Content Management Reference: Managing the Default Metatags

The Metatags Management screen can be accessed through several paths:

Through the Drupal navigation:

1. Click on Manage in the top navigation menu bar to reveal the secondary menu bar. If the secondary menu is present, proceed to step 2.
    
2. Mouse over Configuration. This opens the Configuration menu.
    
3. Mouse over Search and metadata.
    
4. Click on Metatags.

Directly at this URL: 

https://www.dvc.edu/admin/config/search/metatag (link opens in a new tab).

The Metatags Management screen lists the default meta tags for the for the various types of content in use on the site. 

Each type in the list includes information for specific type of content. Drupal assigns meta tags to content to more types than just pages. Given this, the meta tags for some types of content do not need to be managed as the meta tags are not used on the website.

Type	Where the default meta tags are applied
Global	Used to define a set of global META tags that can be applied to all types of content.
Front Page	The default meta tags applied to the page designated in Drupal as the front page. Refer to the Basic Site Settings section for details on how the front page is designated.
403 Access Denied	The default meta tags for the "403 Access Denied" page that is displayed when the 403 response code is returned. Refer to the section for managing error page content for details on how this page is used on the website.
404 Page Not Found	The default meta tags for the "404 Not Found" page that is displayed when the 404 response code is returned. Refer to the section for managing error page content for details on how this page is used on the website.
Content	Defines a default set of META tags that can be applied to all page content types.
Content: Admissions	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Admissions content type.
Content: Campus	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Campus content type.
Content: Detail - Default	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Detail - Default content type.
Content: Event	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Event content type.
Content: Faculty/Staff	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Faculty/Staff content type.
Content: Home	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Home content type.
Content: Landing	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Landing content type.
Content: News	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the News content type.
Content: Program	The default set of META tags applied to all pages using the Program content type.
Taxonomy Term	Defines the default set of META tags to apply to all taxonomy terms. This is not in use on the website.
User	Defines the default set of META tags to apply to all users. This is not in use on the website.

To view the default META tags for a content type, click on the name of the content type.

This expands the panel for the content type to reveal the list of default META tags that are applied to all pages using the content type.

Each item in the list includes the name of the META tag and its default value.

Tokens

Some of the default values include content in brackets. These are tokens. Tokens are dynamic placeholders that instruct Drupal to use the content from a particular field to populate the meta tag. Tokens can be used as the entire source of the content of a meta tag or can be paired with manually entered content.

For example, the token [node:field_card_summary] instructs Drupal to use the content of the Card Summary field to populate a meta tag.

Token	Where content is pulled from
[node:title]	The Title field of a page.
[site:name]	The name of the site as defined in the Basic Site Settings. Refer to the Basic Site Settings section for details on how the site name designated.
[node:url:relative]	The URL Alias field.
[node:field_card_summary]	The Content Summary field.

This page documents current Metatag configurations for sitewide settings, and settings for content pages.

Learn About Current Metatag Settings

IMPORTANT: Updates applied to a content type are applied to all pages that use the content type.

Follow this procedure to add tags to the default META tags for a content type.

1. Locate the content type in the types list and click the Edit button next to the type. This opens the editing screen for the type.
    
2. The META tags are divided into two sections: Basic Tags and Advanced Tags. Each set of tags is in its own expandable/collapsible panel. If necessary, click on the section name to expand the panel to reveal the fields.

3. Update the META tags fields as needed. Help text accompanies the fields, providing information on the purpose/function of the field. When a meta tag field is filled in, this will add the meta tag to the set of default tags

   If the content of the META tag will be the same for all pages using the content type, the content can be entered directly into the field.
   
   If the content of the META tag will be dynamic, a token can be used to indicate the field to use as the source of the content. See the below instructions for locating a token to use.
   
   If the field for a META tag is a check box, check the check box to add the META tag.

4. Click the Save button at the bottom of the screen to save the changes.
    
5. When the panel for the content is expanded in the list, the set of default meta tags will include the new tags you have added.

