Drupal SEO checklist: 36 essential tips to optimize your site

Drupal has a module, titled SEO Checklist, designed to help those unfamiliar with SEO perform basic configurations. It provides a clear list of actions you can take to ensure your site meets search engine requirements with progress tracking for tasks completed. However, the module developers make it clear in the description that the Drupal SEO Checklist does not:

• Provide a good SEO strategy
• Assist you with keyword research
• Build links
• Install modules

The Drupal SEO checklist module can definitely bring the technical state of your site in line with basic search engine requirements. It is especially useful for developers who are not well-versed in SEO but want to release search engine friendly sites. It’s also helpful for those just starting with Drupal, as it quickly identifies the modules needed for basic site setup. However, the module alone is not enough for a good site optimization. It should be paired with other SEO tools and strategies for a complete SEO approach.

Based on many years of experience optimizing Drupal sites, we have prepared a Drupal SEO checklist that can be implemented as part of an effective SEO strategy. This checklist outlines essential steps and best practices for optimizing your site, ensuring that each aspect is carefully addressed for maximum SEO effectiveness.

1. Install and configure Pathauto for clean URLs

The Pathauto module is a must-have for any Drupal site. It allows you to automatically generate clean, user-friendly URLs based on customizable patterns. This helps improve SEO by making the structure of your URLs easier to read and more relevant to search engines.

Action steps:

• Install the Pathauto module from the Drupal repository.
• Configure URL patterns for different content types (e.g., articles, pages, blogs).
• Set up patterns to include relevant keywords, making your URLs descriptive and easy for both users and search engines to understand.
• Make sure that URL structures have no more than three nested levels.
   

2. Set up HTTPS and an SSL certificate

Using HTTPS and an SSL certificate help ensure the protection of customer data transmitted between your website and users. Search engines rank such websites higher than those without a security protocol.

Action steps:

• Purchase and install an SSL certificate on your site (many hosting providers offer this).
• Ensure all pages redirect to the HTTPS version to avoid duplicate content issues.
• Update any internal links.
   

3. Configure canonical URLs

Canonical URLs are used to show Google or any other search engine which page is the preferred or original one, thus preventing duplicated pages. If there are multiple versions of a page, canonicals ensure that the correct page is indexed. This helps avoid duplicate pages that can harm your SEO.

Action steps:

• Enable the Canonical URL module in Drupal.
• For each page, ensure the canonical tag points to the preferred URL version.
   

4. Install Redirect to manage 301 redirects

The Redirect module allows you to set up 301 redirects that are crucial for maintaining SEO. When the URL is no longer active or accessible, it is important to set up a permanent redirect to the new URL where site visitors and search engine bots will be taken to. Otherwise, search engines may treat the new page as an unconnected page, without preserving the SEO value.

Action steps:

• Install the Redirect module to set up and manage redirects on your Drupal site.
• Redirect outdated or deleted content to relevant, active pages.
• Regularly check for any 404 errors or content that may need redirection.

5. Create an XML sitemap

The XML sitemap lists all of your site pages that are available for crawling together with other useful information like last update times and crawling priority. It’s needed to help search engines index your content more efficiently, thus enhancing your site ranking.

Action steps:

• Install the Simple XML Sitemap module to generate and maintain your sitemap.
• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console for improved crawling and indexing.
   

6. Configure the robots.txt file

Yet another important thing for crawling your site is the robots.txt file, used to tell search engines which parts of your site they should crawl and which not. Its proper configuration is important to ensure that important pages aren’t blocked by this file.

Action steps:

• Find the robots.txt file in the root directory of your website.
• Configure robots.txt to ensure search engines can access your important pages and don’t index unnecessary pages.

7. Install Metatag to manage meta tags

To help search engines better understand your content, you should install the Metatag module, which automatically provides meta tags for each page, including title, description, and keywords. Structured metadata is an important ranking factor and can help improve click-through rates.

Action steps:

• Install the Metatag module for enhanced metadata.
• Create rules for generating meta tags for different types of pages — Homepage, Service, Product, Article, etc.
   

8. Install the Link Checker module

Broken links, also known as dead links, hurt your SEO, as you lose out on page authority and positive ranking from those backlinks. With the use of the Link Checker module, you can monitor your Drupal site for broken links and fix them quickly, which is vital for maintaining a healthy site structure and good user experience.

Action steps:

• Install the Link Checker module to automatically detect broken links on your site.
• Regularly review broken links and either update or remove them.
   

9. Enable multilingual support if the site has multiple languages

Multilingual SEO is essential when your website targets a global audience. Having content in multiple languages can help attract users from different regions and improve rankings there. Drupal offers powerful multilingual capabilities that should be leveraged for effective SEO.

