Search Engine Optimisation is a method of re-writing the links in such a way as to improve navigation of your site by search engines.

There are some very specific requirements that must be met if SEO is to work. Additionally there are some manual changes that you may need to apply in certain situations.

The Basics

All these conditions must be met in order for SEO to run.

You must run Apache

To check this go to Joomla administration > System > System Info. Server type should be listed next to Web Server. SEF will not run on IIS.

You must have mod_rewrite enabled

To check this go to Joomla! administration > System > System Info. Click on PHP Information tab. Scroll down until you find Loaded Modules row. mod_rewrite should be listed here. If it's not, ask your web host to activate mod_rewrite.

Your server must allow .htaccess override

To check this delete everything from your .htaccess file and write a simple command, for example:

Code:

 
Redirect /google.html http://www.google.com

Now point your browser to http://www.yoursite.com/google.html  If it redirects you to google.com then you are OK.

Set $mosConfig_sef= "1" in configuration.php

You can also activate SEF under Site > Global Configuration.

Rename htaccess.txt to .htaccess

This can be done with a FTP program. Note the dot at the beginning!

If Joomla! is not in the root directory

If your Joomla! installation is not in the root directory. For example if it is in www.yoursite.com/yourjoomlasite rather than www.yourjoomlasite.com. Then you may need to add the following line to your .htaccess file.

Code:

 
RewriteBase /yourjoomlasite

Provided you have met all the conditions and made the required changes as needed you should be able to successfuly activate SEO.

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There are two ways to implement a blog on a Joomla site. Firstly, there are several blog components available that run as self contained blog tools inside build the blog from its seperate parts. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and we will look at both.

Blog Components

Joomblog

Joomblog (www.joomlafreeware .com) is Joomla version of blog, including blog, blog comment, blogside, blogroll, blog-archive, blog section/category, blogmail (email/MMS), blog header and personal guestbook.

Joomblog is a very simple component and an interesting candiate for blogging. Describing it as a blog might be somewhat of a stretch. Its actually an integration of two functions. The first is that it allows registered users to have a blog page all to themselves. The core Joomla functions of handling content are used to do this.The second is a comment function that allows you to have comments enabled for specfic sections. It also has a module that links to all content submitted (aka blog posts) by a particular author. So to summarize, Joomblog allows you to have mutiple bloggers on a single site. Its not so much of a blog component perhaps, but more of a packaged authentication/permissions tool focussed on blogging.

Blogg-X

Blogg-X is a cross platform (OS X, Windows XP, Linux) content management tool for websites based on the Joomla! CMS. Blogg-X runs locally on your computer as a desktop application.

Blogg-X is another interesting tool. Again, its stretching what we are considering to be a blog component, in fact, its not a component at all. Blogg-X is software that you actually install on your local computer. It allows you to create, edit and post content to your site. Basically, its an editor that talks directly to the content. It even allows you to create content offline and then upload it when you are back connected. Not really a "blog component" though.

A related tool is JExplorer (www.joomlatools.org). Its basic functionality is the same but is alot more powerful. Its more of a future platform for any kind of remote publishing to a Joomla site.

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When you view a list of articles by category, joomla put into the page the default configuration metadescription, but perhaps we want write the category description into the metatag for SEO reasons.

For this we need open the file: includes/application.php

Search for this piece of code in the function &getParams:

$params->def( 'page_title' , $title ); $params->def( 'page_description', $description );

Add this code before:

if (strcasecmp($_GET['view'],'category')==0) { $description = $database->GetOne("SELECT description FROM jos_categories WHERE id={$_GET['id']}"); }

It's ok, now the metadescription is more dynamic when you view a list of articles by category.

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It is risky to upgrade a live site without testing the upgrade process first. So before upgrading the live site you need to set up a test site which is as close as possible to the configuration of your live site, then test the upgrade on that. When you are happy with the process you can apply it to the live site (having taken a fresh backup of the live site first, of course).

For some basic information on patching and migrating, see Upgrading and Migrating FAQs and Upgrade Instructions.

You can also use a Joomla! extension to automate the process of loading version updates. See Update Manager for Joomla! for more information.

