How to Improve Drupal SEO Using the Metatag Module

Posted on by Leon Rainbow

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the cornerstone of driving organic traffic to your Drupal website. One of the most effective ways to enhance Drupal SEO is by leveraging the Metatag module, a powerful tool that provides detailed control over your site’s metadata. By configuring this module effectively, you can ensure that search engines and social media platforms interpret your content correctly, improving its visibility and engagement.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into how to improve Drupal SEO using the Metatag module, covering configuration, and advanced tips. Whether you’re new to Drupal or a seasoned developer, this guide will provide actionable insights to make your website SEO-friendly.

Understanding the Importance of the Metatag Module

The Metatag module enables you to add metadata to your Drupal website. Metadata includes information like page titles, descriptions, keywords, and Open Graph tags. Search engines rely on this data to understand your content, while social media platforms use it to generate previews when your content is shared. Without proper metadata, your site may not rank well or display appealing snippets on social platforms.

Key benefits of the Metatag module include:

  • Enhanced search engine rankings.
  • Improved click-through rates on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
  • Better social media previews via Open Graph and Twitter Cards.
  • Custom metadata for specific content types.

Installing the Metatag Module on Drupal

You can install the module with Composer and enable from the Extend administration page of your website. If not alreay enabled, the Token module will also be enabled. You can then go about configuring the module with default settings.

Global Metatag Configuration

One of the key features of the Metatag module is its ability to create global metadata settings that can apply to all content on your site.

Steps to Configure Global Metatags

  1. Navigate to the settings page:
    Go to Configuration > Search and Metadata > Metatag.
  2. Set default metadata:
    • Title template: Use a dynamic token such as [node:title] | [site:name].
    • Description template: Set a default description with [node:summary].
    • Image: Use the token [node:field_image:large:url] for default images.
  3. Override global settings for specific content types:
    • Each content type (e.g., articles, blogs, pages) can inherit global settings but still have unique metadata.
    • To configure this, go to Structure > Content Types > Manage Fields and add a new Meta Tags field.
  4. Save changes and clear the cache:
    Always clear the cache to apply your new configurations.

Customizing Metatags for Specific Content Types

While the global settings provide a foundation, customizing metatags for specific content types enhances your SEO strategy.

Steps for Customization

  1. Add a Metatag Field:
    • Navigate to Structure > Content Types > Manage Fields.
    • Add a new field called Meta Tags to your desired content type.
  2. Configure the field display:
    • Go to Structure > Content Types > Manage Form Display and enable the Meta Tags field.
  3. Set unique tokens for each content type:
    • For blog posts, use [node:tags] as the token for keywords.
    • For images, use [node:field_image:large:url] for the Open Graph Image URL.
  4. Test your configuration:
    • Check how metadata appears in the source code of a page.
    • Use tools like Google Rich Results Test to validate metadata.

Improving Social Media Previews with Open Graph

The Metatag module includes the Metatag: Open Graph sub module which allows you to enhance how your content appears on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.

Best Practices for Open Graph Tags

  • Title: Use [node:title] to dynamically generate the title.
  • Description: Use [node:summary] or create a custom description.
  • Image: Set [node:field_image:large:url] to ensure high-quality preview images.

This ensures that your links generate visually appealing, clickable previews on social media.

Using Metatag Extended Permissions

The Metatag: Extended Permissions module adds an extra layer of control, enabling you to set granular permissions for managing metadata.

Steps to Configure Permissions

  1. Go to People > Permissions > Metatag Extended Permissions.
  2. Assign permissions to specific user roles, such as content editors or SEO managers.
  3. Use this to control which users can modify global or content-specific metadata.

Optimizing Images for Metatags

Images play a critical role in both SEO and social media engagement. Configuring them correctly within the Metatag module is essential.

Steps to Optimize Images

  1. Use Tokens for Image URLs:
    • Use [node:field_image:large:url] to dynamically pull the URL of the featured image for Open Graph tags.
  2. Add Custom Fields for Images:
    • Create a custom field called Metatag Image for content types.
    • Populate this field with high-resolution images.
  3. Test Your Images:
    • Use the Facebook Sharing Debugger to verify how images appear in social media previews.

Creating No-Index Rules for Specific Pages

Sometimes, you may not want certain pages to appear in search engine results. The Metatag module allows you to configure no-index rules.

Steps to Add No-Index Tags

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Search and Metadata > Metatag.
  2. Add a new configuration for the desired content type.
  3. Set the Robots tag to no-index, no-follow.
  4. Save the changes and clear the cache.

Using Views with the Metatag Module

The Metatag module can also integrate with Drupal Views to add metadata to custom displays.

How to Enable Metatag for Views

  1. Install the Metatag Views module.
  2. Go to Structure > Views and edit your view.
  3. Under Advanced settings, add a new Metatag field.
  4. Configure the metatag field with appropriate tokens.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

  • Not Clearing Cache: Changes to metadata won’t reflect until the cache is cleared. Always clear the cache after updates.
  • Overusing Keywords: Avoid keyword stuffing, as it can harm your SEO. Use natural language instead.
  • Ignoring Social Previews: Always test how your links appear on social media platforms to ensure they are visually appealing.

Conclusion

The Metatag module is a game-changer for improving Drupal SEO, offering flexibility and control over your site’s metadata. By configuring it effectively you can significantly boost your site’s visibility on search engines and social media.

Don’t forget to clear your cache regularly, validate your metadata with tools like Google’s Rich Results Test, and test social previews. With these steps, you’ll unlock the full potential of the Metatag module and take your Drupal website’s SEO to the next level.

Helpful Links

Related Posts