Top 12 Joomla SEO Extensions & Plugins - 2020 Review
If you want to minimize the time and maximize the effort you put for search engine optimization work, you definitely need something beyond Joomla default for SEO which is a Joomla SEO extension or plugin.
You also might need to know all SEO factor can have impacts on your Joomla site.
Then, after optimizing all of them, the only question left is “Which Joomla SEO tool you need to have?”
This article will have an answer for you. Let’s check it out.
You can go to an overview of these 12 Joomla SEO extensions before checking them in detail
sh404SEF
- Main function: On-page SEO optimize, Analytic, Security
- Paid extension
Perhaps this is the most complete SEO extension for Joomla since it helps with every frustrating search engine problem known in this CMS.
On-page SEO management - Check. Duplicate content - Check. SEF URL - Check. Security problem - Check. And the list doesn’t stop there.
Maybe the only setback for this extension is it can do so much that you may get confused when start. A word of advice: if you decide to give this extension a shot, read its document first rather than what is displayed on the homepage. It’s more comprehensive and informative.
It’s so well known among the Joomla community and webmasters. You should consider it if you take your work for the top #1 in search rankings seriously.
Feature summary:
- Metadata control
- Ability to generate structure data
- Manage SEF URL
- Social media sharing features with customizable options
- Add an extra layer of security: anti-flooding, anti-spam, url blocking, etc
- Google Analytics integration
- Data recording: 404 page, redirect, etc
- Import data from others Joomla SEO extension
JoomSEF
- Main function: Meta tag control, SEF URLs setting
- Free + Paid version
Another handy tool for making your search engine optimization work easier. As for the functions, it can handle the most basic Joomla SEO problems like duplicate content, SEF URL, redirect or sitemap.
However, it comes with a free version so you can try out, and the control panel is straightforward and easy to start with. Good choice for anyone who wants a free Joomla SEO extension.
Feature summary:
- Fully customize URL for Search Engine
- Metadata control
- Customize 404 page
- Handle 301 redirect
- Duplicate URL prevention and management
- Support UTF-8 URL and URLs translation at multilingual site
- Be able to connect with Google Analytics
Read more: How to install Google Analytic in Joomla
SEO - Generator
- Main function: Auto-generate meta tag
- Paid extension
Despite the fact that Joomla itself has a convenient way for you to customize title, meta description and meta keyword, this extension can save you the time on this job by automatically generating everything for you based on your content, whether you create an article on the front-end or back-end.
Therefore, if you have a user-generated content site like a community blog, this extension could be a great help to you.
Feature summary
- Very easy to use and setup
- Meta tag automatic generator
- Work with many Joomla versions (1.5 - 3)
- Work with every language
- Can create keyword blacklist
- Work with sh404SEF (if meta management disable)
- Make Google Webmaster Verify process easier
RSSEO
- Main function: SEO On-page optimize, data tracking
- Paid extension - Come with demo
The difference between this extension and other SEO extensions lie in the way they grade our on-page SEO score. If you’re familiar with Yoast SEO in WordPress, RSSEO somewhat has replicated the grading system, which tells you details of how and where you need to improve your on-page factors.
Moreover, its “optimization flow” is another advantage of this extension.
You can optimize not just meta tags but also can modify sitemap and robot.txt for the page within one screen. No need to go to many different control tabs to configure it.
Feature summary
- Index your pages via the site crawler feature
- Cookie law notification
- Google Analytics integration
- Generate XML and HTML sitemaps
- Manage the metadata
- Set 301 redirects directly from the component
- Handle error pages
- Check keywords positioning via google search console integration
- Check your competitors ranking on a different metric
Read more: How to setup HTTPs - SSL in Joomla
EFSEO - Easy Frontend SEO
- Main function: Meta tag control
- Free download - Paid for support
Focusing on metadata management, EFSEO really excels at it. Front-end control, an automatic generating system with customizable settings, collecting URLs to the database.
All features are developed nicely and are great free SEO extension tools.
Feature summary
- Be able to handle the following metadata: Title, Description, Keywords, Generator and Robots setting
- Have automatic generate option
- Backend and front end editor
- Set limit character for metadata
- Support Languages: English and German
Route 66
- Main function: SEF URLs setting, SEO content analysis, Speed optimization
- Paid extension
As it claimed to be powered by the famous YoastSEO, its SEO content analysis on-page features are the best among all Joomla SEO extensions I have listed here in terms of UI/UX design.