Review the release notes for the new version.

When upgrading from a version that is not the most recent, review release notes for the prior releases.

Step 1: Bownlaod the upgrade file 

To download the most recent patch package and to obtain the MD5 hash:

• Proceed to the Joomla Download page.
• Locate the row that matches your current installation version.
• On that row, select the patch package (zip, tar.gz and tar.bz2) that is most convenient for you.
• Verify the download using the MD5 hash listed in the right column on the same line as the package you selected.

To find the MD5 hash:

1. On the Joomla Download page, click on "Download other Joomla 1.5.x packages"

1. Click on the bold text in 'Release Name' column. For example, if you want to find the hash for 1.5.9 to 1.5.10 patch, click on 'Joomla1.5.10updates'.

1. On the next screen click on the 'Files' tab, where you will see the hash for each package.

If you have questions about these instructions, read the Additional Information below this table.

Additional information:

What is a patch?

 

Which package format should I use?

 

How do I use the MD5 hash to check the package?

Step 2: Backup your Site

Before you actually upgrade, you really should make a backup of your site. Backup your existing Joomla site files and store all the files and database in case something gets messed up, you wont have any problem reverting back.

All upgrades should be first tested on a copy of your site before being applied to a live site.

Step 3: Install the upgrade file

There are different ways of installing a package file depending on your particular circumstances. If you have difficulty with one of these methods, then simply try another.

Unpacking a package file

• Alternative 1: Unpack the package file on your local computer then use an FTP client to upload them to your site.

Using an FTP client to upload files

• Alternative 2: Use an FTP client to upload the package to your site, then use a terminal session (eg. SSH) to connect to your site and unpack the files there.

Using a terminal session

• Alternative 3: If your hosting provider gives you access to your site via some sort of web control panel like CPanel or Plesk, you can use the control panel file manager to upload the package, then use a terminal session (which might also be available via the control panel) to unpack the package file and overwrite all changed files on the server.
  • If you are using CPanel, there is specific information on Uploading and extracting an archive file with CPanel.

Step 4 : Check your live site to make sure it is working correctly

Don't assume that the upgrade will work flawlessly just because the test upgrade worked. Check to make sure that nothing untoward has happened. It could be that differences between the live site and test site platforms will bring out a problem that you did not notice during testing. If you find a problem and it cannot be resolved quickly you might have to rollback the upgrade using the backup copy you created in step 2.

Hopefully all will be well and you can relax. If you have any questions before, during, or after the upgrade then please ask them on the Joomla! 1.5 Migrating and Upgrading Forum

 

 

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Creating Dynamic Menus (ex: Left Nav based on Horizongal Nav) in Joomla.

Example: You have a products link on the Horizontal Navigation (Main Navigation) and you want to have a dynamic Left Navigation (Left Nav) to appear with all the Products that you offer.

Step:1

• Goto Article Manager
• Create article for your main Prodcuts page and one article each for your products. Example: Product-1, Product-2, Product-3

Step:2

• Go to Menu Manager
• Create a Menu Item called "Products" on your Horizontal Navigation Menu (or whatever your sites main navingation menu is) and link it with your main products page
  Example: Your menu is called "Main" in the menu manager and you have "Home", "Products", "Services" etc.. under the Main Menu and this is displayed as "HorNav"
• Create a new Menu called "Products". (This is a new menu not a menu item)
• Create Menu Items for each product "Product-1", "Product-2", "Product-3" under the "Products" Menu

Step:3

• Go to Module Manager
• Create a new module, Select "menu" and name it as "Products"
• Under Module Parameters, select Menu Name as "Products"
• Under the Menu Assignment Select the radio button "Select Menu Item(s) from the List". Choose the following items (this means you are restricting that this module
  1) "Main" Menu => "Products" Menu Item link
  2) "Products" Menu => Select all the products (Product-1, Product-2 and Product-3) in our example
• Save it and You are all set to have a beutiful dynamic Products menu

However:

If you add a new Product let's say "Product-4" , You ned to goto the Module Manager again and select that item as well Under the Menu Assignment, so that all products are displayed when you click on "product-4" link. This has to be done everytime you add a new product

You can do the same for your Services and many more...

