Drupal Starshot SEO Track Survey Results

Created on 24 September 2024, 6 months ago

Survey Results

We ran a survey to gather input from the community on how they optimize Drupal for search engines. We received 59 responses. Thanks to John Doyle (_doyle_) for putting together this amazing summary of the results.

Starshot SEO Track Survey Results Analysis:

Executive Summary

The survey on SEO in Drupal has revealed key insights into how users perceive Drupal’s SEO capabilities, which modules are most commonly used, and what improvements are desired. While Drupal's flexibility and customization options are widely recognized, there is a strong demand for simplifying SEO management, particularly through more centralized and user-friendly tools.

Commonly Used Drupal SEO Modules

The following modules were frequently mentioned by survey respondents, along with their respective counts:

  • Metatag: 42 mentions
  • Pathauto: 20 mentions
  • Simple XML Sitemap/XML Sitemap: 18 mentions
  • Redirect: 10 mentions
  • Schema.org Metatag: 9 mentions
  • SEO Checklist: 6 mentions
  • Yoast SEO/Real-time SEO for Drupal: 6 mentions
  • Google Analytics Module: 4 mentions
  • Schema.org Blueprints: 3 mentions
  • Rabbithole: 1 mention
  • Siteimprove: 1 mention

Drupal's Greatest Strengths in SEO

The survey respondents identified several strengths of Drupal’s SEO capabilities:

  • Flexibility and Customization: Drupal's ability to customize meta tags, URL structures, and content types is a significant strength, mentioned by 15 respondents. The flexibility in defining structured content through modules like Metatag and Schema.org Metatag was particularly highlighted.
  • Caching and Performance: 10 respondents noted that Drupal's caching mechanisms, especially when combined with external services like Fastly, contribute positively to SEO by improving page load times.
  • Comprehensive Module Ecosystem: 12 respondents praised the range of available modules that provide extensive SEO functionality, allowing for detailed control over different aspects of SEO.

Drupal's Greatest Weaknesses in SEO

Despite its strengths, the survey identified several areas where Drupal’s SEO capabilities could be improved:

  • Complex Configuration: 20 respondents noted that setting up and configuring SEO in Drupal is complex, particularly for non-developers. The learning curve and the scattered nature of SEO settings were significant challenges.
  • Lack of User-Friendly Tools: 18 respondents expressed frustration with the lack of intuitive, easy-to-use tools for SEO management, especially when compared to other platforms like WordPress, which offer user-friendly plugins like Yoast.
  • Performance Issues: 14 respondents highlighted issues related to JS/CSS aggregation, image optimization, and other performance-related challenges that negatively impact SEO.

Desired Features and Improvements

The following features and improvements were mentioned by respondents, with a higher standard applied to identify those specifically requesting a Centralized SEO Dashboard or similar concepts:

  • Centralized SEO Dashboard: 5 respondents explicitly mentioned the need for a unified interface to manage all SEO-related configurations and monitor site health in one place. This was the most clearly requested feature.
  • SEO Preview/Score Tools: 4 respondents requested tools similar to Yoast’s real-time feedback and scoring during content creation, to make SEO optimization more accessible to content editors.
  • Simplified SEO Configuration: 3 respondents emphasized the need for a more straightforward, guided setup process, potentially including wizards to help users configure SEO settings without needing deep technical knowledge.
  • Enhanced Schema Support: 3 respondents asked for more robust tools to implement and manage structured data (Schema.org) in Drupal, with better guidance and a more intuitive interface.

Areas Where People Get Stuck the Most in SEO Implementation

Based on the survey responses from the first data set, here are the areas where respondents indicated they or their teams often get stuck when implementing SEO features or optimizations. These issues have been grouped into common categories, with counts provided for issues that were mentioned multiple times.

1. Performance Issues

Mentions: 5
Summary: Several respondents highlighted performance-related issues as a significant challenge. Specific areas of difficulty include:
JS/CSS Aggregation: Mentioned by 2 respondents.
Page Load Time: Mentioned by 2 respondents.
Critical CSS Extraction: Mentioned by 1 respondent.

2. Configuration Complexity

Mentions: 6
Summary: The complexity of configuring SEO settings in Drupal was frequently mentioned as a pain point. Specific challenges include:
Setting Up Metatags: Mentioned by 3 respondents.
Multilingual Setup: Mentioned by 2 respondents, particularly issues with hreflang and multilingual sitemaps.
Token Management: Mentioned by 1 respondent, particularly the difficulty in finding and using the correct tokens.

