Improve search titles, descriptions and structured data

next-sitemap.config.js

@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 // Signed-in and debug areas: keep crawlers out and keep them out of the sitemap.
 const privatePaths = ["/admin$", "/admin/", "/portal$", "/portal/", "/login$", "/b1$", "/b1/"];
 
+// Named AI crawlers get the same access as everyone else; listing them states that intent explicitly.
+const aiCrawlers = ["GPTBot", "OAI-SearchBot", "ChatGPT-User", "ClaudeBot", "Claude-SearchBot", "Claude-User", "PerplexityBot", "Google-Extended", "Applebot-Extended", "CCBot"];
+
 /** @type {import('next-sitemap').IConfig} */
 module.exports = {
   siteUrl: "https://lessons.church",
   generateRobotsTxt: true,
-  exclude: ["/admin", "/admin/*", "/portal", "/portal/*", "/login", "/b1", "/b1/*", "*/alt", "/sitemap-content.xml"],
+  // Google ignores changefreq and priority, and a build-time lastmod on every URL is not a real modification date.
+  autoLastmod: false,
+  changefreq: null,
+  priority: null,
+  exclude: ["/admin", "/admin/*", "/portal", "/portal/*", "/login", "/b1", "/b1/*", "*/alt", "/sitemap-content.xml", "/search"],
   additionalPaths: async (config) => [
     await config.transform(config, "/compare/answers-in-genesis"),
     await config.transform(config, "/compare/think-orange"),
@@ -16,14 +23,9 @@ module.exports = {
     additionalSitemaps: ["https://lessons.church/sitemap-content.xml"],
     policies: [
       { userAgent: '*', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'GPTBot', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'ChatGPT-User', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'Claude-Web', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'Anthropic-AI', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'PerplexityBot', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'Bytespider', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'CCBot', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
-      { userAgent: 'Google-Extended', allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths },
+      ...aiCrawlers.map(userAgent => ({ userAgent, allow: '/', disallow: privatePaths })),
     ],
+    // Drop next-sitemap's "Host:" line; it is a retired Yandex directive that Google and Bing ignore.
+    transformRobotsTxt: async (_config, robotsTxt) => robotsTxt.replace(/# Host\nHost: .*\n\n?/, ""),
   },
 };

next.config.js

@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ const config = {
     const common = [
       { key: "Strict-Transport-Security", value: "max-age=63072000; includeSubDomains" },
       { key: "X-Content-Type-Options", value: "nosniff" },
-      { key: "Referrer-Policy", value: "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" }
+      { key: "Referrer-Policy", value: "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" },
+      { key: "Permissions-Policy", value: "camera=(), microphone=(), geolocation=(), payment=(), usb=(), interest-cohort=()" }
     ];
     // Embeds and classroom pages are iframed on church sites; only the signed-in areas refuse framing.
     const noFraming = [{ key: "Content-Security-Policy", value: "frame-ancestors 'self'" }, { key: "X-Frame-Options", value: "SAMEORIGIN" }];

public/llms.txt

@@ -11,6 +11,27 @@ Lessons.church is a free, open-source hub for Christian church curriculum. We ag
 - **Next Level** - Adult Bible study curriculum
 - **Partner Programs** - Curriculum from contributing church partners
 
+## Programs
+
+- [Ark Kids Junior](https://lessons.church/ark-preschool): Preschool curriculum from The Ark Church, with lessons for 2-year-olds through Kindergarten
+- [Ark Kids Elementary](https://lessons.church/ark): Elementary curriculum from The Ark Church
+- [High Voltage Elementary](https://lessons.church/high-voltage): Elementary curriculum from High Voltage Kids
+- [Faith Kidz](https://lessons.church/faith-kidz): Elementary curriculum from FaithKidz
+- [West Ridge](https://lessons.church/west-ridge): Family-focused elementary series from West Ridge Church
+- [For Ministry Resources Youth Series](https://lessons.church/forministryresources): Monthly youth sermon series with graphics and small group guides
+- [NextLevel Online](https://lessons.church/next-level): Adult Bible courses from Ozark Christian College
+- [Following Jesus Together](https://lessons.church/following-jesus-together): Adult small group studies
+
+## Key Pages
+
+- [Home](https://lessons.church/): Overview of all free curriculum
+- [FAQ](https://lessons.church/faq): Common questions about cost, licensing and how Lessons.church works
+- [Create a free account](https://lessons.church/login?action=register): Register to schedule lessons for classrooms
+- [Lessons.church vs Answers in Genesis](https://lessons.church/compare/answers-in-genesis)
+- [Lessons.church vs Think Orange](https://lessons.church/compare/think-orange)
+- [Lessons.church vs RightNow Media](https://lessons.church/compare/rightnow-media)
+- [Lessons.church vs Grow Curriculum](https://lessons.church/compare/grow-curriculum)
+
 ## Why Lessons.church Exists
 