However, the features that make this extension standout should be the ability to create SEF URL using defined patterns. For example: category alias/article alias or categoryPath/article alias, etc.
Suggestion according to Google Page Speed and Facebook Instant Article are 2 other advanced features for Route66.
Features summary
- Create SEF URL based on a predefined pattern
- SEO content analysis powered by Yoast SEO
- Google Page Speed optimization
- Facebook instant article
- Option to add a canonical tag
- Google analytics integration
- Duplicate URL handling
JSitemap
-Main function: Create sitemap, Metadata optimization
- Paid extension
The most powerful sitemap making extension in Joomla. Not just making a regular sitemap, it also can help you make all types of sitemaps like image, video, or even google news and AMP ones.
Moreover, it’s simple to use and integrates with many other useful features listed below. If your site contains thousands of URLs or has a content format in your site, you should consider having JSitemap on your site.
Despite its primary function being to generate sitemaps, it also has many interesting features that help you optimize for SEO.
Features summary:
- Capable of making all types of sitemap
- Submit sitemap on the backend
- One-click control panel
- Multi-language support
- Website data display thanks to Google Analytics integration
- Htaccess and robots.txt editor
- Ability to control metadata such as: title and meta description.
Read more: How to making sitemap in your Joomla site.
PWSEO
- Main function: Content optimization for search engine
- Paid extension
Real-time SEO score check is the outstanding features of this extension, as it points out the problem that you need to improve and grade your page score. It works both for article and menu view, and also provide a preview on SERPs.
Besides that, it has the option to enable Facebook Graph. At the lowest price of $49, this extension needs to have more features.
SEO Boss
- Main function: Keyword tracking, meta tag control
- Free and Paid version - Free version will include a backlink for developer
Another tool to deal with Joomla SEO basic problems. There are 2 things about SEO boss I find it worth having.
One is the keyword rank tracking system seem very useful for a free extension, you can see every keyword within one dashboard, not like the other when you have to see keyword by keyword.
Two is the ability to manage all metadata, also in one screen. However, this feature is only available in the pro version.
Feature summary
- Automatically generate meta tag
- Manage title and meta description in one screen
- Keyword tracking
- Google analytic integration
- Duplicate content handle
- Backup manager
OSMeta
- Main function: Meta tag control
- Free + Paid version
There is not much to say about this Joomla SEO component despite it helps you control meta tag for the article within one screen, with an option to generate descriptions for the one who hasn't had yet. With the Pro version, you will unlock the features to edit meta tag for menu item and K2 item, which is useful since K2 is a widely used extension.
Tag Meta
- Main function: Meta tag control, canonical link support
- Free download
The only extension support other types of metadata rather than a title or description like author, content right or external reference.
Plus, it also helps you add canonical to each page manually. With matching rule option for automatic generating system detail to synonym keyword, tag meta surely help you save a lot of time on those meta tags if you do it right.
Read more: How to add the canonical tag in Joomla in 3 minutes.
SEO Simple
- Main function: Meta description generate
- Free download
As its name, this is the most simple Joomla SEO plugin to use. Everything you can use is all on this screen. And all it does is generate meta description automatically.
A summary of 12 Joomla SEO extensions
| Features | sh404SEF | JoomSEF | RSSEO | Route 66 | JSitemap | PWSEO | SEO Boss | OS Meta - SEO Simple - Meta Tag - SEO Generator - EFSEO |
| On-Page Suggestion | x | x | ||||||
| Meta Tag Control | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| SEF URL | x | x | x | x | ||||
| Sitemap | x | x | x | x | x | |||
| Canonical Tag | x | |||||||
| Speed Optimization | x | |||||||
| Htaccess Edit | x | x | x | |||||
| Robot.txt Edit | x | x | x | |||||
| Duplicate Content Checker | x | x | ||||||
| 301 Redirect | x | x | x | x | ||||
| Security | x | |||||||
| Google Analytic Integration | x | x | x | x | x | |||
| Keyword Ranking Checker | x | x | ||||||
| Structure Data | x | x | ||||||
| 404 page customize | x | x | x |
In conclusion,
There are top 12 Joomla SEO extensions and plugins worth trying. Having one does not guarantee 100% you will succeed in ranking your page in top 1 Google, however, it will have you save a lot of time trying to get there.
You can read more about this Joomla SEO guide to learn more about how to utilize the extension for your site
I hope with this review, you can choose the most suitable tools.
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