Preface
Joomla! is one of the most popular open content management systems. It powers a huge number of today's websites, and is a solid choice for many businesses that want to create a compelling online presence. On today's web, where noise and competition are at their highest levels ever, simply having a great site isn't enough. If you want to be competitive online, you need to have an appreciation for search marketing, and you need fluency with the skills and strategy behind search engine optimization.
Joomla! provides only limited SEO functionality straight out of the box. In this book, we look at how you can create a search engine optimized Joomla! site using a combination of the default Joomla! tools together with a set of popular extensions for the CMS. We also explore in depth the strategy behind SEO and how to set up and prosecute a successful SEO campaign.
Search marketing is a very competitive area, and one that is constantly changing and evolving. SEO skills are in high demand. Use this book to build a solid foundation in SEO and make your Joomla! sites perform to the best of their ability.
What this book covers
Chapter 1, An Introduction to Search Engine Optimization, introduces the key concepts behind search engine optimization, including an explanation of how search engines look at websites and a glossary of terms in common usage in the SEO world.
Chapter 2, Configuring Joomla!'s SEO Options, focuses on how to configure Joomla! to achieve optimal SEO advantage. Each of the default SEO features is discussed at length as are server configuration issues.
Chapter 3, Useful Extensions to Enhance SEO, reviews the most popular SEO extensions for the Joomla! CMS, then goes on to show the installation and configuration of a sample set of free extensions.
Chapter 4, Getting Ready for Launch, is concerned with the soft skills behind SEO, that is, keyword analysis, competitor research, and the development of an SEO keyphrase strategy for a site.
Chapter 5, Managing SEO on a Live Site, is concerned with what goes on after the site is launched. The focus is on developing a methodology for continuous improvement, with a look at content strategies, Social Media Optimization, and link building.
Who this book is for
This book is aimed at site builders, webmasters, and site owners. Advanced technical skills are not required, though the user should be familiar with administering a Joomla! website, including how to install Extensions. If you are concerned with how your Joomla! site ranks on the search engines or with generating traffic for your site, then you will find this book to be of use. The text presumes no existing special knowledge. Basic concepts are explained, as is the thinking behind the approach advocated in this book.
Conventions
In this book, you will find a number of styles of text that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles, and an explanation of their meaning.
Code words in text are shown as follows: "nofollow is a possible value for the rel attribute inside the<a> tag."
New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen, in menus or dialog boxes for example, appear in the text like this: "On the right-hand side of the site page is a section named SEO Settings, as seen in the next screenshot."
Note
Warnings or important notes appear in a box like this.
Note
Tips and tricks appear like this.
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