 Every year churches spend millions of dollars on curriculum. We believe:
@@ -47,6 +68,8 @@ Every year churches spend millions of dollars on curriculum. We believe:
 
 ## Pricing
 
+Competitor prices below are approximate list prices and may have changed; check each publisher for current pricing.
+
 | Feature | Lessons.church | Answers in Genesis | Think Orange | RightNow Media |
 |---------|---------------|-------------------|--------------|----------------|
 | Curriculum Access | FREE | $450-600/year | $1,800+/year | $7/person/month |
@@ -90,7 +113,7 @@ Group Publishing curriculum ranges $200-800 per curriculum set. Lessons.church p
 
 ## Getting Started
 
-1. Visit https://lessons.church/register
+1. Create a free account at https://lessons.church/login?action=register
 2. Browse available curriculum
 3. Schedule lessons for your classrooms
 4. Download FreePlay for classroom displays (https://freeplay.church)
@@ -117,7 +140,7 @@ All tools are free and work together seamlessly.
 
 - Main Site: https://lessons.church
 - Ark Kids Landing: https://lessons.church/landing/ark
-- Registration: https://lessons.church/register
+- Registration: https://lessons.church/login?action=register
 - Parent Organization: https://churchapps.org
 
 ## Open Source

src/app/ClientLayout.tsx

@@ -28,13 +28,24 @@ function ClientLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 
     // Embeds, B1 webviews and classroom displays run on other sites and screens; keep the marketing tracker off them.
     if (/^\/(embed|b1|classroom)(\/|$)/.test(window.location.pathname)) return;
-    const script = document.createElement("script");
-    script.type = "text/javascript";
-    script.id = "hs-script-loader";
-    script.async = true;
-    script.defer = true;
-    script.src = "//js.hs-scripts.com/20077299.js";
-    document.body.appendChild(script);
+    // Load HubSpot after the first interaction or once the page is idle, so it stays off the critical path.
+    let loaded = false;
+    const events = ["pointerdown", "keydown", "scroll", "touchstart"];
+    const loadHubSpot = () => {
+      if (loaded) return;
+      loaded = true;
+      events.forEach(e => window.removeEventListener(e, loadHubSpot));
+      const script = document.createElement("script");
+      script.type = "text/javascript";
+      script.id = "hs-script-loader";
+      script.async = true;
+      script.defer = true;
+      script.src = "//js.hs-scripts.com/20077299.js";
+      document.body.appendChild(script);
+    };
+    events.forEach(e => window.addEventListener(e, loadHubSpot, { once: true, passive: true }));
+    const timer = window.setTimeout(loadHubSpot, 5000);
+    return () => { window.clearTimeout(timer); events.forEach(e => window.removeEventListener(e, loadHubSpot)); };
   }, []);
 
   const getErrorAppData = () => {

src/app/[programSlug]/[studySlug]/[lessonSlug]/page.tsx

@@ -1,15 +1,22 @@
 import { Metadata } from "next";
 import { unstable_cache } from "next/cache";
-import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
+import { notFound, permanentRedirect } from "next/navigation";
 import React from "react";
 import { ApiHelper } from "@churchapps/apphelper";
-import Error from "@/components/Error";
 import { EnvironmentHelper } from "@/helpers";
 import { MetaHelper } from "@/helpers/MetaHelper";
+import { SITE_URL, SeoHelper } from "@/helpers/SeoHelper";
 import LessonClient from "./components/LessonClient";
 
 type PageParams = { programSlug: string; studySlug: string; lessonSlug: string };
 
+// Render each lesson on first request, then serve it from the cache and refresh hourly.
+export const revalidate = 3600;
+export async function generateStaticParams(): Promise<PageParams[]> { return []; }
+
+// Lesson slugs are always lowercase, and the API matches slugs case-insensitively.
+const getCanonicalPath = (venue: any, lessonSlug: string) => "/" + venue.programSlug + "/" + venue.studySlug + "/" + lessonSlug.toLowerCase();
+
 // A lesson with no venues has nothing to show, so it 404s like a missing one.
 const loadData = async (params: PageParams): Promise<{ lessonData?: any; errorMessage: string }> => {
   EnvironmentHelper.init();
@@ -32,43 +39,56 @@ export async function generateMetadata({ params }: { params: Promise<PageParams>
 
   if (props.errorMessage || !props.lessonData || !props.lessonData.venues || props.lessonData.venues.length === 0) return MetaHelper.getMetaData("Lesson Not Found - Lessons.church", "The requested lesson could not be found.");
 