Action steps:

• From the “Extend” administration page, enable the following modules: Language module, Content Translation, and Interface Translation to manage content in multiple languages.
• Use the Hreflang module to indicate the language and regional targeting of each page to search engines.

10. Add the website to the Google Search Console

Google Search Console enables monitoring of your site traffic and performance in Google search results. With this tool, you can check your site indexing status, identify crawl errors, and track search performance metrics. This helps Google index your content more effectively and address issues that may affect your visibility.

Action steps:

• Sign in to Google Search Console and add a property.
• Submit a sitemap to guide Google in indexing your pages more effectively.

11. Add the website to Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing Webmaster Tools allows you to monitor your site performance, traffic, and ranking on Bing. By adding your site to Bing Webmaster Tools, you can fix SEO issues that occur and access valuable SEO insights. Moreover, it allows you to reach users on Bing which has a global market share of 10.5% in the desktop search engine market.

Action steps:

• From your Bing Webmaster Tools account, add your website.
• Submit your sitemap to help Bing crawl your site more effectively.
   

12. Add your site to Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile (former Google My Business) is yet another tool critical for managing your online presence, particularly for local SEO. A well-optimized company profile improves your visibility in local search results and ensures your business information, including location and hours, is accurate on Google Maps. This is especially important for brick-and-mortar businesses looking to attract local customers.

Action steps:

• Claim and configure your Google Business Profile to enhance local search ranking.

13. Install and configure Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager allows you to configure and deploy tags like tracking codes for Google Analytics on your site easily. Adding and managing tags manually is time-consuming, but with this tool, the process takes less time and effort. Configuring Google Tag Manager ensures that your site is properly integrated with analytics tools and tracking systems, which is vital for measuring performance and improving SEO strategies.

Action steps:

• Install and configure the Google Tag Manager module.
• Add GTM snippets to your site to enable tracking and integrate with tools like Google Analytics and Google Ads.

14. Install and configure Google Analytics

Integrating your site with Google Analytics allows you to gather valuable insights on visitor behavior, page performance, and overall site traffic. Setting up Google Analytics can help you optimize your content and improve user engagement based on data-driven decisions.

Action steps:

• Install the Google Analytics module via the Drupal admin interface or composer.
• Create a Google Analytics account and set up a property to obtain your Tracking ID.
• Navigate to Configuration > System > Google Analytics in Drupal and enter your Tracking ID.
• Configure additional settings such as excluding admin traffic or enabling enhanced link attribution.
• Test the integration by monitoring real-time traffic in the Google Analytics dashboard to ensure proper tracking.
   

15. Optimize Title and Description tags

Optimizing meta tags like the title and meta description provide search engines with essential information about a page. The concise title under 60 characters and engaging, keyword-rich description within 160 characters can increase your CTR and chances of attracting visitors. Using the Real-time SEO for Drupal module can streamline this process by providing actionable insights directly within the Drupal content editing interface.

Action steps:

• Install the Real-time SEO for Drupal module.
• Configure the module to integrate with your preferred SEO analysis tool like Yoast or SEMrush.
• Set up the rules for meta tags, such as length and keyword focus.

16. Check for duplicate pages and tags

Duplicate content such as pages and tags can cause confusion for search engines, as they may not know which version of a page to index. This can lead to a dilution of page rankings. Timely detection and removal of duplicate content is essential to maintain your site health and online visibility.

Action steps:

• Use tools like Google Search Console to identify duplicate content.
• Implement canonical URLs for pages that have similar content, directing search engines to the preferred version.
• Regularly review your site to ensure that no content is unintentionally duplicated across it.
   

17. Optimize H1–H6 headings for keywords

Proper heading use has SEO benefits, which can help your pages rank higher in Google search results. Start with the H1 tag, reserved for the main title of the page and containing your primary keyword. Use subheadings (H2, H3, ...) to help both users and search engines navigate your content more easily.

Action steps:

• Ensure each page has a unique H1 that clearly describes the content.
• Use H2–H6 tags to create a logical structure for your content and include relevant keywords naturally.
• Avoid keyword stuffing and make sure the headings are user-friendly.
   

18. Add structured data (Schema.org)

Structured data or schema markup is essential for SEO, as it helps search engines understand the content and context of your pages more effectively. Adding the schema.org markup allows your site to be displayed in rich snippets and appear higher in Google search results.

Action steps:

• Install the Schema.org Metatag module to add structured data to your Drupal site.
• Use relevant schema types like Breadcrumbs, Organization, Product, Article, or FAQ depending on your content.

19. Set up Open Graph metadata using Metatag

When sharing your content on social media, ensure that rich previews are correctly displayed. Setting up Open Graph using the Metatag module allows you to reach this by adding the Open Graph meta tag to your site pages. Properly configuring these ensures that your content is clickable and informative, helping to boost engagement and drive traffic from social media channels.

