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SEO optimization

TYPO3 SEO optimization

Make your TYPO3 website more visible in Google. Practical tips for RealURL, meta tags, sitemaps and SEO extensions that actually work.

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TYPO3 is inherently an SEO-friendly CMS, but you need to configure it properly. With speaking URLs, meta tags and the right extensions, you ensure higher rankings in Google. This guide shows you exactly what to do.

Why TYPO3 SEO matters

By default, TYPO3 generates URLs like index.php?id=123. That's not helpful for Google. With proper configuration, you get URLs like /products/typo3-hosting, which ranks much better.

Setting up speaking URLs

The foundation of TYPO3 SEO: readable URLs

Site configuration (TYPO3 9+)

Since TYPO3 9, speaking URLs are standard. Check your site config:

# config/sites/main/config.yaml

base: 'https://jouwdomein.nl/'
languages:
  - languageId: 0
    title: 'Nederlands'
    base: /
    locale: nl_NL.UTF-8

routeEnhancers:
  PageTypeSuffix:
    type: PageType
    default: '/'
    map:
      '.html': 0

URL slug per page

Manually adjust URL per page:

  • Open page properties
  • Tab "Social Media"
  • Field "URL Segment (slug)"
  • Use keywords in the slug

Configure meta tags

Title and description tags are crucial for Google

Via page properties

Most common method - manually per page:

  1. Open page properties
  2. Tab "SEO" or "Metadata"
  3. Enter "Page Title" (50-60 characters)
  4. Enter "Description" (150-160 characters)
  5. Add focus keyword

Tip: Place your most important keyword at the beginning of the title. Google primarily looks at the first words.

TypoScript configuration

Set default meta tags via TypoScript:

page = PAGE
page {
  meta {
    description.data = page:description
    author = Jouw Bedrijf
    keywords.data = page:keywords
    viewport = width=device-width, initial-scale=1
  }

  # Open Graph tags
  meta {
    og:type = website
    og:title.data = page:title
    og:description.data = page:description
    og:image = /fileadmin/images/og-default.jpg
  }
}

Recommended SEO extensions

Powerful tools for TYPO3 SEO optimization

seo (core)

TYPO3 Core

In core since TYPO3 9. XML sitemap, canonical URLs, hreflang tags, robots.txt configuration.

  • • XML sitemap generator
  • • Canonical tags
  • • Hreflang for multilingual
  • • Social media tags

cs_seo

Free

All-in-one SEO suite with evaluation tools. Alternative to Yoast in WordPress.

  • • SEO evaluation per page
  • • Structured data (Schema)
  • • Google Analytics integration
  • • Meta tag preview

numbered_pagination

Free

SEO-friendly pagination for lists. More important than you think for Google.

  • • Prev/Next link tags
  • • Canonical for paginated content
  • • Works with news extension
  • • View All page option

Configure XML sitemap

Tell Google which pages should be indexed

Adjust site configuration

Add sitemap to your site config.yaml:

# config/sites/main/config.yaml

routeEnhancers:
  PageTypeSuffix:
    type: PageType
    map:
      sitemap.xml: 1533906435

# Of gebruik seo extension config
seo:
  config:
    xmlSitemap:
      sitemaps:
        - type: pages
        - type: news

Sitemap is then accessible via: https://jouwdomein.nl/sitemap.xml

Submit sitemap to Google

  1. Open Google Search Console
  2. Go to Sitemaps (left menu)
  3. Add new sitemap: sitemap.xml
  4. Click "Submit"

10 practical TYPO3 SEO tips

Implement these tips for better rankings

1

Use H1 tags correctly

One H1 per page with your main keyword. TYPO3 uses page title as H1 by default.

2

Optimize images

Use alt tags, descriptive filenames and compress images. TYPO3 can do this automatically via image processing.

3

Internal linking strategy

Link related pages to each other. Use the "Insert Link" icon in RTE editor with relevant anchor text.

4

Redirect old URLs

When changing URLs: configure 301 redirects via Site Management > Redirects. Prevent 404 errors.

5

Mobile-first design

Google indexes mobile version first. Use responsive TYPO3 templates like Bootstrap Package.

6

Optimize speed

Enable page caching, minify CSS/JS and use a CDN. See our TYPO3 speed guide.

7

Add structured data

Schema.org markup for rich snippets. Extensions like cs_seo help with this. Google then shows stars, prices etc.

8

Breadcrumb navigation

Implement breadcrumbs for better navigation and SEO. TYPO3 can do this via HMENU with special = rootline.

9

Configure robots.txt

Block /typo3/ directory and duplicate content. Configure via Site Management or manually in document root.

10

Monitor performance

Use Google Search Console and Analytics. Regularly check your rankings, crawl errors and Core Web Vitals.

Frequently asked questions about TYPO3 SEO

Is TYPO3 good for SEO?

Yes, TYPO3 is excellent for SEO. Since version 9, TYPO3 has speaking URLs and XML sitemaps built in by default. The flexible templating and meta tag configuration make it easy to optimize for search engines. Large enterprise sites like Porsche and Philips use TYPO3 with good SEO results.

How do I make TYPO3 URLs SEO friendly?

Since TYPO3 9, this is automatically handled via Site Configuration. Check if your config/sites/main/config.yaml is correctly set up with a base URL. For older TYPO3 versions (7-8), you need to use the RealURL extension. Manually adjust URL slugs in page properties for optimal keywords.

Which TYPO3 SEO extension is best?

For TYPO3 9+, the built-in "seo" core extension is often sufficient for basic SEO. For advanced features, we recommend cs_seo - it's similar to Yoast in WordPress. It provides per-page SEO evaluations, structured data support and meta tag previews. For large sites, numbered_pagination is also essential.

How do I generate an XML sitemap in TYPO3?

TYPO3 9+ has this built in via the seo core extension. Add sitemap.xml to your site config.yaml under routeEnhancers. The sitemap is then automatically generated and updated. Submit it to Google Search Console. For custom sitemaps (news, products), you can use cs_seo.

What is RealURL and do I still need it?

RealURL was an extension for TYPO3 7-8 to create speaking URLs. Since TYPO3 9, this functionality is built into the core (Site Configuration). If you're using TYPO3 9+, you do NOT need RealURL anymore. In fact, it doesn't even work anymore. Use the native Site Configuration instead.

How do I add Open Graph tags in TYPO3?

Configure Open Graph tags via TypoScript in your page object. Add meta tags like og:title, og:description and og:image. The seo core extension also supports this via page properties. Important for social media sharing (Facebook, LinkedIn). Twitter Cards work similarly with twitter:card tags.

Hosting for a fast, SEO-friendly TYPO3 site

Speed is a ranking factor. Choose hosting with HTTP/2, PHP 8+ and SSD storage for better SEO performance.

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