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Many first-time Joomla! users already have a website, often written using HTML with CSS style sheets. In this case, you may wish to keep the existing website structure and just convert it to Joomla!. This section provides instructions for doing this.

Converting Basic Static Content :

Static content is content that doesn't change frequently. In simple HTML-based websites, each menu choice simply displays a page of content.

Page Content Conversion :

 The basic steps for converting this type of content are as follows:

1. Using the Article Manager, add one article for each page of static content. Each article will contain the contents of one of your existing static pages. Give your articles descriptive names so you can find them again. Select No for Front Page, as shown below.
   
2. If you have a relatively small number of pages (e.g., 20 or fewer), you can leave the Section and Category set to "Uncategorized". If you have a large number of static pages, you should create one or more Sections, each containing one or more Categories, and then assign each Article to a Section and Category. This will make it easier to work on articles from one group. For example, when viewing your articles, you can filter or sort articles using Sections and Categories, which is convenient when you have a large number of articles.
3. For each article, you can often just copy and paste the content from your existing site (using your browser) into the edit area of Joomla!. Note: In some cases, depending on the amount of custom HTML in the source page, you may need to copy the page to a plain text editor first (such as Notepad) and then copy from there into Joomla!. By content this means the actual page as shown in the browser window not the View Source code.
4. At this point, you have the articles created in Joomla!. Now we need to attach them to menus.
5. Determine the menu structure you need. If your existing site just has a single main menu, you will just use the Joomla! "mainmenu" module. If your existing site has a two-level menu structure, you will use "mainmenu" for the top level and then add one new menu for each existing submenu. Add the submenus using the Menu Manager / New option.
6. Using the Menu Manager, press the Menu Items icon and New to add one Menu Item for each article created above.
7. Each Menu Item should have the type "Article Layout", as shown below.
   
8. Note: Even if you installed Joomla! with no sample data, you will already have a Main Menu with a Home menu item that has a Front Page type. Depending on whether you want a Front Page, you may either keep this and add new menu items or change this menu item to an Article Layout.
9. Enter the Title for the Menu Item. The title can be the same as the article title, so you know which article goes with which menu item.
10. In the Parameters - Basic section, select the article for this menu item.
11. Add a Menu Item for each article you created earlier. If needed, add one or more submenus and then add Menu Items for these in the same manner.
12. At this point, each article should be associated with one menu choice. Now we need to tell Joomla! on which pages and which location on the page to put each menu.
13. First, go to the Extensions / Modules selection. Even if you started with no sample data, you will already have a Main Menu module. Open this for editing to display the Module:[Edit] form, shown below.
    
14. The Position tells Joomla! where on each page to display the menu module. This may vary depending on the template you are using. Typical menu locations include "top",. "left", and "user3". A trick in Joomla! for seeing the available positions is to add the letters "?tp=1" to the end of a Joomla! URL. For example, if you are working on a localhost site called "joomla15", typing in the URL "//localhost/joomla15/?tp=1" will display a screen showing the positions for your current template, similar to the one below.
    
15. The Menu Assignment area is where you tell Joomla! which menu choices will display the current menu. Typically, your main menu will display in all menu selections. If you have submenus, each submenu would typically display in the one main menu item that calls this submenu and in all of this submenu's items. An example is shown below, where the People Menu displays on the "people" selection of the main menu and on all of the selections of the People Menu.
    
16. Next, select the Menu Name for this module from the pull-down list. This will be the name of the Menu in the Menu Manager.
17. Next, select the Menu Style. The available styles will vary depending on the template you use. The default template has four available styles. Some menu styles display the menu items in a vertical list (e.g., suitable for the left position), others in a horizontal list. (e.g., suitable for the top or "user3" position).
18. If you like, press the Preview link in the upper right corner to display the home page so far. The article you chose for the first item on your main menu should display, along with the main menu, something like the example below.
    
19. If you have submenus, repeat this process for each submenu, checking as you go by previewing the website.
20. Congratulations! At this point, your static content should be available. Now, you can think about adding new modules, adding a front page, or taking advantage of other Joomla! functionality.

