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SEO Professional

To help you automatically optimize and greatly improve the performance of your Magento-based store in Search Engines, the Mageplaza SEO extension will bring your store a great chance to own amazing speed as well as to gain higher and higher ranks in the popular and famous search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo

In order to install SEO extension on your store, you can learn and do it by yourself via Instalation Guide or use Installation Service Package to request the specialist helps from Mageplaza Team.

Download & Install​

You can download it from the following resources:

I. Configuration​

Login to your Magento 2 backend Stores > Settings > Configurations > Mageplaza Extension: SEO, follow our given guide below to complete those SEO configurations

  • General
  • Duplicate Content
  • Structure Data
  • Business Information
  • Social Profiles
  • Verifications
  • HTML Sitemap
  • XML Sitemap
  • Canonical URLs
  • Redirects
  • SEO Rules

1.1. General Configuration​

Choose Enable = "Yes" to turn Mageplaza SEO on generally.

1.2. Duplicate Content​

Filtering results (from layered navigation pages, etc) is the main cause of generating many similar URLs, and search crawlers assess them are all the same, in other words, it's called duplicate content. Therefore, you must have the assist from Canonical tags to reduce the duplication of content on the page, this is an onpage SEO tip to note obviously.

  • In the Use Canonical Link Meta Tag For Categories field: Choose "Yes" to display Canonical tags of Category pages which are from Source Category on the frontend.

  • In the Use Canonical Link Meta Tag For Products field: Choose "Yes" to display Canonical tags of Source Product on the frontend.

1.3. Structure Data​

  • In the Enable Product Structured Data field:

    • Select "Yes" to display the basic information of products when they are searched by search engines.
    • By this intuitive design, Product Structured Data will increase click through rate (CTR) drastically. Thus, products from your store will be ranked higher on search results.
    • You can check Product Structure Data at the Page Source of Product Detail Page. Structure Data will mirror exactly as the basic information of that product.

  • In the Enable Sitelinks Searchbox field:

    • Select "Yes" to display your store's Searchbox on the Sitelinks. As soon as your store displays on the search results, your store searchbox will also display with the store's link.
    • You can test the code in Page Source of Homepage.

1.4. Business Information​

  • In the Enable Bussiness Information field: Select "Yes to display information about your business in the search result.
  • When you leave any field blank, the information for that field will not display.
  • You can test the code in Page Source of Homepage.

1.5. Social Profiles​

  • You can paste your social addresses in here. Make sure that all the accounts have been verified.
  • Social Profile will display along with Business Information. If Business Information is not enabled, Social Profile won't display in search results.
  • You can leave unnecessary Social Profiles in blank status.
  • When the searcher clicks on one of your social links, they will be redirected to that social page of your store.
  • You can test the code in the Page Source of the Homepage.

1.6. Verifications​

In the Verification field, you need to enter the verification code to confirm the ownership of your site. Hence, you can use the Web services such as Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, Pinterest and Yandex Webmaster Tools.

  • In the Google Search Console field: Enter the verification code for Google Search Console.
  • In the Bing Webmaster Tools field: Enter the verification code for Bing Webmaster Tools.
  • In the Pinterest field: Enter the verification code for Pinterest.
  • In the Yandex Webmaster Tools field: Enter the verification code for Yandex Webmaster Tools.

1.7. HTML Sitemap​

To use this function, you need to install Mageplaza Sitemap extension.

This HTML sitemap configuration contains Categories Sitemap, Pages Sitemap, and Products Sitemap, while all of them can be displayed in the footer of your page. You can see the settings in the following screenshots:

  • In the Enable HTML Sitemap: choose “Yes” if you want to enable HTML Sitemap. New related HTML Sitemap modules will be expanded automatically
  • In the Enable Categories Sitemap: choose “Yes” if you want to display all pages in categories.
    • Exclude Category Page: Enter path in the Exclude Category Page to limit those category pages displayed in HTML Sitemap. Separated by a line break.
    • Display Style: Select style to display categories in HTML sitemap:
      • List:

* Dropdown:

  • In the Enable Pages Sitemap field: choose “Yes” if you want to display all pages in the website.

    • Enable Exclude Pages Sitemap: Select Yes to exclude pages in HTML sitemap. Show extra field:
      • Filter Cms Pages: Select one or multiple pages to exclude them from HTML sitemap.

  • In the Enable Products Sitemap field: choose “Yes” if you want to display all product pages.

    • Sort Products in HTML Sitemap by: Select how to display products in HTML Sitemap according to: Product IDs, Product Name, Price.

    • Default Sort Direction: Select the sorting direction: Descending or Ascending.

    • Hide Out Of Stock Products: Select Yes to hide out-of-stock products in HTML sitemap.

    • Limit Product Sitemap: Enter a number in the Limit Product Sitemap field to limit the number of products shown in HTML sitemap.

  • In the Enable Additional Links field: if you have a tons of link which can’t be automatically inserted into HTML file, choose “Yes” to enable this permission.

  • In the Additional Links box: Paste additional links you want to add.

  • In the Add Sitemap Link to Footer field: choose “Yes” if you want to enable the advance HTML Sitemap in the footer of pages.

  • In the Enable Search Field field: Choose "Yes" to display the search field in HTML Sitemap.

