Unlock the Secret to Top Search Engine Rankings
The Challenge of JavaScript and Search Engine Crawlers
Every developer dreams of seeing their website at the top of search engine results pages. However, there’s a catch – search engine crawlers still struggle to understand and render JavaScript, which means Single-Page Applications (SPAs) built on React, Angular, and other frameworks often get overlooked.
The Solution: Server-Side Rendering and React Helmet
Server-side rendering (SSR) can help bridge this gap, but it comes with its own set of limitations. That’s where React Helmet comes in – a document head manager that makes it easy to update meta tags on both the server and client, making your apps SEO- and social media-friendly.
Getting Started with React Helmet
To add React Helmet to your project, start by initializing a new React project using create-react-app and launching the development server. Then, install React Helmet using npm or Yarn:
npm install react-helmet
// or
yarn add react-helmetOnce installed, import the Helmet component and add the elements you want to include in your document’s <head>:
import { Helmet } from 'eact-helmet';
const App = () => {
return (
<div>
<Helmet>
<title>My App</title>
<meta name="description" content="My app description" />
</Helmet>
//...
</div>
);
};How React Helmet Works
React Helmet gives preference to child components over parent components. For example, if you have a child component with its own title and meta description, it will override the parent component’s settings. Additionally, if you have multiple child components, the one used later in the code will take precedence.
Using React Helmet with Server-Side Rendering
When using SSR, you’ll need to use Helmet’s renderStatic method in your server-side code, right after calling ReactDOMServer’s renderToString or renderToStaticMarkup. This ensures that all helmet properties are included in the HTML string:
import ReactDOMServer from 'eact-dom/server';
import { Helmet } from 'eact-helmet';
const html = ReactDOMServer.renderToString(<App />);
const helmet = Helmet.renderStatic();
const fullHtml = `<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
${helmet.title.toString()}
${helmet.meta.toString()}
</head>
<body>
${html}
</body>
</html>`;
react-helmet-async: The Solution for Asynchronous Requests
If you’re making asynchronous requests, especially streaming, React Helmet might not be the best option. That’s where react-helmet-async comes in – a fork of React Helmet that solves this problem explicitly.
React Helmet and React Router: A Match Made in Heaven
When using React Router for routing, React Helmet becomes even more beneficial. You’ll need to use React Helmet in every route, ensuring that each page has its own unique metadata:
import { BrowserRouter, Route } from 'eact-router-dom';
import { Helmet } from 'eact-helmet';
const App = () => {
return (
<BrowserRouter>
<Route path="/" exact>
<Helmet>
<title>Home</title>
<meta name="description" content="Home page" />
</Helmet>
//...
</Route>
<Route path="/about">
<Helmet>
<title>About</title>
<meta name="description" content="About page" />
</Helmet>
//...
</Route>
</BrowserRouter>
);
};Take Your App to the Next Level with React Helmet
With its ease of use and flexibility, React Helmet is a must-have for any developer looking to take their app to the next level. By improving your app’s search engine rankings and social media visibility, you can increase traffic and engagement.