 

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The following tutorial will provide you with a basic overview to enabling the search engine friendly URLs for the latest release of Joomla 1.5

The Joomla! project team have introduced a number of improvements in Joomla 1.5 from an SEO prespective.

 

The following outlined below are just some of the improvements.

 

• You can now enable search engine friendly URL's without using Apache Mod_Rewrite
• You can add a suffix (.html) to the URLs
• The Global site name, global site meta description or global site keywords are no longer automatically added to each content item
• Content titles, meta descriptions and keywords are unique to each content item

 

By default without enabling the search engine friendly URLs functionality Joomla! will generate URLs like this

 

As you can see above the default URL for the frontpage content item includes the long url with the component name and itemid 

 

To change this and enable the search engine friendly url's you have two options.  

 

• Enable the SEF url's without using apache mod_rewite (for severs which do not support apache mod_rewrite)
• Enable SEF url's using apache mod_rewrite (for severs which do support apache mod_rewrite)

 

To enable the SEF functionaly for Joomla 1.5 you need to complete the following

 

1. Login to the administrator area
2. Choose the Global Configuration option
3. You will now see the SEO settings as noted below where you can enable or disable specific SEO functionality for Joomla!

 

SEF Url's without apache mod_rewrite

 

To enable SEF Url's on a server which does not support apache mod_rewrite change the search engine friendly URLs checkbox from No to Yes so it looks like the image noted below.

Save the changes by selecting the SAVE button.

View your web site and the Urls will now look like this

As you can see the component name and itemid is now removed from the Url and replaced with the index.php/frontpage

 

SEF Url's using apache mod_rewrite

 

A majority of hosting companies include mod_rewrite support as part of the web hosting package.

Using this option is the most common approach when using SEF Urls

To enable SEF Urls with Mod_Rewrite you need to complete the following.

1. Using an FTP client login to web hosting space and access the directory where you have installed Joomla 1.5
2. You will now see a file called htaccess.txt
3. Before you enable the SEF Urls you need to rename the htaccess.txt file to .htaccess
4. When renaaming the htaccess.txt file we recommend you do this using your FTP client and also dont foget to remove the .txt and add the . (dot) before the htaccess so the final will result will be .htaccess
5. Now you have renamed the htaccess file log into the Joomla 1.5 administrator area and choose Global configuration and from here you will see the SEO settings.
6. In the SEO settings change the radio buttons for both the search engine friendly URLs and Use Apache mod_rewrite from No to Yes
7. The settings will look like the screen shot noted below

   

     8. Now select the SAVE button to save your changes. Your URLs will now look like this

   

    As you can see the component name, itemid and index.php extension is now removed from the Url's providing you with a clean url title format which clearly reflects the content item.

 

Add Suffix to URLs

 

Joomla 1.5 also supports the option to add a suffix .html at the end of the content items.

To enable the suffix url option complete the following

1. From the administrator select global configration and change radio button next to Add suffix to Urls from No to Yes

           

     2.  View your web site again and your Urls will look like this

       

        As you can see from the above the .html suffix is now added to the Url

 

 

Unique Meta description and keywords

 

As noted above the default global meta description or keywords are no longer added to each content item. To make each content item you create include a unique meta description and keywords complete the following.

 

1. From the Joomla 1.5 administrator area select the Content menu and Article menu option 
2. Now open the content item
3. On the right hand column you will see an option called Metadata Information
4. Expand the Metadata Information box and you will now have the option to add a unique description and keywords which reflects the content you have created.
5. After making the changes select the Save botton.

 

If you do not want the Global site name, global site meta description or global site keywords to appear in each content item you need to complete the above steps for each content item you create.

 

If you do not do this by default Joomla! will automatically add the meta description and keywords from the global settings to each content item.

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1)      Communicate your workflow process from the very beginning of the relationship. A client should understand your approach to the project before they agree to proceed - this protects you by establishing realistic expectations up front, and it protects the client by helping them understand how you'll be undertaking their project. Without a clear definition of your process, the client won't know what input is expected from them.

You should be able to present potential clients with a clear, well-articulated description of the work you'll be performing on their projects, including the initial requirements and stages of development.

