Content modeling for social media and SEO¶

When we think about content modeling from a SEO and social media perspective, our goal is to structure content to maximize potential engagement in search results and social media content with minimal effort. Let's look at some tools and techniques in Drupal CMS designed for SEO optimization, so that you can include these features in your content model.

SEO-optimized content¶

Drupal CMS includes default configuration for commonly used meta tags.

Canvas pages¶

You'll find SEO settings in the Page data tab on Canvas pages. For each page, you should choose an image and write a description. By default, the title of the page will be set as the meta title, but you can modify this by replacing the [canvas_page:title] text with the title. (The | [site:name] that follows will automatically add the site name that you've set in your global settings.)

CMS content¶

For CMS content, the title is also automatically set as the default meta title, along with the featured image and description mapping to the SEO image and meta description. If you want to add an SEO image or description separately, you can expand the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Information tab to access those fields.

This section also provides an SEO analysis tool that analyze the content based on a focus keyword that you select. This helps you refine the content based on what searches you are optimizing for.

URL alias¶

When you create content, a clean URL alias is automatically created based on the title of the content, (e.g., /wine-tours/napa-valley). You can modify it under the URL alias section in the right sidebar, where you can view instructions for both overriding the generated alias or setting up URL alias patterns for each type of content on your site.

Heading structure¶

Ensure content types include fields for logical heading levels (e.g., H1 for titles, H2 for sections) to boost accessibility and SEO. This is especially important in formatted text fields that content editors use.

Structured data for search engines¶

Use fields to support schema.org structured data, helping search engines better understand the content:

Add a Tour type field (e.g., "Private tour," "Group tour") to output as schema.org metadata.
Include fields for business-related information, like price, availability, and location for schema.org's TouristAttraction or Offer schema.

Example: Wine tour content type for SEO¶

Title (H1): "Napa Valley Wine Tour: Explore the Best Wineries"
Meta title: "Napa Valley Wine Tour | Private and Group Tours"
Meta description: "Discover the top Napa Valley wine tours. Book private or group wine tastings in California's most famous wine region."
URL alias: /wine-tours/napa-valley
Image with alternative text: "A group enjoying wine tasting in Napa Valley."
Structured data output: Includes fields like Price, Availability Dates, Region, and Tour Type, marked up with schema.org.

Rich media for enhanced engagement¶

Optimize images, videos, and other media for both SEO and social media:

Alternative text: When adding or editing an image in the Media library, enter alternative text to improve accessibility and provide descriptive information for search engines.
Open Graph fields (text/image fields): Define fields for Open Graph metadata, including:
- og:title (text field): The headline that appears when content is shared.
- og:description (text field): A short summary for social media previews.
- og:image (image field): The featured image shown on social platforms.

For example:

Open Graph title: "Experience the Best Napa Valley Wine Tours"
Open Graph description: "Join us for a luxurious wine tour in Napa Valley. Book now for unforgettable tastings and stunning vineyard views!"
Open Graph image: Featured image of a picturesque vineyard or wine glasses.

Keyword-focused taxonomy¶

Use taxonomy terms for categories and regions that reflect common search phrases:

Example taxonomy: Wine region (e.g., "Napa Valley," "Sonoma") and Tour category (e.g., "Weekend Tours," "Luxury Tours").

These terms can be included in URLs, page titles, and filter options for added SEO benefits.

Internal linking¶

Use Drupal CMS's reference fields to encourage internal linking:

Relate tours to specific wineries, regions, or blog posts.
Use Views to display "Related tours" or "Featured regions" dynamically on content pages.

Best practices for optimizing¶

Pro tip: Apply the SEO Tools recipe, which provides the SEO Checklist (Configuration > Search and metadata > SEO Checklist). The SEO Checklist will guide you through the process of optimizing your site for search engines.

Use dynamic meta tags
- Apply the SEO Tools recipe to get features that will automatically generate page-specific meta tags using tokens. For example:
  - Title: [node:title] | [site:name]
  - Description: [node:summary]
Create landing pages with taxonomy
- Make use of taxonomy term-based pages to create filterable and SEO-friendly landing pages, e.g., /wine-tours/napa-valley or /wine-tours/weekend-tours.
Encourage social sharing
- Add social media sharing buttons to pages.
- Use fields for Open Graph metadata to ensure links look appealing when shared.
Optimize media for performance
- Use Drupal CMS's Responsive image styles to serve appropriately sized images.
- Compress images and videos to improve page load speed (a key SEO factor).

Let's consider the blog post content type model with social media sharing in mind:

Fields:

Title (H1): "Top 5 Wine Regions to Visit in 2024"
Content: The main content of the blog post.
Featured image: Image for Open Graph.
Meta title: "Best Wine Regions to Visit in 2024 | Expert Guide"
Meta description: "Explore the top wine regions to visit in 2024, including Napa, Sonoma, and Willamette Valley. A must-read for wine lovers!"
Taxonomy terms: "Wine Regions," "Travel Tips."
Related content: References to Wine tours content.