Action steps:

• Add custom Open Graph metadata for individual pages or nodes to control how they appear when shared.
• Test the output of your Open Graph tags using tools like Facebook’s Sharing Debugger to ensure they are functioning correctly and displaying as expected.

20. Add alt tags to all images

Alt tags added to images in HTML are essential for SEO since they provide a textual description of images and help search engines understand the content. Furthermore, they improve accessibility by enabling users with visual impairments to navigate your site effectively. Add alt tags to every single image on your site to increase visibility in search results.

Action steps:

• Ensure that all images on your site include descriptive and meaningful alt tags. Avoid empty alt tags or generic descriptions such as “image1” or “photo.”
• Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your alt tags to enhance search engine visibility while maintaining accurate descriptions.
• Use Drupal’s image management tools, such as Responsive Image Styles or image field settings, to enforce the inclusion of alt tags during image uploads.
• Audit your site regularly with tools or SEO modules to identify and fix missing or poorly optimized alt tags.

21. Optimize content and URLs for voice search

With over 50% of people worldwide using voice search, optimizing your content for voice should not be ignored. Not only people, but also search engines love voice search-optimized websites. Unlike with text search, people tend to ask more conversational questions when searching with their voice. This means you should use natural language, long-tail keywords, and simplified URLs to reach a broader audience and drive increased organic traffic to your web pages.

Action steps:

• Include long-tail keywords that mimic natural speech patterns in your content.
• Create FAQ-style content that answers common questions related to your industry.
• Focus on local SEO, as voice searches often involve local intent (e.g., “near me” searches).

22. Use a CDN to improve site loading speed

Site loading speed is an important SEO factor: the faster your site loads, the higher it ranks. Using a CDN can significantly reduce latency and improve load times by storing cached versions of your site across servers worldwide, ensuring users can access that data from the nearest location.

Action steps:

• Choose a CDN service provider.
• Configure your Drupal site to integrate with the CDN and ensure content is properly cached.
• Monitor CDN performance and make adjustments if necessary to optimize page load times.

23. Enable image lazy load

By enabling lazy loading for images on your website, you can significantly improve page load times and increase its SEO performance. Images will only be loaded on demand, when the user scrolls down to them.

Action steps:

• Enable lazy loading for images via Drupal settings or with a module like Lazy-load.
• Ensure that images below the fold (i.e., not immediately visible) are loaded only when the user is about to view them.

24. Compress images using ImageAPI Optimize

Large, unoptimized images can drastically slow down page load times. ImageAPI Optimize is a module that automatically compresses images without sacrificing quality. Faster loading times not only improve the user experience but also contribute to better SEO rankings.

Action steps:

• Install and configure the ImageAPI Optimize module.
• Set up compression settings to ensure your images are optimized for the web, reducing load times without sacrificing quality.

25. Check site speed using GTmetrix

Slow-loading websites not only irritate visitors but also risk higher bounce rates, which can negatively impact your SEO ranking. Check your site speed and overall performance with GTmetrix and address site speed issues, if there are any.

Action steps:

• Use GTmetrix to analyze and optimize your site performance.
• Optimize images, use caching, and enable compression for faster load times.

26. Optimize page load speed via PageSpeed Insights

A good page speed for SEO is three seconds or less. Google PageSpeed Insights helps you assess the performance of your site, highlighting the bottlenecks such as unoptimized images, render-blocking scripts, or inefficient caching. When you solve those problems, your site starts working faster, engaging users better, converting more, and giving a boost to SEO rankings.

Action steps:

• Check your website speed with Google PageSpeed Insights.
• Continuously test and optimize your website performance for the best possible load times, changing user needs, and ever-evolving SEO requirements.

27. Install AdvAgg for CSS and JS minification

Minifying CSS and JavaScript files reduces their size, helping improve page load speed. AdvAgg is a module that minifies and aggregates CSS and JS files, which reduces the number of requests made to the server and speeds up the site.

Action steps:

• Install the AdvAgg module to minify CSS and JavaScript files.
• Configure the module to automatically compress and aggregate files.

28. Configure page and Views caching

Caching is a vital step in optimizing your Drupal website for speed and performance. By enabling and configuring page and Views caching, you can reduce server load, improve page load times, and provide a better user experience, which directly benefits your SEO efforts.

Action steps:

• Enable Page Cache in Configuration > Performance to store pre-rendered pages for anonymous users and reduce load times.
• Configure Views Caching in the Advanced section of your View, setting an appropriate cache duration based on content update frequency.
• Use advanced caching solutions like Redis or Memcache to optimize database performance and improve site responsiveness.
• Test caching effectiveness with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to ensure optimal performance.