3. Schema.org and Structured Data

Mentions: 4
Summary: Implementing and configuring Schema.org and structured data in Drupal was identified as a challenge. Specific difficulties include:
Setting Up Schema.org Markup: Mentioned by 2 respondents.
Generating Appropriate Schema for Content Types: Mentioned by 2 respondents.

4. SEO Module Integration

Mentions: 4
Summary: Issues with integrating various SEO modules were noted, particularly when trying to combine multiple SEO-related functionalities. Specific issues include:
Metatag Module with Paragraphs: Mentioned by 2 respondents.
Integrating SEO Modules with Views: Mentioned by 1 respondent.
General Integration of Multiple SEO Tools: Mentioned by 1 respondent.

5. Content Management and Optimization

Mentions: 3
Summary: Some respondents noted difficulties in managing and optimizing content for SEO. Specific challenges include:
Ensuring Content Editors Follow SEO Best Practices: Mentioned by 2 respondents.
Balancing SEO with User-Friendly Content: Mentioned by 1 respondent.

6. Multilingual and Multisite Issues

Mentions: 3
Summary: Managing SEO across multilingual and multisite setups was highlighted as an area of difficulty. Specific challenges include:
Multilingual Sitemap Configuration: Mentioned by 1 respondent.
Hreflang Configuration for Multilingual Sites: Mentioned by 2 respondents.

7. Real-Time SEO Feedback

Mentions: 2
Summary: The lack of real-time SEO feedback or challenges with existing tools providing this feedback was noted. Specific tools mentioned:
Yoast SEO’s Limited Compatibility with Paragraphs: Mentioned by 1 respondent.
Need for Real-Time SEO Checking: Mentioned by 1 respondent.

Starshot General Survey - SEO Filtered Results:

Aggregated Summary of Must-Have Features

Based on the provided data set, here is an aggregated summary of the must-have SEO features mentioned by respondents, including the count of mentions for each feature. This summary focuses solely on the features and modules directly mentioned in the data.

1. Metatag

Mentions: 13
Summary: Respondents frequently mentioned Metatag as a critical module for SEO. It was highlighted for its importance in managing metadata across pages and supporting SEO needs. Several respondents noted its ease of setup and its role in improving search engine optimization and social media integration.

2. Sitemap

Mentions: 7
Summary: The need for a sitemap was consistently noted, with respondents mentioning Simple Sitemap and XML Sitemap as essential modules. These modules help search engines crawl and index site content effectively. Respondents pointed out the importance of having a sitemap, especially for multilingual sites and content types.

3. Schema.org Metatag

Mentions: 4
Summary: Respondents highlighted the Schema.org Metatag module as important for incorporating structured data to improve content visibility in search results. It was noted that this module is useful for aligning site content with Google Search Gallery's documentation and ensuring rich content is surfaced by search engines.

4. RobotsTxt

Mentions: 1
Summary: The RobotsTxt module was mentioned as a basic but necessary feature for allowing site owners to control which parts of their site are crawled by search engines.

5. Easy Breadcrumb

Mentions: 1
Summary: The Easy Breadcrumb module was referenced in the context of improving site structure, particularly to enhance SEO by aligning with Google’s requirements for structured data.

6. Smart Date (Event)

Mentions: 1
Summary: This module was mentioned for its role in managing event dates, making content more likely to be included in Google search features, specifically for events.

7. Address (Local Business, Organization)

Mentions: 1
Summary: The Address module was noted as important for local SEO, particularly for ensuring that local business and organization information is correctly formatted for search engines.

8. Commerce (Product)

Mentions: 1
Summary: The Commerce module was mentioned as essential for sites that include products, helping to improve product visibility in search results through structured data.

9. Focal Point

Mentions: 1
Summary: The Focal Point module was cited as useful for image management, ensuring that images are correctly cropped and displayed in social media previews, which is important for SEO.

10. Yoast SEO

Mentions: 2
Summary: Yoast SEO was mentioned for its real-time SEO feedback, which helps users optimize their content during the creation process.

📌 Task
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Active

Component

Track: SEO

Created by

🇺🇸United States thejimbirch Cape Cod, Massachusetts

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