Well I’ve finally done it – installed the Simple SEO URL module for Zen Cart!
And I thought I’d better document it here before I forget the steps I’ve done and need to do it again for another cart.
I had avoided doing on previous carts as its a bit fiddly to set up and if you get it wrong it completely breaks your cart (those unhelpful Internal Server Error 500 messages!) But its SO useful for SEO that I thought it worth persevering.
So here goes:
1) Download module from http://wiki.rubikintegration.com/zencart/modules/ssu/installation (or search on ZenCart’s Modules page)
NOTE: For PHP4 installs the latest stable release is 2.9 – not 3.x
2) Download & install the Zen Cart Module Manager from here (http://code.google.com/p/zencart-module-manager/downloads/list) (Before installing the above module, ok?!) Update: June 2010 – the only module manager I can g et to work with ZenCart 1.3.9d is Module Manager rev16 (the latest one doesn’t want to play ball)
3) Ensure Module Manager is installed by going to Admin > Tools > Module Manager
4) Now upload the files for the SEO module then install by going to Admin > Extras > Simple SEO URL Manager
NOTE: this is NOT enabled yet just installed.
Look at your .htaccess file – VERY IMPORTANTLY make sure that the Rewrite Base line reflects the site you’re on – if the shop is in a subdirectory change the name here – if its in the root is should just be /
5)Upload the .htaccess file
6)To enable the module go to Admin > Configuration > Simple SEO URL and the last setting is “Set SSU status” – which defaults to false. Change it to true – and have a look at the live site.
If its working, well done – go have a celebratory cup of coffee!
If you get 500 errors, double and triple check your .htaccess file.
Still not working? Try reuploading your SEO mod files again and re-do steps 3 onwards
There’s help online in this thread here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86353
I have noticed a performance drop but will persevere with it as I think it does mean the customer will see far nicer URLs
Let me know how you get on!
UPDATE: As is the zooms on additional product images stop working – all you have to do is go to Configuration > Simple SEO URL and in the field called Exclude List add “popup_image_additional”
man i really appreciate this post . you dont know how much i do appreciate you posing something liek this but i reallys till dont get it . am a zen cat newb and wondering if it spossible by anyway you can send me ascreenshot for each of the steps you mentioned and i can pay u $5 if you could help me please. thanks a lot and god bless
Fantastic post mate. Thank you very ,very much for this.
An excellent post very clear and concise, glad I came across it, its helped and answered alot of question in one simple page….MARA if you require any assistance I can try and help i dont confess to being a zen cart wizard but do have a good level of understanding.
Thanks for writing this post. I am trying to switch over from Joomla/Virtuemart. I like the way Zencart works "right out of the box" With Simple SEO working now, I will be able to change over my sites soon. Joomla is great, but Virtuemart is too time consuming with all the core hacks that are needed to get it to really work.
what steps to install module manager