2)      Make generous use of milestones. Before beginning work on the project, you should make a list of all of the deliverables that the project requires and estimate a completion date for each. Make sure to cite the documents you'll need from the client to finish each milestone - an evaluation of previous work, user data, design elements, etc. This allows the client to schedule their input on the project and keeps both sides of the relationship accountable for their responsibilities.

But simply sending a client a milestone sheet isn't enough - you have to make sure that they read it! Remember, it's your responsibility to make sure the client remains active in the project. If they don't read the project milestone sheet, it's essentially worthless.

3)      Don't force the client to learn new technology to communicate. Complex work process software is great, but it's not the client's responsibility to know how to use your software suite. Asking your client to learn a new technology or system of software is not only frustrating for both parties, it's also a lazy way of doing business.

Your job as a developer is to deliver a finished product to your client -the tools that you accomplish that with shouldn't affect the client at all. Keep your communication with your client simple: telephone, email, and fax. If the project can't be completed without the client learning to use a specific tool, try to find third-party tutorials that the client can use to familiarize themselves with it. This not only allows the client to learn the tool on their time, but it takes the responsibility of teaching the tool's use off of your shoulders.

4)      Make sure the client understands the importance of the work process. When the client understands that adherence to your process is integral to the success of their project, they're less likely to think of it as flexible. Explain to your client that your work on their project will be compromised if you're forced to deviate from your work flow process, and don't be afraid to mention the consequences: project delays, an inferior product, and added expense. When the client associates the work process with the quality of their work, they'll be less likely to try to step outside of it.

5)      Always end your communication with the client with the most significant points. You want the last thing the client hears from you to be the most pressing matters at hand with the project, whether they be action items, timetables, or requests for information. Loading these things at the top of a conversation will reduce their emphasis and could lead to the client forgetting them. When you end your correspondence, make sure that the client has a clear understanding of the key issues facing the project.

And the most important thing to remember when working with a client is this: they're the boss. Always remain polite, calm, and agreeable with your client - especially when they're getting frustrated. Part of the product you're delivering to your client is customer service and peace of mind, and getting frustrated with a client who is at his wit's end doesn't benefit anyone.

 About The Author:  MyWebGuyTaylor is an ebusiness SEO consultant from Santa Barbara, CA, specializing in seo cms solutions, e-business automation, joomla seo, web marketing, Small business website marketing and seo campaign management, Joomla Search Engine Optimization, Social Bookmarking, Link Building, SEO Article Writing.  

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If you asked us how to create a successful website on Google in 1 years time, our response would be: "Start with 100 pages of real content."  That's right, 100 pages of content, and that's not including the fluff pages like contact us, about us, terms, etc.   Google rewards websites that provide large libraries of helpful and informative content.  Creating articles is not hard to do.  Work smarter, not harder.   Figure out which keywords are your niche keywords first.  THEN start writing your content articles, around those niche keywords.  For example, there is 30,000 people every month searching for the keyword term:  WEBSITE MARKETING  - Good keyword right?  Consider this: There are 55,000 websites optimizing for this keyword. How hard do you think it would be to get one of those top 10 slots on Google?  Nearly Impossible.  Now consider this, AFFORDABLE WEBSITE MARKETING AND SEO has 5,200 searches every month, and only (4) competitors optimizing for this keyword.  You get the picture now?  Keyword research first, article writing second.

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CDBurnerXP

CDBurnerXP is a free software to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface. Everyone, even companies, can use it for free. It does not include adware or similar malicious components.

 

ZScreen8

 

ZScreen is an open-source screen capture program that quietly resides in your system tray until needed. It can take screenshots of a selected region, the active window, or the entire screen. It can even send screen captures via FTP and copy the URL to your clipboard, all with just a single keystroke. Oh yeah, it can also interface with image editing software, such as Photoshop or Paint.net. If you frequently take screenshots, ZScreen is light years faster than pressing Print Scrn and pasting into MS Paint. Also try and google FAST STONE SCREEN CAPTURE.

PDFCreator

PDFCreator allows you to create PDFs from any program that can print. Once it's installed, simply "print" to the virtual printer that it creates, and the resulting document can be read on any computer with Adobe Reader (or comparable software).

