Wouldn’t it be nice to discuss planning elements for Drupal Development to have successful SEO from the start? Read on!

Beginning step: Understanding Web Page Creation

After checking your site’s hierarchy and understanding how your pages are created, taking in to account whether they are nodes, views pages or pages created from nodes, it would be nice to take these three tips when figuring out the content types:

Which pages need canonical tag or custom page titles, and meta descriptions?

Is it possible to have the process automated through default variable usage such as ([node:title] | [site:name])?

By using customized open graph tags, can you clearly share your messages?

Knowing the Good Modules

When selecting modules, make sure that you have researched about the module you need. There are some modules that can add excessive database calls decreasing your overall page speed. Also, put into mind to check the description or bug reports. This is important to know because some modules that have issues affect SEO campaign. Calendar and quiktabs are used quite regularly.

These two can cause content duplication however, both carries fast fixes through disallowing directories to crawl within robots.txt file. It would also help you if you read on the documentation on issues that you and other people experience before choosing your module. It is just important to be distinct with modules you choose to use. Do remember that Drupal is an enterprise level CMS that requires skilled people and not just a simple plug-in and play solution. Last tip; do not forget to disable modules that you are not using.

What CSS Pre-processor should be used?

To help you be placed on the right track in minimizing your calls and keeping up mark-up lean, use a CSS pre-processor. Less/Sass are good examples. These could help you remove repeating selectors and over-all code bloat.

Caching

The professional cherry on top for building your Drupal site is Caching. This could help in doubling QA time and challenging blocks. To make experience better and appreciative for stakeholders, caching is good. Ngnix can be of good use when you are setting up multiple servers. Also, try caching stack combinations such as boost, memcache, drupal core and others.

Views

When planning, make sure also if you need to have meta descriptions, custom page titles, or open graph tags on view pages. Views are good thus it is included in the default installation of Drupal 8. If you do need it, a custom mix of the Meta Tag module combined with ‘Simple’ meta for view pages could be used as a part of the views development strategy. If you need to incorporate structured data like schema org’s microdata vocabulary, you have to ensure that structured data closely supports the core principle for using views. Giving and spending extra time in the development and implementation of data hooks that are structured, for example reviews page, is needed. It might need extra effort but it will aid search engines to correctly construe your content.

Social Media Helps

Everybody in the world knows that social media works, whether in a good way or not. It works especially in selling products and endorsing sites. If you are wise enough, you will use social sharing in your Drupal themes. The planning phase is when you need to decide whether or not you will use per page level social messaging and custom open graph tags. Or if you are going to use add this or other social sharing services. Addthis is very useful because it gives an API for customization; it does at times slow your pages. Put in mind QA with care.

Off We Go!

Launching could be quite a very exciting and hormone raising stage, however, this is where you should take the most self-control. Remember that strategizing should be planned in the time you are beginning to create your site. When launching, make sure to focus on details so that sudden crash could be avoided. Control and focus is very important at this time. It would not hurt to prepare a checklist with your trusted people tasked to do each and you making sure things are followed.

Have you tested the site yourse lf or by your people?

Remember to verify your Google Analytics account?

Are your URLs and redirects okay?

How about sitemaps?

Have you checked for log errors?

Are they easy to fix? You can create your own checklist. These are just tips.

Time is Gold.

No matter how precious time is, it is still important to focus on details and to not rush. It would be a waste if after launching your site, multiple errors occur. It is not only heart wrenching but also a money waste.

Allocate time throughout every stage of the process Drupal SEO site planning. Think of making a site the same as the process of making a diamond, time is needed for it to have the best essentials. The tips that we have shared are not a guarantee of quick implementations but a guide to help you minimize mistakes and lessen errors upon the birth of your site – ensuring Drupal SEO success.

Frederick is a guest blogger, interested in seo, social media and Orange County Drupal Web Development.