Blog issues and SEO

Gee1 · ‎01-09-2020

Hi, could someone recommend a way to post Blogs that does not have an adverse effect on SEO. The built in Blog feature is very limited as it does things like:

Duplicates H1 on - Blog summary page, Blog page (I used ‘Read more’ feature), and on the archives page
Duplicate Blog title on - Blog summary page and on the archives page
Does not allow page description on archives page

All in all the built in Blog facility is quite poor, and the fact I have to use the ‘Read more’ feature just for a single Blog to display on an individual page seems over-engineered..

I would be willing to pay for a separate app if there is one available, as using Blogs to push out optimised content is essential in my case.

Thanks

Bernadette3 · ‎01-10-2020

Hi @Gee we do have some blog apps in the App Center, although I'm not super familiar with them. If @whitemonkey is still around he would definitely have some good SEO/Blog feedback for you.

whitemonkey · ‎01-12-2020

Hey @Gee @Bernadette

Sorry for the delay i'm on the road in Tunisia.

I am not quite sure how u mean DUPLICATES

I use the cento theme.

Before i used to use a LOGO instead of text as site title and i ran some checks and the h tags were optimal (though Mr Google now says the h tags are not essential like they insisted before.

I adjusted the coding to make the blog post titles H1 and not h2 and other than that the SEO works like a dream . The only thing i can see is that its just different from the set up used by WP for example. This is Weebly's way if doing things.

The READ MORE BREAK is an essential part for ur blog feed page as it allows you to have 1 page for the post itself the BLOG page is just the feeder page. Every blogger uses it. It may not always look like it.

Gee1 · ‎01-13-2020

Thanks for the replies @whitemonkey and @Bernadette,

What I mean by DUPLICATES is the H1 is identical for 3 pages (see attached image) and there is no way of changing and making it unique

.

You will also see more errors in the image (eg no description on 1 page) that again is being caused by the Blog section.

I appreciate that H1 has less impact on SEO but I would still like it to be correct and not penalise my website.

Hope you can help or provide a solution. Thanks

Gee1 · ‎01-15-2020

Hi @whitemonkey and @Bernadette

Any further help with the above? As I have shown there are clearly issues with duplicate H1 and Title, plus no way of adding a description on a certain page.

This is clearly an issue which needs addressing. Each page on the website should have the ability to add a unique Meta Title, Meta Description and H1.

Gee1 · ‎01-17-2020

Hi again, is there anyone out there that can help?

Added a second test Blog and clearly that Blog summary page is automatically picking up two H1's from the Blog titles.

This is completely wrong – the page itself should have the ability to customize a Blog H1, and then each Blog post that is added heading should be a H2.

(still have the original issue ‘Duplicate Blog title on - Blog summary page and on the archives page’ and ‘Does not allow page description on archives page’)

Thanks

Bernadette3 · ‎01-17-2020

We don't add H1 titles to the pages by default.. Did you add your own H1 title?

whitemonkey · ‎01-19-2020

@Gee did u try adding the canonical tab?

gets rid of the duplicate issue..

this goes in the HEADER CODE BOX of the page page,> seo settings.

and only on standard pages....

Gee1 · ‎01-20-2020

Thanks for all your replies and helping me @whitemonkey but that is not my issue.

I do not want two H1 on the same page (in this case the Blog summary page). As I keep adding new Blogs, each one will count as another H1.

There must be a way of preventing the Blog titles as all being H1 on the same page!

Thanks

Adam7 · ‎01-20-2020

I don't think it's possible to change the HTML of the blog page by editing the theme, but you might be able to resolve it by using one of the blog apps from the App Center. Some of those change the layout of the blog and might also use something other than an H1 tag.

Gee1 · ‎01-21-2020

Hi again @Adam, @whitemonkey and @Bernadette - thanks again for all your help.

i have come to the conclusion that the built in Blog feature does not achieve what I want it to (which is fine).

Final question:

Is there any reason or obvious SEO limitations not to set up a standard page and use it as a Blog? I appreciate that I would have to manually add elements, move things around each time, there would not be date, and potentially no comments......but apart from this, is there any reason I should not use a 'standard' page and head it up as Blog with a layout I am happy with?

(That way I can use a single H1 for the page summary (which the default version adds multiple of) and have more freedom to do things by the book in terms of SEO.)

Please could you let me know.

Gee

Adam7 · ‎01-21-2020

Nothing jumps out at me doing it that way, although you might eventually end up with a whole lot of pages on your site depending on how many posts you make and how many pages you have them on.

Allbright · ‎10-25-2020

@Gee,

I am facing the same problem with the blogs and getting penalized for multiple h1 tags. Every single blog should have only 1 H1 tag, and this is a huge limitation on Weebly's part to not understand this or not care enough to change the structure. I have now decided to do a new page for every single blog and because of this, as my company grows with all the languages we have on our site, I will have to really consider switching platforms.

Too bad. I have been with Weebly for the past 7 years and like the platform in many respects. But limiting my SEO potential is a no go for me.
Best of luck to us both.

whitemonkey · ‎01-22-2020

Hi @Gee

I get what you mean now.

The blog feeder page will always have multiple h2 title tags ( or h1 if you'ved modified it) depending on how many posts you do .

No ways around that.

I use standard pages now au lieu de BLOG Pages..

I was lead to believe that blog pages gave better SEO but i am now not convinced.

I also use a HOME MADE feeder page. Which is my home page.

And any page which directs the viewer to the actual posts themselves will ideally have nice bold text so that it stands out and is going to be h1 or h2 anyways. Unless u tell everyone to go to your COMPLETE INDEX OF ALL POSTS I HAVE WRITTEN and type them all in paragrapgh text ))

dmilks · ‎10-14-2021

I've searched through the internet to find a way to fix this and it's becoming infuriating. Not only is there an issue with the H1 Titles, but there is no way to put meta-descriptions in each blog post to prevent harm on website ratings. Why is Weebly so weak on this front? I've tried in so many ways to sift through and troubleshoot but nothing works. Ubersuggest, along with others show every blog post as "No Meta description". Why can't weebly just add a section in each post under "Advanced" to provide a meta description for each blog post?