1.8. XML Sitemap​

To use this function, you need to install Mageplaza Sitemap extension

Right under the HTML Sitemap’s configuration is XML Sitemap’s settings

XML Sitemap is a .xml map of your website and the map will show a list of the page that the visitors can access. Under the XML Sitemap section, you can:

  • Create Homepage Optimization when choosing "Yes"
  • In case you need additional links, it is required to set Enable Additional Links to "Yes". The system will then display more fields:
    • Additional Links: Insert one or several links to add to XML Sitemap. Remember to separate these links by lines.
    • Frequency: Choose the frequency for additional links.
    • Priority: Enter the priority for addition links with the value from 0 to 1. The smaller the number, the higher the priority.

1.9. Canonical URLs​

If the content of your site has the same article with others, search engines will underestimate the quality of your content and thus reduce the ranking of your website. Therefore, you must have a Canonical tags to reduce the duplication of content on the page, this is an onpage SEO tips which should be noted.

Expand Canonical URLs configuration to see basic modules:

  • In the Add Canonical URL Meta Header field: Choose “Yes” if you want to add canonical URL for Meta Header Tags
  • In the Disable Canonical URL for Pages with NOINDEX robots field: Choose “No” if you want to disable all canonical URL for pages with NOINDEX robots since it’s not good for your SEO procedure (eg Search Pages, 404 Pages, etc)
  • In the Don’t use Canonical URL for these pages field: Default option is “No”. Entered pages won't display Canonical URL.

1.10. Redirects​

Scroll until Redirect’s general configuration reaches your eyes.

  • In the Enable Redirects field: choose “Yes” to allow this function to work.
  • In the Better 404 Page field: choose “Yes” if you want all 404 Pages to be redirected to your Homepage.

An additional user guide for Redirects can be found here

1.11. SEO Rules​

Head forward to Mageplaza > SEO: Configuration > SEO Rules in order to take the basic control for Rules generally.

  • In the Enable SEO Rules field: Choose “Yes” to enable all set SEO rules
  • In the Use H1 Heading for Product Pages field: Select “Yes” if you want to apply H1 Heading for Product Pages.
  • In the Use H1 Heading for Category Pages field: Choose “Yes” if you want to apply H1 Heading for Category Pages.
  • In the Enable Automatic Alt Image field: The required alt attribute specifies an alternate text for an image, if the image cannot be displayed. Choose “Yes” to enable this function”

II. Manage Rules​

To add a new rule, please follow the path Marketing > SEO: Manage Rules, click on Add Rule button, choose one type of page you want to create a new rule apply for:

  • Product Pages
  • Category Pages
  • CMS Pages
  • Layered Navigation

Note: There existed Default: Layered Navigation in the Rule Management. This rule's function is for fixing filtered result's title like this below screenshot. It can't be eliminated. However, you can Enable/Disable or modify the rule as your favor.

In this below guide, let’s take a try with the Product Pages

A new rule information page appears. Fill all required information which are divided into 4 parts at the sidebar, please follow those explanation for each field

2.1 Rule Information​

  • In the Name field: Enter a Rule Name
  • In the Status field: Set Status to “Enable” for the active rule
  • In the Store view field: Choose Store View where the rule is applied
  • In the Priority field: Set Priority number, 0 is the highest level.

2.2 Conditions​

It’s pretty easy to add/remove its content

2.3 Actions​

  • In the Meta Title Template box: Enter the Meta Tile Template
  • In the Meta Description Template box: Enter the Meta Tile Template. Use following syntax to add dynamic meta title: {{name}}, {{price}}, {{special_price}}, {{page_number}}.
  • In the Meta Keywords Template field: Enter the Meta Keywords Template. It should be between 3-5 keywords. Use following syntax to add dynamic meta title: {{name}}, {{price}}, {{special_price}}, {{page_number}}.
  • In the Robot Template field: Select Robots Template from one of the options to set the index permission for search engine’s robots:
    • Index, Follow
    • NoIndex, Follow
    • Index, NoFollow
    • NoIndex, NoFollow
  • In the Apply Template field there are two modes:
    • “Skip if already defined” means if admin manually added meta tag: title, description, so it will not apply this template.
    • “Force Update” means auto-applying the template for all meta tags

2.4 Preview​

This is the final step where you can check the result after setting up a bunch of required information. For example, it will appear like this

The rule form and its action of the rest Category Pages, CMS Pages or Layered Navigation is pretty similar to the Product Page’s form

Editing template rule form is the same with creating a new one. At Marketing > SEO: Manage Rules choose Edit the rule you want to alter. Remember to clicl on Apply Rulesevery time you edit a rule to apply it properly.

III. SEO Tools​

This add-on tool will assist SEO extension in assessing and marking which and how to perform the structured data at the best for SEO progress. You can have a general review for the SEO analysis at the Product Page, Category Page and CMS Page.

For example with a product:

  • Go to Product > Catalog, choose Edit a random one.
  • Choose PageSpeed Insight button at the header

  • The page will be directed to PageSpeed Insight page for the check execution.

  • PageSpeed Insights will focus on 2 key issues: page loading speed and user friendliness. These factors comply with Google web optimization methods as well as automate adjustment process.

  • Apply the same action with Category Page and CMS Page.

IV. SEO URL​

Basically, one of the most important search engine optiomization techniques is using SEO-friendly URL.

  • Select Yes to enable SEO URL.