---
type: source
title: TYPO3 Instructions: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
tags: [typo3, seo, web-development, accessibility]
related: [search-engine-optimization, machine-readable-content, typo3-backend]
created: 2026-07-01
updated: 2026-07-01
sources: ["output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_typo3_webseiten_typo3_anleitungen_allgem.md"]
---

# TYPO3 Instructions: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

This source provides guidance and guidelines for university website editors and staff on optimizing their pages for search engines to ensure visibility both within and outside the university.

## Search Engine Indexing
- Search engines use automated processes (Crawlers, Spiders, Bots) to discover and index content.
- Indexing is not instantaneous; it typically takes a few days to a week after a page is published for the information to be processed and stored in the search engine's index.

## Key Guidance

### Machine-Readable Content
- **Text-Based Content**: Critical information must be provided as machine-readable text in the HTML source rather than embedded in images, as search engines primarily analyze text. Information embedded in image files is generally invisible to search engines (except potentially the filename).
- **Accessibility Link**: Using text instead of images not only improves SEO but also enhances accessibility for users with visual impairments using screen readers.
- **Heading Hierarchy**: The use of structured headings (H1, H2, etc.) influences search results and rankings, with higher-order headings (e.g., H1) having a greater impact on the weighting of the content.

### Metadata Management
Metadata can be managed under the "Metadata" tab within the page properties of the [[typo3-backend]].

- **Description / Meta-Description**: A short summary of the page content used in search result snippets. It is recommended to keep this to approximately 150 characters and include relevant keywords.
- **Keywords / Meta-Keywords (Schlagworte)**: Comma-separated, meaningful, general terms used for cataloging and weighting.
- **Inheritance**: In TYPO3, these keywords are inherited by child pages unless explicitly overridden in the child page's properties.