Jekyll SEO
Jekyll SEO is configuring a static Jekyll site with clean metadata, crawlable structure, and performance defaults so search engines can understand and rank it better.
- Also called
- Jekyll search engine optimisation
- Applies to
- Static Jekyll sites
- Commonly confused with
- Jekyll general web development
Key points
- Add jekyll-seo-tag and include {% seo %} in the layout <head> to automate metadata output.
- Generate a sitemap.xml with jekyll-sitemap so search engines can discover all pages.
- Write unique titles and meta descriptions in each page's front matter or rely on plugin defaults.
- Set canonical URLs to avoid duplicate-content issues on Jekyll sites with multiple URL paths.
- Optimise images with descriptive alt text, proper file sizes, and search-friendly filenames.
What it is not
- It is not something that replaces writing a unique meta description. Belief: the jekyll-seo-tag plugin alone handles everything. Correction: the plugin generates defaults, but each page still needs a manually set or front-matter-defined description to avoid generic text.
- It is not a set-and-forget solution. Belief: once configured, Jekyll SEO works permanently. Correction: search algorithms, mobile usability thresholds, and performance metrics evolve, so regular checks of the canonical tag, along with Search Console and Lighthouse, are needed.
- It is not the same as a CMS SEO. Belief: Jekyll SEO works just like WordPress or Drupal SEO. Correction: Jekyll is static, with no database or admin panel, so plugins must handle metadata, sitemaps, and canonical output differently, which is not covered by a standard drupal seo checklist.
- It is not about heavy JavaScript or dynamic content. Belief: Jekyll sites need rich interactive features for SEO. Correction: Jekyll SEO relies on clean, static HTML; heavy JS can harm crawlability and performance.
Common mistakes
- Installing jekyll-seo-tag but forgetting to include {% seo %} in the layout <head>. Consequence: no metadata is output, leaving pages without titles or descriptions.
- Leaving pages without unique titles, descriptions, or canonical URLs. Consequence: search engines may index pages with duplicate or missing metadata, lowering relevance and click-through rates.
- Blocking important pages in robots.txt or not exposing a sitemap. Consequence: crawl budget is wasted, and pages may not appear in search results.
- Using weak structure such as messy headings, non-descriptive links, large uncompressed images, or heavy JavaScript. Consequence: poor user experience, slower loading, and lower search visibility.
Sources
- Jekyll SEO Tag Official plugin documentation for the standard Jekyll SEO metadata implementation.
- Jekyll Sitemap Official plugin source for generating sitemap.xml in Jekyll.
- Google Search Central Authoritative guidance on titles, metadata, crawling, indexing, structured data, and technical SEO.
- Google Search Essentials Baseline SEO best practices that apply directly to Jekyll sites.
- PageSpeed Insights Useful for speed and mobile-performance checks mentioned in Jekyll SEO guidance.
Written and maintained by Nora Lindholm. Last updated 27 July 2026.
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