Maximize Drupal SEO
Drupal is a formatted web platform that people can use to build dramatic and dynamic websites. It is a very clean, open source code which makes it an ideal method to build a site that can be powerful and flexible at the same time.
Drupal has a very robust CMS (Content Management System) but it takes a little knowledge and work to get it just right for the search engines to grab hold of it. Since Drupal is open source, there is a wealth of information that users contribute to the cause, and it is all useful for SEO purposes.
The first thing to be aware of is to be sure that you are using the most current and up-to-date version of Drupal, and it can be downloaded at http://drupal.org very easily.
Next, you will be using modules, which for the purpose of Drupal are community-created plugins that enhance the basic functions of Drupal. The modules are very important for the purposes of SEO of any Drupal website. Modules can be downloaded and installed to your site via FTP.
Some of the modules that you will need to have to fully optimize your site include SEO Checklist, Page Title, Google Analytics, Pathauto, Global redirect, Path redirect, Taxonomy Title, Meta tags. XML sitemap URL list, Syndication, Site Map Site Verification, Menu attributes, Scheduler, Read more links, HTML purifier and Mollom.
With Drupal the inner core of SEO is vital to set up properly, as when search engine spiders come to evaluate your site, you will want them to properly scan and record what they are looking for. So, the following is emphasized for proper optimization.
Do your keyword search properly, using Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, and other keyword tools to focus on your search topics you wish to emphasize.
Tweak your site by placing the keywords in the proper places where Google will look for them. Places to place your keywords include page titles, the website name in the admin settings, the link titles, the URLs, the Headings, preferably in <H1> and <H2>, and a couple of keywords in the top third of each page, and one in the bottom two-thirds of a page.
If you have a menu for your site that the searcher can see, be sure that it is informative with the key words pointing the way.
Your meta tags should include the copyright, the description of your site (this is what the text will be when people see your Google listing), keywords, Geo-Position ICBM and robots.
Properly setting up your sitemap is extremely helpful for Google to locate and track the content of your site, and will be very helpful in getting ranked.
Drupal has a robots.txt file that is recommended and is Google friendly, as it guides google in indexing your site.
These are all on page optimization procedures, and you should also pursue off page optimization such as obtaining backlinks through articles, posting on authority blogs who will allow links and other similar offpage techniques. Based on where you are, it is recommendable to find a good SEO agency in your town. Meet them up and if it is a good fit to hire. Offpage linking techniques are powerful to boost your website ranking. Portland SEO agency my friend works on is a great place to start. Please check it out.