When considering search engine optimization, no doubt Drupal is the best content management system. The reason for this is that the Drupal community has actively contributed a vast array of modules to enable webmasters prepare for the future by following SEO best practices.
The repertoire of tools allows users to control virtually every element of your SEO/online marketing campaign. Whether you’re using Drupal 7 or Drupal 8, these modules will be helpful to keep up with the always evolving world of SEO.
1. SEO Compliance Checker
This module gives feedback on the compliance status of the site according to a predetermined set of user-defined rules. On creation/alteration of modes, the module runs a set of checks, displaying the results in tabulated format. You can tell what’s okay and what needs a little more adjustment.
Element tested include keyword usage/density, title attributes, image attributes among others.
2. SEO Checklist
A critical addition to your site, SEO Checklist is useful in ensuring that you’ve covered all your bases where SEO is concerned. While the module doesn’t implement any functionality, it comes with an all-inclusive list for on-site SEO, ticking off each item once you’ve done it right. It’s most valuable for web designers new to SEO.
3. Page Title
This module gives the administrator the power to control nodes individually, with content being set in the <title>tag. It is a vital addition to a webmaster’s toolkit, and instrumental in the success of an SEO campaign.
4. Path Redirect
Path Redirect allows webmasters/administrators to redirect their URLs from a given path to another. You can use this module to preserve your site’s integrity by ensuring search engine crawls don’t result in errors. In addition, it preserves links directed from external sites, so they won’t lead to 404 errors.
5. Global Redirect
The Global Redirect module fixes URL bugs while some with the use of Pathauto module clean URLs. While URL aliases seem different, they are identified as duplicates. GlobalRedirect sets up a 301 from old nodes to aliases.
6. Metatag
While the importance of meta tags has reduced over the years, using this module to give structured metadata won’t be harmful. For SEO purposes, meta tags refer to meta keyword tags and meta description tags which search engines can pick up.
7. Search 404
Search 404 module carries out a search on keywords for non-existing URLs. This module is instrumental in keeping visitors to your site by applying search engine keyword identification and expression-based filtration from URLs. It is highly recommended to ensure lower bounce rates and raise user-site engagement.
8. XML Sitemap
This module can generate a dynamic sitemap especially for search engines according to standards specified in sitemaps.org. It also enables you to set taxonomy terms and content types among others to result in more intelligent search engine crawls.
9. Site verification
The site verification module is useful in the process of website verification. It supported methods include uploading files and adding meta tags. When initiated, it triggers a bi-directional check, enabling search engines to verify you as a site owner/administrator.
10. Google Authorship
This is more of a standard than a module, and it obtains authorship information. Implementation of the standard provides useful ranking signals to improve the credibility of web content authors. It’s as simple as getting credible authors to write for you, creating their profiles on Google+ and then adding the rel=“author”attribute.
11. Links Checker
This module can extract links from content on saving, generating reports about failed responses. Quality issues such as having broken links, send negative signals to search engines, hence theirelimination is necessary.
12. Taxonomy Title
Taxonomy Title gives webmasters/admins the capability to update H1 tags for taxonomy term pages. Having accurate and keyword-optimized header tags offers a better structure, which improves SEO.
13. HTML Purifier
HTML Purifier, like the name suggests, filters HTML code to ensure it complies with standards as well as get rid of any malicious code. In its absence, your site is vulnerable to XSS attacks, particularly using WYSIWYG editors.
14. Menu Attributes
This module allows a webmaster/administrator to mark specific attributes such as styles, class, name and ID. It comes in handy where you need to set certain items to “nofollow” to optimize your website’s linking strategy.
15. Footermap
Search engines give preference to websites, which offer superior user experience. This module generates an updates sitemap in the footer section of a website to improve navigation. Links herein should see careful use so as not to break the balance between being complete and spammy.
16. Pathauto
This is a staple module in Drupal 7 SEO, since it enables generation of keyword-optimized URL paths. Enabling and using Pathauto gives twofold benefits: allows both users and search engines to gather valuable information through the URL.
17. Sub-Pathauto
This module automatically creates a new alias for a URL according to or extending from existing URLs, allowing for consistent creation of user-friendly URLs.
18. Content Optimizer
Along with the content analysis module, Content Optimizer offers recommended actions and stats to improve search engine rankings. The best way to consider this is like Google Analytics, only integrated.
19. Site Map
This module provides your visitors a full view of your website content, including categories and blogs among others. It works like XML Sitemap, but provides a more useful index page for the entire website. RSS Feeds in Drupal automatically generate.
20. Google Analytics
Having created your own Google Analytics account free, you next download the GA module. This module provides insights you cannot do without, including information on page logistics traffic among others. Any SEO campaign must include the GA module.
Conclusion
While Drupal has a steeper learning curve than many other CMSs, it’s a powerful and customizable open-source CMS that is trusted by many, including some of the world’s most powerful websites. Drupal also has the advantage of including SEO optimization elements in the design and development phases; these modules simply provide extras to give you an edge in a highly competitive environment.