There are several similar programs, but if you dig open-source software, PDFCreator trumps many of the others.

KeePass

KeePass is one of those applications that you don't realize how badly you need until you start using it. It securely stores and manages the login information that you use for e-mail, websites, banks, etc. Unless you always use the exact same login information (a terrible idea!), you need KeePass. It's even available in a portable version.

I use KeePass to manage hundreds of usernames and passwords. I'd go crazy without it.

HandBrake

HandBrake is a DVD to MPEG-4 converter that allows you to stick a DVD in your drive and have the video converted to a digital file for convenient viewing. It's great for minimizing wear-and-tear on DVDs, plus it's handy if you travel a lot and want to watch movies on your laptop.

For best results, use it in conjunction with DVD43.

Notepad++

Let's face it - Windows Notepad is a pretty wimpy text editor, and there are many better alternatives. Notepad++ kicks the original Notepad in the junk pretty hard. Best of all, it interfaces nicely with Filezilla. Here are the features and benefits:

Syntax Highlighting and Syntax Folding
User Defined Syntax Highlighting
Auto-completion
Multi-Document
Multi-View
Regular Expression Search/Replace supported
Full Drag ‘N' Drop supported
Dynamic position of Views
File Status Auto-detection
Zoom in and zoom out
Multi-Language environment supported
Bookmark
Brace and Indent guideline Highlighting
Macro recording and playback

Peazip

PeaZip is my current compression/zip utility of choice. It can open almost any archive type imaginable (including ACE - be sure to grab the separate plug-in). Peazip can split/join files, offers 256-bit encryption, and integrates nicely into the right-click contextual menu. It even manages to look good in the process.Hey, there's also portable version AND a Linux version available. Nice.

VirtualDub

VirtualDub is a free video capture and processing utility. Wait, it's more than that. VirtualDub lets you capture video and then manipulate it with a multitude of plug-ins and filters. It isn't a full-fledged non-linear editor, but it packs a powerful punch for a free program.

If you work with video on Windows a lot, you probably already know about VirtualDub. If you're just getting into video editing, you should grab VirtualDub immediately. Heck, it doesn't even require installation.

Eraser

If you are paranoid about someone else recovering your sensitive deleted data, you owe it to yourself to check out Eraser. When you delete a file, your operating system really just removes the reference to the file from the file system table. The actual data is still present and can be recovered with an undelete utility.

Eraser securely shreds your sensitive data by overwriting several times with multiple, carefully-selected patterns. In other words: once you erase it, it's gone!

Paint.NET

Paint.NET is to MS Paint what NotePad++ is to Windows Notepad. It's a dandy little photo editor that supports layers, unlimited undo, and a host of other features. By all rights, it should come with Windows by default.

Paint.NET isn't meant to fill the shoes of bigger applications like Photoshop or The GIMP, but I use it almost every day for basic photo manipulation.

 

AutoHotkey

It's hard to know where to begin with this one. What can you do with AutoHotkey? Almost anything! For starters, by using custom keystrokes and mouse-clicks, you can automate practically any repetitive task. Define any shortcut for Windows. Remap keys and buttons any way you please. Control your mouse cursor with your keyboard. By writing your own scripts, the potential is limitless.

GanttProject

If you need to do any project management, GanttProject will help you get everything organized. As the name implies, it uses Gantt charts and resource load charts to help break a project into a tree of tasks, complete with dependencies.

GanttProject even allows you to exchange data with Microsoft Project, though you may find that you have no reason to do so.

MP3Gain

MP3Gain is a simple and elegant application that serves one main purpose - to automatically adjust MP3 files so they all play at the same volume. It does it without decoding and re-encoding, so the quality remains the same. No more fiddling with the volume between different songs.

Filezilla

Way back in the day, I used WS_FTP. Now I exclusively use Filezilla for my file transfer needs. It supports SFTP, allows for bandwidth speed limits, and easily saves server settings.

Best of all, it seamlessly combines with text editors (such as Notepad++) for quick-and-dirty file editing on the remote server!

 

 

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