Next.js is one of the strongest frameworks available for SEO - but only when the implementation is correct. The App Router metadata API, server-side rendering strategy, dynamic sitemap generation, JSON-LD injection and Core Web Vitals configuration all require deliberate decisions that most development teams make once and rarely revisit.
Talk to us about your Next.js projectNext.js is genuinely one of the best frameworks for SEO. Server-side rendering, static generation, the App Router metadata API, built-in image optimisation, and automatic code splitting all give you the tools to build a site that performs excellently in both organic search and Core Web Vitals assessments. But unlike a WordPress plugin that configures most of this for you, Next.js requires your team to make deliberate, informed decisions at every layer of the SEO stack.
The App Router introduced in Next.js 13 changed how metadata is managed, how layouts work and how server and client components interact - all with implications for SEO. Many Next.js projects we audit were built under the Pages Router and migrated partially or incompletely to the App Router, creating a mixed architecture where some routes handle metadata correctly and others do not. Even projects built natively on the App Router frequently have incomplete generateMetadata implementations, sitemaps that only include static routes, and no structured data at all.
The performance side is equally important. Next.js's next/image component, font optimisation and bundle analysis are powerful tools, but they require correct configuration. We regularly see Next.js sites failing Core Web Vitals assessments because images are served without the next/image component, fonts are loaded without the next/font package, or third-party scripts are imported in ways that block rendering.
We audit and improve every layer of your Next.js SEO implementation - from rendering strategy and the metadata pipeline through to structured data, sitemaps, Core Web Vitals and ongoing content performance.
We audit your full Next.js implementation covering App Router architecture, metadata completeness across all route types, sitemap generation, robots configuration, rendering strategy, JSON-LD implementation, Core Web Vitals and crawl behaviour in Google Search Console.
We audit your generateMetadata functions across every route type - pages, layouts, dynamic segments and catch-all routes - identifying missing fields and producing implementation specifications covering title, description, canonical, Open Graph, Twitter Card and robots directives.
We assess your SSR, SSG, ISR and PPR configuration across route types, ensuring your rendering choices match the update frequency and crawl requirements of each content type, and that revalidation windows are appropriate for how frequently your content changes.
We design and implement JSON-LD schema server-side in your Next.js components, covering Organisation, WebSite, Article, BreadcrumbList, Product, Service and the schema types relevant to your content model. Every block is validated against Google's Rich Results Test and monitored via Search Console.
We audit your next/image configuration, next/font implementation, third-party script loading strategy, bundle composition and ISR revalidation, producing a prioritised list of changes that will improve your LCP, CLS and INP scores across desktop and mobile.
Once the technical foundations are solid we move to content - keyword research and mapping, content gap analysis, topical authority planning and ongoing content recommendations that make the most of your Next.js site's performance advantages in organic search.
These are the issues we find most frequently when auditing Next.js sites, and what we do to resolve them.
The most common issue we find is a generateMetadata function that handles one or two route types correctly but leaves category pages, tag archives, paginated routes, search results or error pages returning missing or duplicate metadata. These gaps are invisible during development but result in large numbers of pages indexed without titles or descriptions - or with identical metadata across the whole site.
We crawl your site and compare rendered metadata against expected outputs for every route type, identifying gaps and duplicates. We then produce implementation specifications for each route covering title, description, canonical, Open Graph, Twitter Card and robots directives, with code examples your developer can implement directly.
A sitemap.ts that returns only a hardcoded list of static URLs will omit every dynamically generated page from the sitemap submitted to Google. For content-heavy sites where the majority of pages are CMS-driven, this means most of the site's content is not being actively surfaced to Googlebot, slowing discovery and indexation significantly.
We write or correct your sitemap.ts to query your CMS, database or API for all published content types at build or request time, mapping them to their front-end URLs with accurate lastModified timestamps. For large sites we implement sitemap index files and ensure the sitemap is correctly referenced in robots.ts and submitted to Google Search Console.
The majority of Next.js sites we audit have no JSON-LD schema implemented at all, or have schema injected client-side via a third-party tag manager that fires after the initial page load. Client-side schema injection is unreliable for SEO because Googlebot processes the initial HTML response and may not wait for JavaScript execution before determining what structured data is present on the page.
We implement structured data using <script type="application/ld+json"> tags rendered server-side in your layout or page components, populated with data from your CMS or API at request or build time. This guarantees Googlebot sees the complete schema in the initial HTML without any JavaScript dependency, and the schema is validated against Google's Rich Results Test before deployment.
Using standard <img> tags instead of the next/image component bypasses Next.js's built-in image optimisation - automatic WebP and AVIF conversion, responsive sizing, lazy loading and layout shift prevention. The result is large unoptimised images that cause poor Largest Contentful Paint scores on mobile, which is a confirmed ranking factor.