29. Set up a favicon for the site

A favicon, short for “favorite icon”, is a small image that is associated with your site. It typically appears near your website title in a browser tab, but it can also be shown in bookmarks and history. Having a favicon is good for SEO since it helps with brand recognition, user experience, and the professional appearance of your Drupal site.

Action steps:

• Create a 16x16 or 32x32 pixel square icon, such as your brand logo or a distinctive image.
• Go to Configuration > System > Site Information.
• In the Site Information settings, look for the Favicon section and click Choose File to select and upload the favicon image.
• Save the configuration changes to apply the favicon to your site.
• Clear the site cache to ensure the favicon appears correctly across all browsers.

30. Enable mobile responsiveness

Responsive design is part of the SEO-friendly website. It will help your website to fit on all screen sizes and device types, increasing user experience and raising your ranking positions in mobile device results. Ensure that your Drupal site shows up in mobile search results correctly.

Action steps:

• Choose a responsive theme for your Drupal site. For a custom theme, ensure it includes responsive design elements such as flexible images and CSS media queries.
• Test your site mobile performance using tools like Google Mobile-Friendly Test.
• Regularly check for any issues with your mobile layout and fix them promptly.

31. Test the site for browser and device compatibility

Cross-browser and cross-device compatibility of your Drupal site means much for SEO. And if it doesn’t appear correctly on some devices or browsers, you risk not only visitors but also your position on the SERP. Therefore, test your site carefully for proper work on different browsers and devices.

Action steps:

• Check your website using different browsers and various types of devices. All of your site elements, such as images, text, buttons, and forms, should be responsive.
• Use tools like BrowserStack to identify any compatibility issues and fix them quickly.

32. Verify the site accessibility

Website accessibility, besides providing equal opportunities and access to information to all users, will keep your site rank higher, since Google considers the accessibility factor to be very crucial. This will also mean that the more easy to navigate your Drupal site is, the more engagement it gets, and thus the better the search rankings.

Action steps:

• Audit your site accessibility with tools like Google Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights.
• Make sure your website follows the WCAG guidelines and other accessibility standards.
• Implement accessible features, such as proper alt text for images, video captions, and clear, logical navigation.

33. Set up internal linking between pages

Internal links assist Google and other search engines in understanding the structure of your website. When set up properly, they allow visitors to find related pages, which improves user experience. Also, internal linking boosts SEO performance by letting search engines crawl and index your pages better.

Action steps:

• Review your site content to identify opportunities for internal linking.
• Use anchor text that is descriptive and relevant to the target page to link related pages.
• Link to cornerstone content or important landing pages from high-traffic pages on your site to enhance their visibility.
• Utilize the Linkit module in Drupal to streamline adding internal links by suggesting content as you type.
• Regularly audit internal links to ensure they are functional, relevant, and not broken.

34. Check Google Search Console

Constant monitoring of the Google Search Console allows you to track your site performance in search results and address any issues that could impact your SEO rankings. You should pay special attention to the Core Web Vitals report, Pages report, and low-authority backlinks that are harmful to your site.

Action steps:

• Log in to your Google Search Console.
• Check the Core Web Vitals report. Identify pages with poor LCP, FID, and CLS metrics and optimize them for better performance.
• Analyze the Pages report. Look for pages with low impressions or clicks and optimize them with better content or more relevant keywords to boost their visibility.
• Audit the site for low-authority backlinks and disavow them if necessary.

35. Update Drupal core and modules

Keeping Drupal Core and modules up to date is critical for a secure, high-performance website, which, as we know, is an essential factor in SEO. Periodically check if there are any updates available and verify that all core components and modules are up to the latest version.

Action steps:

• Set up regular checks for Drupal Core and module updates by visiting the Reports section of your Drupal admin panel and checking for available updates under Available Updates.
• Prior updating, always back up your website, including the database and files, to prevent data loss in case of update issues.
• Update the modules through Extend by enabling the latest versions, and update Drupal Core by navigating to Reports > Available Updates.
• After updating, test the site thoroughly to ensure that everything is functioning as expected, especially key features or custom modules.
• Regularly review module changelogs to stay informed about important updates or features and any potential conflicts that might arise from newer versions.
• Consider using the Upgrade Status module to assess the compatibility of your current modules with the latest version of Drupal.

36. Add a blog or news section for regular content updates

Regularly post fresh, relevant content to your site, be it a blog post or a piece of news — search engines will appreciate it. Adding new content helps you keep your site dynamic, signalling to Google and others that your site is active and engaging. Also, you can increase your search ranking by targeting a wider range of long-tail keywords used in texts.

Action steps:

• Use the Blog content type or Article content type to create a dedicated blog or news section.
• Enable a taxonomy system to categorize posts by topics, making it easier for users and search engines to discover content.
• Promote new blog posts or news updates through social media, newsletters, and other channels.