Introduction to Joomla SEO Steve Burge December 5th, 2008

Three Joomla Problems URLs Metadata Too Many Pages

URLs

Metadata

Too Many Pages

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

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

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

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

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

When to use

Default SEF : small sites

sh404SEF : most sites

Artio SEF : complex Itemids

SEF Advance : very large sites

#1 URLs Caution! Sometimes sticking with a less- than-perfect is better than changing URLs Change everything else freely, except URLs

Caution!

Sometimes sticking with a less-

than-perfect is better than

changing URLs

Change everything else freely, except URLs

#2 Metadata What’s wrong with this?

What’s wrong with this?

#2 Metadata Titles and descriptions are there for a reason!

Titles and descriptions are there for a reason!

#2 Metadata Page titles are the most important onsite SEO factor.

Page titles are the most

important onsite SEO factor.

#2 Metadata So can you guess what Joomla is missing?

So can you guess what Joomla

is missing?

#2 Metadata Solution #1: SEF Patch from Joomlatwork.com

Solution #1: SEF Patch from Joomlatwork.com

#2 Metadata Solution #2: URL Component

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

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:

How Joomla.org looks to us:

#3 Extra Pages How Joomla.org looks to website builders:

How Joomla.org looks to

website 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”

“ 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 Pages Problem extensions: Calendars Photo Galleries Extensions with Ordered Lists Extensions with Review / Report / Contact for Listings

Problem extensions:

Calendars

Photo Galleries

Extensions with Ordered Lists

Extensions with Review / Report / Contact for Listings

#3 Extra Pages Solution : check your website using the site command … site:example.com

Solution : check your website

using the site command …

site:example.com

#3 Extra Pages Solution 1 : Robots.txt This is a file in your site root: Disallow: /calendar/ Disallow: /photos/ Disallow: /*.pdf$

Solution 1 : Robots.txt

This is a file in your site root:

Disallow: /calendar/

Disallow: /photos/

Disallow: /*.pdf$

#3 Extra Pages Solution 2 : Nofollow on links. Tells Google not to index the page you’re linking to. SEF Patch URL Component Search Google for “Alledia nofollow menu”

Solution 2 : Nofollow on links.

Tells Google not to index the

page you’re linking to.

SEF Patch

URL Component

Search Google for “Alledia nofollow menu”

#3 Extra Pages Solution 3 : Google Webmaster Tools Dashboard > Tools > Remove URLS

Solution 3 : Google Webmaster

Tools

Dashboard > Tools > Remove URLS

Three Joomla Solutions URLs = insert keywords Metadata = improve Too Many Pages = remove

URLs = insert keywords

Metadata = improve

Too Many Pages = remove

Other Useful Tools RSS Feeds: Feederator BCA Syndicate Virtuemart Froogle Feed

RSS Feeds:

Feederator

BCA Syndicate

Virtuemart Froogle Feed

Other Useful Tools Site Maps: Xmap SEF Service Map Find plugins for your extension

Site Maps:

Xmap

SEF Service Map

Find plugins for your extension

Other Useful Tools Internal Links – Simply Links Create one page per keyword

Internal Links – Simply Links

Create one page per keyword

Over to you …

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