Best Practices to Make Your React Website SEO-friendly

Declarative, modular, cross-platform interactive user interfaces were the motivation behind the development of React. It is currently one of the most widely used JavaScript frameworks for creating effective front-end apps. React was originally created to make single-page applications (SPAs), but it is currently utilized to build complete websites and mobile applications. However, some React SEO issues are due to the same traits that made it so successful.

Due to its higher rating, your website will see more traffic, which will ultimately enhance the possibility that leads will be converted. When it comes to the best JavaScript frameworks that enable your website to be SEO-friendly, React JS is at the top of the list for the majority of developers. According to Statista, 40.6% of respondents use React.js.

Today, we’ll eliminate a common misconception among developers and clients that React is a useless JavaScript library for SEO.

Common SEO issues with React

Although Google has improved how it handles JavaScript content over the past five years, sites that are rendered client-side pose additional problems that you should take into account.

It’s crucial to remember that React and SEO can help you solve any problems. It is a tool for developers. Whether it’s a WordPress plugin or the CDN you select, React is the same as any other tool in a development stack. Depending on how you set it up, it will either hurt or help SEO. Here is a closer look at what makes React SEO difficult and what programmers can do to address and get around some of these issues. Empty first-pass content, Duplicate Content , Use of SPA are the common SEO problems.

1.     Empty first-pass content

When it comes to React applications, empty first-pass content is a common SEO problem. Due to React’s reliance on JavaScript to render its content, a search engine bot will initially encounter an empty page when crawling a React page. This may result in the page being wrongly indexed or not indexed at all.

2.     Absence of compelling SEO tags

Information is loaded dynamically by SPAs. Hence, after clicking on a particular link, the crawler challenges concluding the page load cycle. The metadata cannot be refreshed. This is the primary reason why the crawler does not show SPA.

Generally, this does not aid with ranking. However, the developers simply resolve these matters by generating separate pages for Google bots. But there is another challenge here. Development of individual pages gives an increase to business expenditure other than issues in ranking the business website on the first page of Google’s search results.

3.     Use of SPA

Single-page Applications (SPA) aid in reducing the difficulties with loading time. A longer load time could lower a site’s user experience rating and cause Google to lower its ranking. Both SEO for React websites and SEO for React apps have issues loading the whole content. Instead, the content is simply refreshed.

This is a significant issue with SEO for ReactJS websites and apps. They do not reload the entire page. Instead, they update the information. SPA plays a very important role in the improvement of how websites perform.

Best Practices to Make Your React Website SEO-friendly

Finally, we have a section where you can find all the React SEO solutions. Let’s begin:

1.     Isomorphic React

The isomorphic JavaScript technology can automatically determine whether JavaScript is enabled on the server side or not. When JavaScript is deactivated, isomorphic JavaScript functions on the server, giving the client-side server the ending content. Once the page loads, all the necessary information and attributes are immediately accessible.

However, it behaves like a dynamic app with multiple components when JavaScript is enabled. This makes it possible for SPAs to load quicker than a typical page, giving users a seamless experience.

2.     URL case

Search engines can better grasp a website’s structure and the relationships between different pages by using URL cases, which is a crucial factor in SEO.

When a page’s URL has capital or lowercase letters (/Invision and /Invision), Google bots always treat the page as independent. Due to the difference in their conditions, these two URLs will now be viewed as distinct. To avoid these common errors, always try to create your URL in lowercase.

3.     404 code

An HTTP status code of 404 denotes that the requested page was unable to be located. Numerous problems, including typos in the URL, broken links, deleted sites, and pages that have been moved to a different address, might result in 404 errors.

Thus, it is advisable to make an effort to configure server.js and route.js files as soon as you can. You can comparatively increase traffic to your web app or website by updating the files with server.js or route.js.

4.     Prerendering

Prerendering is frequently utilized when crawlers or search bots are unable to render web pages correctly since it is one of the most successful methods for creating single-page and multi-page web apps that are SEO-friendly. Prerenders are distinctive programs that restrict website queries. They send a cached static HTML version of your site if the request originates from a crawler.

When the request is sent by your set, the page loads normally. These programs work well at running various types of contemporary JavaScript and converting it to static HTML.

5.     Use <a href> only if required.

Use <a href> links only when necessary while working with React. This is because websites that are not rendered without JavaScript might be challenging for search engines to crawl and index. React applications mainly rely on JavaScript for rendering content. Search engines can better grasp the organization of your website and find and index your pages by using <a href> links.

In a few situations, React requires the use of <a href> links. For instance, you must use an <a href> link if you are linking to an external website. Additionally, whenever you are connecting to a page on your website that cannot be shown without JavaScript, you ought to use <a href> links.

6.     Open Graph Tags

When your website is shared on social networking sites, Open Graph tags are employed to improve the visual appeal of the page. Webmasters can make sure that their content is shown as effectively as possible by utilizing OG tags, which may enhance traffic and interaction.

The Best React SEO Optimization Tools

Given below are the top two React SEO optimization tools that make SEO and development simpler:

1.     React Helmet

A straightforward component called React Helmet makes it easy to manage and dynamically change the contents of the document’s head section. With the aid of the library React Helmet, social media crawlers and Google bots are simple to communicate with. It inserts meta tags into your React pages so that your web app can provide crawlers with additional information. SPAs, which are programs rendered on the client rather than the server, benefit greatly from React Helmet.

2.     React Router

Optimizing React web apps is difficult because of React SPAs. One-page applications are a great way to make using them more convenient for users.

It makes it possible to create single-page web or mobile applications that let users navigate without needing to reload the page. Additionally, it permits users to access browser history functions while still maintaining the proper application view. Therefore, it is recommended to use React Router hooks to create URLs that open on distinct pages.

Final thoughts

Unfortunately, using React applications does increase the already lengthy number of technical SEO issues that need to be examined. However, the task of SEO is considerably simpler now than it once was because of frameworks like React.js. But these SEO tips help you to grow your small business.

This article should have made it clear for you to grasp the additional factors that need to be taken into account while dealing with React applications as an SEO.

 

About Author: Harikrishna Kundariya, a marketer, developer, IoT, ChatBot & Blockchain savvy, designer, co-founder, Director of eSparkBiz Technologies. His 12+ years of experience enables him to provide digital solutions to new start-ups based on IoT and SaaS applications.