SEO

Overview

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is how you help search engines like Google understand your content and show it to people searching for related topics. GritCMS includes built-in SEO features that make it easy to optimize your site without needing technical expertise. You configure site-wide SEO settings from Settings > SEO in the admin dashboard.

Accessing SEO Settings

1. Click Settings in the admin sidebar.
2. Select the SEO tab.
3. Configure your settings and click Save.

Meta Title

The meta title is the text that appears in browser tabs and as the clickable headline in search engine results. It is one of the most important SEO signals.

Setting the Meta Title

1. In the SEO settings, enter your desired title in the Meta Title field.
2. Click Save.

Tips for Meta Titles

• Keep it under 60 characters so it displays fully in search results.
• Include your brand name (e.g., "Your Brand -- Online Courses & Resources").
• Put the most important keywords near the beginning.
• Make it descriptive and compelling -- this is what people see before deciding to click.

Example:

GritCMS -- Build and Grow Your Creator Business

Meta Description

The meta description is the short paragraph that appears below the title in search engine results. While it does not directly affect rankings, a well-written description increases the chance that people will click on your link.

Setting the Meta Description

1. In the SEO settings, enter your description in the Meta Description field.
2. Click Save.

Tips for Meta Descriptions

• Keep it between 120 and 160 characters.
• Summarize what visitors will find on your site.
• Include a call to action when appropriate (e.g., "Start your free trial today.").
• Avoid duplicating the meta title -- expand on it instead.

Example:

Create courses, sell digital products, and build your audience
with GritCMS. A self-hostable platform for creators.

Open Graph Image

The Open Graph (OG) image is the preview image that appears when someone shares a link to your site on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. A good OG image makes your shared links more eye-catching and professional.

Setting the OG Image

1. In the SEO settings, find the Open Graph Image section.
2. Upload an image or enter an image URL.
3. Click Save.

OG Image Recommendations

This image is used as the default for all pages that do not have their own featured image. Blog posts with a featured image will use that image instead for social shares.

Google Analytics

GritCMS supports Google Analytics integration so you can track visitor behavior, traffic sources, and page performance.

Setting Up Google Analytics

1. Create a Google Analytics property at analytics.google.com if you do not already have one.
2. Copy your Measurement ID (it looks like G-XXXXXXXXXX).
3. In the GritCMS SEO settings, paste the Measurement ID into the Google Analytics ID field.
4. Click Save.

Once configured, GritCMS will automatically include the Google Analytics tracking script on every page of your public site. Data will start appearing in your Google Analytics dashboard within 24-48 hours.

What You Can Track

• Page views -- which pages are most popular.
• Traffic sources -- where your visitors come from (search, social, direct, referral).
• User behavior -- how long visitors stay and what they click.
• Geographic data -- where in the world your visitors are located.
• Device information -- whether visitors use desktop, tablet, or mobile.

JSON-LD Structured Data

GritCMS automatically generates JSON-LD structured data for your blog posts. Structured data is a standardized format that tells search engines exactly what your content is about, which can lead to enhanced search results (called "rich results").

What Is Included

Each blog post automatically gets the following structured data:

• Article type (BlogPosting)
• Headline (post title)
• Description (post excerpt)
• Author information
• Date published and date modified
• Featured image

You do not need to configure anything -- structured data is generated automatically for every published blog post. You can verify your structured data using Google's Rich Results Test.

RSS Feed

GritCMS automatically generates an RSS feed at:

https://yoursite.com/api/rss.xml

The RSS feed serves dual purposes:

1. For readers -- People can subscribe to your content using RSS reader apps and get notified of new posts.
2. For search engines -- Search engines can use the RSS feed to discover and index new content faster.

The feed includes all published blog posts and updates automatically when you publish new content. No configuration is needed.

Sitemap Considerations

A sitemap is an XML file that lists all the pages on your site, helping search engines discover and index your content efficiently. Here are some considerations for your GritCMS site:

• Your public pages, blog posts, and category/tag archive pages all have clean, crawlable URLs by default.
• The RSS feed at /api/rss.xml helps search engines discover new blog content.
• Ensure your most important pages are linked from your navigation menus, as search engines prioritize pages that are easy to reach through site navigation.
• Submit your site URL to Google Search Console to monitor how Google indexes your content and to identify any crawling issues.

Improving Discoverability

To help search engines find all your content:

1. Use internal links. Link between related blog posts and pages within your content.
2. Maintain clean navigation. Keep your header and footer menus updated with links to important pages.
3. Publish consistently. Regular new content signals to search engines that your site is active.
4. Share on social media. External links from social platforms help search engines discover your content.

SEO Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you have covered the basics:

• Set a descriptive meta title (under 60 characters)
• Write a compelling meta description (120-160 characters)
• Upload an Open Graph image (1200 x 630 pixels)
• Add your Google Analytics Measurement ID
• Verify your site in Google Search Console
• Add blog posts with filled-in titles, excerpts, and featured images
• Link important pages from your navigation menus
• Use categories and tags to organize blog content