Locating a token to use as the source of the content for a META tag

At the top of the type editing screen there is a Browse Available Tokens link. This link opens an interface to locate tokens. The number and types of tokens available varies based on the type that is being edited. Use the following procedure to select a token.

1. Click on the Browse Available Tokens link. This opens the Available Tokens dialog.
    
2. The tokens are grouped by Name, with each Name holding the tokens that pertain to Name, such as the current date, the site information, etc. Names can be expanded to reveal the tokens providing content sources.
   
   If you are updating the META tags for a specific content type (Program, News, etc.) you will most likely find the token for the source of the content under Current Page or Nodes. Nodes will include page content entry fields while Current Page provides profile information for the page, such as its Title.
    
3. When you have located the token you wish to use, select the text of the token in the same way you would select text when working in the WYSIWYG editor (click and drag to highlight the text of the token).
    
4. Copy the highlighted token text.
    
5. Paste the token text into the META tag field.
    
6. You can repeat steps 2 through 6 as many times as needed, depending upon the number of tokens you wish to use.
    
7. After you have selected the tokens you wish to use, click the "X" icon at the top right of the Available Tokens dialog to close it.

Common tokens used on the site

Added by: Jermaine Holmes

Here's a list of Metatag tokens that are commonly used in text fields:

• Sitewide: 
  • [site:name]
  • [site:slogan]
  • [site:url]
• Content (Node) Specific: 
  • [node:title]
  • [node:summary]
  • [node:author]
  • [node:created:date]
• Page/URL: 
  • [current-page:title]
  • [current-page:url]
  • https://www.dvc.edu[node:url:relative] --> The most accurate usage!!!
• Image URL:
  • [node:field_media_field:entity:field_media_image:your_image_style:url]
     

IMPORTANT: Updates applied to a content type are applied to all pages that use the content type.

Follow this procedure to remove tags from the default meta tags for a content type.

1. Locate the content type in the types list and click the Edit button next to the type. This opens the editing screen for the type.
    
2. The meta tags are divided into two sections: Basic Tags and Advanced Tags. Each set of tags is in its own expandable/collapsible panel. If necessary, click on the section name to expand the panel to reveal the fields.

3. Locate the fields for the meta tags fields you wish to remove.

   If the content of the meta tag is in a text field, delete all content from the text field.
   
   If the content of the meta tag is a check box, uncheck the check box.

4. Click the Save button at the bottom of the screen to save the changes.
    
5. When the panel for the content is expanded in the list, the set of default meta tags will no longer include the tags you have removed.

Each Schema.org type is its own module, if going by Drupal standards. In perspective of the Metatag module, each Schema.org is what you would call a sub-module. It's given this designation because each sub-module adds the respective Schema settings to the main Metatag module configuration screens and allows sub-module management from those screens as well. 

Activating each Schema.org sub-module follows the same process as any other Drupal module. Proceed to the Extend backend area and then select the checkbox of the desired sub-module(s). Afterwards, press the "Install" button at the end of the page. This step only permits the sub-module(s) to be used, but they won't appear in any Edit screens until you follow the proceeding instructions: "Adding Schema.org Types to Edit Screens."

The next step is to add Schema.org input fields to the appropriate Edit screens. This can be done from the Metatag configuration area ("Settings"). You can access this area by going to the main Metatag configuration screen and then going to the "Settings" tab. 

Once there you will find a containing modal labeled "Entity type / Group Mapping." It will contain a list of Content Templates, taxonomy terms, and other page types that have been defined in Drupal. Press the dropdown to expand each listed item and you will find checkboxes activated Metatag fields and sub-modules, including Schema.org extensions. If none of the checkboxes are selected, then all the Metatag fields / sub-modules will appear in the respective Edit screens. If any of the checkboxes are selected, then any unselected checkboxes won't be available for input on the respective Edit screens. Using this mechanism allows you to control edit access to select Schema.org and Metatag settings. To control pre-populated default values for select input fields, you can read more in the section for Current Metatag Settings.