SEO in Next.js has evolved significantly. Here's the definitive 2026 guide.
Metadata API
Next.js 14+ provides a powerful metadata API:
``typescript
export const metadata: Metadata = {
title: "Your Page Title",
description: "Your description",
openGraph: { ... },
twitter: { ... },
};
`
Structured Data (JSON-LD)
Add structured data for rich snippets:
`json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Your Company",
"url": "https://yoursite.com"
}
`
Core Web Vitals
- LCP: Use Next.js Image component with priority loading
- FID: Minimize JavaScript execution time
- CLS: Always set width/height on images and videos
Programmatic Sitemap
Generate sitemaps dynamically:
` export default function sitemap() { return [ { url: "https://yoursite.com", lastModified: new Date() }, // ... dynamic routes ]; }typescript
``
Server Components Advantage
Server Components render on the server, meaning search engines see fully rendered HTML — no client-side rendering gaps.
Image Optimization
Always use next/image for automatic format conversion, lazy loading, and responsive sizing.