Meta Tags + Structured Data Schemas + SiteMap + Robots.txt
🙋♀️ Hey, quick question: If you're building custom websites / web apps, what's your approach in terms of the SEO stuff, e.g. meta tags, structured data schemas, sitemap, robots.txt?
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Do you add as you go or add it altogether at the end?
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Do you copy and paste from a previous project or is there a magical website I've not discovered yet?
Here's my suggestion for my approach.
Add as I go: I always add these elements as I develop the website or web app. This way, I can ensure that each part of my project is SEO-friendly from the beginning, and it also helps me avoid overlooking important SEO aspects.
I use a template or checklist: To make things easier and more consistent, I create a template or a checklist with all the necessary SEO elements, such as meta tags, structured data schemas, sitemaps, and robots.txt. This helps me to remember, add and maintain consistency across your projects.
Customize for each project: I always keep in mind that each project is unique, so even though having a starting point or a template can be helpful, I adapt my SEO strategy to fit the specific requirements of each website or web app I work on. I make sure to adjust meta tags, structured data, and other elements to match the individual needs of each project.
Utilize available tools: I make use of the various tools and resources available online to assist me with SEO implementation. Some popular ones I frequently rely on include Google Search Console, Google's Structured Data Testing Tool, and numerous SEO websites mainly (Semrush, Similarweb, Ahref, etc) or libraries tailored for widely-used content management systems and web development frameworks.
There are also many factors relevant to SEO but by adhering to these recommendations, I can guarantee a more SEO-friendly approach to building my custom websites and web apps, while preserving consistency and efficiency throughout the entire development process.
Thanks for the detailed response. You are much more organised than me! I always end up doing it last, just before deployment, which can end up being quite boring.
Recently, the Google search favicon is giving me a headache as well. It doesn't seem to want to show up in the search engine despite it fitting all of Google's criteria. Can I ask if you use a favicon generator? I've tried https://favicon.io and https://realfavicongenerator.net, in addition to a custom .png image to satisfy the multiples of 48x48 rule, neither seems to work?
Your favicon must be a multiple of 48px square, for example, 48x48px, 96x96px, 144x144px, and so I don't have any trouble using these sizes, also I don't use a favicon generator as I have a dedicated graphic designer for this.