-  const { programSlug, studySlug, lessonSlug } = await params;
+  const { lessonSlug } = await params;
   const selectedVenue = props.lessonData.venues[0];
-  const title = selectedVenue?.programName + ": " + selectedVenue?.lessonName + " - Free Church Curriculum";
-  return MetaHelper.getMetaData(title, selectedVenue?.lessonDescription, selectedVenue?.lessonImage, undefined, "/" + programSlug + "/" + studySlug + "/" + lessonSlug);
+  const title = SeoHelper.lessonTitle(selectedVenue?.programName, selectedVenue?.lessonName);
+  return MetaHelper.getMetaData(title, SeoHelper.lessonDescription(selectedVenue), selectedVenue?.lessonImage, undefined, getCanonicalPath(selectedVenue, lessonSlug));
 }
 
-const getJsonLd = (venue: any, path: PageParams) => {
-  const site = "https://lessons.church";
-  const programUrl = site + "/" + path.programSlug;
-  const studyUrl = programUrl + "/" + path.studySlug;
-  const result: Record<string, unknown> = {
-    "@context": "https://schema.org",
+const getJsonLd = (venue: any, lessonSlug: string) => {
+  const programUrl = SITE_URL + "/" + venue.programSlug;
+  const studyUrl = programUrl + "/" + venue.studySlug;
+  const url = SITE_URL + getCanonicalPath(venue, lessonSlug);
+  const programName = SeoHelper.cleanName(venue.programName);
+  const studyName = SeoHelper.cleanName(venue.studyName);
+  const name = SeoHelper.cleanName(venue.lessonName);
+  const lesson: Record<string, unknown> = {
     "@type": "LearningResource",
-    name: venue.lessonName,
-    url: studyUrl + "/" + path.lessonSlug,
+    "@id": url + "#lesson",
+    name,
+    url,
+    description: SeoHelper.lessonDescription(venue),
+    learningResourceType: "Lesson plan",
+    ...SeoHelper.common(SeoHelper.publisherFromAbout(venue.programAbout)),
     isPartOf: {
       "@type": "Course",
-      name: venue.studyName,
+      "@id": studyUrl + "#course",
+      name: studyName,
       url: studyUrl,
-      isPartOf: { "@type": "Course", name: venue.programName, url: programUrl }
-    },
-    provider: { "@type": "Organization", name: "Lessons.church", sameAs: site }
+      isPartOf: { "@type": "Course", "@id": programUrl + "#course", name: programName, url: programUrl }
+    }
+  };
+  if (venue.bottomLine) lesson.teaches = SeoHelper.plainText(venue.bottomLine);
+  if (venue.lessonImage?.startsWith("http")) lesson.image = venue.lessonImage;
+  return {
+    "@context": "https://schema.org",
+    "@graph": [lesson, SeoHelper.breadcrumbs([{ name: programName, url: programUrl }, { name: studyName, url: studyUrl }, { name, url }])]
   };
-  if (venue.lessonDescription) result.description = venue.lessonDescription;
-  if (venue.lessonImage?.startsWith("http")) result.image = venue.lessonImage;
-  return result;
 };
 
 export default async function LessonsPage({ params }: { params: Promise<PageParams> }) {
   const { lessonData, errorMessage } = await loadSharedData(params);
-  if (!errorMessage && !lessonData) notFound();
-  if (errorMessage) return <Error message={errorMessage} />;
+  // Throw rather than render an error page, so a failed API call is never cached as a 200.
+  if (errorMessage) throw new Error(errorMessage);
+  if (!lessonData) notFound();
   const { programSlug, studySlug, lessonSlug } = await params;
+  const venue = lessonData.venues[0];
+  const canonicalPath = getCanonicalPath(venue, lessonSlug);
+  if (venue.programSlug && venue.studySlug && canonicalPath !== "/" + programSlug + "/" + studySlug + "/" + lessonSlug) permanentRedirect(canonicalPath);
   return (
     <>
       <LessonClient lessonData={lessonData} />
-      <script type="application/ld+json" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: JSON.stringify(getJsonLd(lessonData.venues[0], { programSlug, studySlug, lessonSlug })).replace(/</g, "\\u003c") }} />
+      <script type="application/ld+json" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: SeoHelper.jsonLd(getJsonLd(venue, lessonSlug)) }} />
     </>
   );
 }

