. PathAuto
module offers various settings like
removing
characters like a,an,the as well as to write
your
own custom paths using tokens.
4. Install Global Redirect Module
Global Redirect module takes care of
the
canonical url problems as well as it do 301
redirect from urls like /node/1 to /node/my-
name
5. Fix Robots.txt
Drupal has default robots.txt which ideally
you
should edit it but you can also install robots.txt
module
Do note that you need to remove/rename the default robots.txt file
if you are using the module.
6. Redirect WWW to non WWW (or vice
versa)
Check
https://github.com/drupal/drupal/blob/7.x/.hta
ccess , drupal comes with .htaccess file,
you can
edit it to get www to non www or vice
versa
7. Avoid URL duplication
Canonical urls are example.com/my-name and
example.com/my-name/ which are two different
urls pointing to same content which can often
be considered as duplicate content.
Global Redirect Module takes care of
Canonical url problem!
8. Install Path Redirect Module
If you are changing url of an older page
say /older-page to /newer-page, you don’t
want older page to give 404 page not
found error and want it to 301 redirect to
the new page. This can be done with
Path_Redirect module
9. Install Metatag Module for Title and
Description
Install Metatag plugin (for Drupal 7) or
nodewords plugin (for drupal 6) which will
take care of Title and Description Meta
tags
10. No Index for Categories, tags,
Taxonomy
If you are using tags, category or
taxonomy, you
probably want to avoid them getting
indexed in
google specially if the content is not very
useful
Use Robots.txt to block such urls
11. Install SEOTools for SEO Checklist
Do install SEOTools and SEO Checklist
module too. Both modules will help you to
keep things Organized.
12. Install XMLSitemap and SiteMap
Modules
Use xmlsitemap module which creates a
Sitemap
of all the urls (depending on the settings)
and also submit it to the search engines.
13. For more such content on SEO and inBound Marketing, you can check
http://inboundio.com/blog
If you are looking for an All-in-One simplified marketing software to organize your
online marketing campaign and to get more traffic, leads and conversions,
you may want to check http://www.inboundio.com
inBoundio.com offers simplified Keyword Research, Social Media Management,
Landing Pages creation, Lead Management, inbuilt CRM and inbuilt email marketing and
Is ideal for Individual and Small Business use.
Also for more Drupal Resources check out
1. Drupal guides at http://drupal.org/documentation
2. Drupal FAQ at http://drupal.org/drupal-faq
3. Drupal Tutorials at http://drupal.org/node/627198
4. Drupal books http://drupal.org/books
5. Questions about Drupal, ask at forum http://drupal.org/forum