Metadata API for SEO in NextJS - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Metadata API for SEO in Next.js

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Next.js website. You want to improve how search engines see your pages by adding metadata like page titles and descriptions.

🎯 Goal: Create a Next.js page that uses the Metadata API to set the page title and description for SEO.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a Next.js page component

Define a metadata object with title and description

Export the metadata object from the page

Render a simple heading in the page

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

SEO metadata helps search engines understand your page content better, improving your website's visibility and ranking.

💼 Career

Knowing how to add metadata in Next.js is important for frontend developers to build SEO-friendly web applications.

1

Create the Next.js page component

Create a file named page.tsx and write a React functional component called Page that returns a <main> element with a heading <h1>Welcome to My Site</h1>.

NextJS

// Your code here

export default function Page() {
  return (
    
      Welcome to My Site
    
  )
}

Hint

Define a function named Page that returns JSX with a <main> and <h1> inside.

2

Add metadata object with title and description

Above the Page component, create a constant called metadata that is an object with title set to 'My Site Home' and description set to 'This is the homepage of my Next.js site.'.

NextJS

// Your code here

export default function Page() {
  return (
    
      Welcome to My Site
    
  )
}

Hint

Create a constant named metadata with title and description properties as strings.

3

Export the metadata object

Make sure the metadata object is exported using export const metadata so Next.js can use it for SEO.

NextJS

// Your code here

export const metadata = {
  title: 'My Site Home',
  description: 'This is the homepage of my Next.js site.'
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    
      Welcome to My Site
    
  )
}

Hint

Use export const metadata to export the metadata object.

4

Complete the page with metadata for SEO

Ensure the file page.tsx exports the metadata object and the default Page component with the heading inside <main>. This completes the SEO metadata setup.

NextJS

// Your code here

export const metadata = {
  title: 'My Site Home',
  description: 'This is the homepage of my Next.js site.'
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    
      Welcome to My Site
    
  )
}

Hint

Check that both metadata and Page are exported correctly and the JSX is inside <main>.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the metadata export in a Next.js page?

easy

A. To define the page's layout and styling

B. To provide SEO information like title and description for the page

C. To handle user authentication on the page

D. To manage API routes for the page

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of metadata in Next.js

   The metadata export is used to set SEO-related information such as the page title and description.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other page features

   Layout, styling, authentication, and API routes are handled differently and not via metadata.

3. Final Answer:

   To provide SEO information like title and description for the page -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Metadata = SEO info [OK]

Hint: Metadata sets SEO info like title and description [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing metadata with layout or styling
• Thinking metadata handles API routes
• Assuming metadata manages authentication

2. Which of the following is the correct way to export metadata in a Next.js page file?

easy

A. export const metadata = { title: 'Home' }

B. export default metadata = { title: 'Home' }

C. const metadata = { title: 'Home' }; export metadata

D. export metadata = { title: 'Home' }

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct export syntax for named exports

   In Next.js, metadata is exported as a named export using export const metadata = {...}.

2. Step 2: Identify syntax errors in other options

   Options A, B, and C use invalid export syntax or missing keywords.

3. Final Answer:

   export const metadata = { title: 'Home' } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Named export with const = export const metadata = { title: 'Home' } [OK]

Hint: Use 'export const metadata = {...}' for metadata export [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using default export instead of named export
• Missing 'const' keyword
• Incorrect export statement syntax

3. Given this metadata export in a Next.js page, what will be the page title shown in the browser tab?

export const metadata = {
  title: 'About Us - MySite',
  description: 'Learn more about us'
}

medium

A. MySite

B. Learn more about us

C. About Us - MySite

D. No title will show

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the title property in metadata

   The title property is set to 'About Us - MySite'. This is what appears in the browser tab.

2. Step 2: Understand description does not affect title

   The description is for SEO and social previews, not the browser tab title.

3. Final Answer:

   About Us - MySite -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Title property sets browser tab title [OK]

Hint: Page title = metadata.title value [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing description with title
• Assuming default title if metadata is present
• Thinking title is empty if not set in layout

4. You wrote this metadata export but the page title does not update:

const metadata = {
  title: 'Contact'
}
export default metadata

What is the error?

medium

A. metadata object must be wrapped in a React component

B. title property must be inside a function

C. title property should be 'pageTitle' instead of 'title'

D. metadata must be exported as a named export, not default

Solution

1. Step 1: Check export type for metadata

   Next.js requires metadata to be a named export, not a default export.

2. Step 2: Verify other options

   Title property does not need a function, React component, or different key name.

3. Final Answer:

   metadata must be exported as a named export, not default -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Named export required for metadata [OK]

Hint: Use 'export const metadata', not 'export default' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using default export instead of named export
• Thinking metadata needs to be inside a component
• Changing property names incorrectly

5. You want to add Open Graph metadata for social sharing in Next.js using the Metadata API. Which is the correct way to add the Open Graph title and image?

hard

A. export const metadata = { openGraph: { title: 'My Page', images: ['https://example.com/image.png'] } }

B. export const metadata = { ogTitle: 'My Page', ogImage: 'https://example.com/image.png' }

C. export const metadata = { social: { title: 'My Page', image: 'https://example.com/image.png' } }

D. export const metadata = { openGraphTitle: 'My Page', openGraphImage: 'https://example.com/image.png' }

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Open Graph structure in Next.js metadata

   Open Graph data is nested under the openGraph key with properties like title and images (array of URLs).

2. Step 2: Compare options for correct property names and structure

   Only export const metadata = { openGraph: { title: 'My Page', images: ['https://example.com/image.png'] } } uses the correct nested openGraph object with title and images array.

3. Final Answer:

   export const metadata = { openGraph: { title: 'My Page', images: ['https://example.com/image.png'] } } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Open Graph uses openGraph key with images array [OK]

Hint: Use openGraph object with images array for social metadata [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using flat keys like ogTitle instead of nested openGraph
• Passing image as string instead of array
• Using incorrect property names like social or openGraphTitle