We audit every image across your site and identify where standard img tags should be replaced with the next/image component. We also review your image priority prop usage to ensure above-the-fold images are preloaded correctly, your sizes attribute matches your layout, and your remote image domains are properly configured in next.config.ts.
Many Next.js projects migrated to the App Router incrementally, leaving a mixed architecture where some routes use the old Pages Router pattern with getServerSideProps or getStaticProps and others use the App Router with server components. The two systems handle metadata, caching and data fetching differently, and the resulting inconsistency produces unpredictable SEO behaviour across the site.
We map your current routing architecture, identify which routes are still on the Pages Router and assess the SEO impact of the mixed state. We then produce a migration plan prioritised by SEO impact, starting with the highest-traffic and most commercially important routes, with implementation specifications that your developer can follow to migrate each route correctly.
We audit your full Next.js implementation - App Router architecture, metadata coverage across all routes, sitemap generation, rendering strategy, JSON-LD schema, Core Web Vitals and crawl data from Google Search Console - before recommending anything.
We produce a prioritised action plan with developer-ready implementation specifications for every recommended change, including code examples your team can use directly. Technical fixes are prioritised first, followed by content and authority work.
We work alongside your development team throughout - answering technical questions, reviewing pull requests for SEO correctness and validating changes in staging before they go live so nothing ships that creates a new problem.
Once the technical foundations are correct we shift to content strategy, keyword targeting and authority building, with monthly reporting on rankings, organic traffic and Core Web Vitals so you can track what the investment is delivering.
Next.js SEO sits at the intersection of SEO expertise and front-end architecture knowledge. We understand both sides, which means we can engage with your development team as peers rather than as a third party that needs everything translated.
We know how the App Router, server components, generateMetadata, sitemap.ts, rendering strategies and next/image work together from an SEO perspective. Your team does not need to explain the stack before we can help.
Every recommendation comes with a clear written specification including code examples, file paths and expected outputs. Your developer should be able to implement each change without needing further interpretation or back-and-forth.
We do not lock clients into long-term contracts. We are upfront about what Next.js SEO requires in terms of development time and content investment so you can make an informed decision before committing to anything.
We measure success by rankings, organic traffic and enquiries. Everything we prioritise is tied to something that will move those numbers, not by the volume of recommendations we produce.
Your monthly report covers rankings, organic traffic and technical health in plain English, written to be understood by both the development team and any non-technical business stakeholders involved in the project.
Our Next.js SEO service is built for teams who have invested in a modern front-end architecture and want to make sure the SEO implementation is as strong as the rest of the codebase.
You have built a well-architected Next.js site but SEO was not a priority during development. You know the metadata pipeline is incomplete, schema is missing and the sitemap does not cover all your dynamic routes. You need someone who can audit the full implementation and tell you exactly what needs fixing without requiring your team to explain the stack first.
You are an agency that builds on Next.js and wants an SEO partner who can plug in at the project level - advising on metadata architecture during the build, reviewing implementations in code review and providing ongoing SEO support for clients after launch without requiring constant handholding on the technical context.
You are migrating an existing site to Next.js and need SEO input at every stage - URL mapping, redirect planning, metadata migration, structured data implementation and post-migration validation to confirm nothing has been lost in the transition. Migrations are one of the highest-risk moments for organic visibility.
Your Next.js site generates some organic traffic but you believe there is significantly more available. You want a structured content and technical SEO strategy that takes full advantage of Next.js's performance capabilities to compete effectively for high-value keywords in your market.
You are a business or agency in Northern Ireland or the wider UK building on Next.js and you want an SEO partner who understands both the technology and the market. We work with teams across the UK on Next.js projects regardless of the CMS or data layer in use.
You need SEO improvements immediately but have no developer capacity to implement changes. Our recommendations require developer time to action.
Your site is in early development and the routing structure is not yet established. SEO input is most useful once the architecture is defined.
You are looking for a generic SEO checklist rather than a considered strategy. Next.js SEO has enough specific implementation detail that a generic approach tends to miss the issues that actually matter.
Not sure if your project is the right fit? Get in touch with a brief description of your stack and goals and we will give you an honest answer before you commit to anything.
If your Next.js site is powered by Sanity, we cover the full headless SEO stack - schema design, GROQ query review, metadata pipeline, sitemap generation and structured data implementation.
Learn moreDeep technical audits covering crawlability, indexation, Core Web Vitals, rendering strategy and structured data - including JavaScript-heavy and headless implementations beyond Next.js.
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Learn moreWe work across all major platforms and frameworks including WordPress, Shopify, Magento, Wix, Squarespace and Sanity. Find out more about our platform-specific SEO approach.
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