src/app/[programSlug]/[studySlug]/page.tsx

@@ -2,21 +2,25 @@ import { Metadata } from "next";
 import { unstable_cache } from "next/cache";
 import Image from "next/image";
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
+import { notFound, permanentRedirect } from "next/navigation";
 import Container from "@mui/material/Container";
 import Grid from "@mui/material/Grid";
 import { ApiHelper } from "@churchapps/apphelper";
 import { HeaderWrapper } from "@/app/components/HeaderWrapper";
 import { MarkdownWrapper } from "@/app/components/MarkdownWrapper";
-import Error from "@/components/Error";
 import { Layout } from "@/components/Layout";
 import { Lessons } from "@/components/Lessons";
 import { EnvironmentHelper } from "@/helpers";
 import { MetaHelper } from "@/helpers/MetaHelper";
+import { SITE_URL, SeoHelper } from "@/helpers/SeoHelper";
 import { LessonInterface, ProgramInterface, StudyInterface } from "@/helpers/interfaces";
 
 type PageParams = { programSlug: string; studySlug: string };
 
+// Render each study on first request, then serve it from the cache and refresh hourly.
+export const revalidate = 3600;
+export async function generateStaticParams(): Promise<PageParams[]> { return []; }
+
 type LoadDataResult = { program?: ProgramInterface; study?: StudyInterface; lessons?: LessonInterface[]; errorMessage: string };
 
 const loadData = async (params: PageParams): Promise<LoadDataResult> => {
@@ -37,21 +41,50 @@ const loadSharedData = async (params: Promise<PageParams>): Promise<LoadDataResu
   }
 };
 
+const getJsonLd = (program: ProgramInterface, study: StudyInterface, lessonCount: number) => {
+  const programUrl = SITE_URL + "/" + program.slug;
+  const url = programUrl + "/" + study.slug;
+  const programName = SeoHelper.cleanName(program.name);
+  const name = SeoHelper.cleanName(study.name);
+  return {
+    "@context": "https://schema.org",
+    "@graph": [
+      {
+        "@type": "Course",
+        "@id": url + "#course",
+        name,
+        url,
+        description: SeoHelper.studyDescription(programName, name, lessonCount, study.description),
+        ...(study.image ? { image: study.image } : {}),
+        ...SeoHelper.common(SeoHelper.publisherFromAbout(program.aboutSection), program.age),
+        isPartOf: { "@type": "Course", "@id": programUrl + "#course", name: programName, url: programUrl }
+      },
+      SeoHelper.breadcrumbs([{ name: programName, url: programUrl }, { name, url }])
+    ]
+  };
+};
+
 export async function generateMetadata({ params }: { params: Promise<PageParams> }): Promise<Metadata> {
   const props = await loadSharedData(params);
   if (!props.errorMessage && props.study?.id) {
-    const { programSlug, studySlug } = await params;
-    const title = props.program?.name + ": " + props.study?.name + " - Free Church Curriculum";
-    return MetaHelper.getMetaData(title, props.study?.description, props.study?.image, undefined, "/" + programSlug + "/" + studySlug);
+    const programName = SeoHelper.cleanName(props.program?.name);
+    const studyName = SeoHelper.cleanName(props.study.name);
+    const title = SeoHelper.studyTitle(programName, studyName);
+    const description = SeoHelper.studyDescription(programName, studyName, props.lessons?.length, props.study.description);
+    return MetaHelper.getMetaData(title, description, props.study.image, undefined, "/" + props.program?.slug + "/" + props.study.slug);
   }
   return MetaHelper.getMetaData();
 }
 
 export default async function StudyPage({ params }: { params: Promise<PageParams> }) {
   const { program, study, lessons, errorMessage } = await loadSharedData(params);
 
-  if (errorMessage) return <Error message={errorMessage} />;
+  // Throw rather than render an error page, so a failed API call is never cached as a 200.
+  if (errorMessage) throw new Error(errorMessage);
   if (!study?.id) notFound();
+  // Slug lookups are case-insensitive; redirect case variants to the one canonical URL.
+  const { programSlug, studySlug } = await params;
+  if (program?.slug && study.slug && (program.slug !== programSlug || study.slug !== studySlug)) permanentRedirect("/" + program.slug + "/" + study.slug);
 
   return (
     <>
@@ -95,23 +128,7 @@ export default async function StudyPage({ params }: { params: Promise<PageParams
           </Container>
         </div>
 
-        <script
-          type="application/ld+json"
-          dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
-            __html: JSON.stringify({
-              "@context": "https://schema.org",
-              "@type": "Course",
-              name: study!.name,
-              description: study!.description,
-              provider: {
-                "@type": "Organization",
-                name: "Lessons.church",
-                sameAs: "https://lessons.church"
-              },
-              isPartOf: { "@type": "Course", name: program!.name }
-            }).replace(/</g, "\\u003c")
-          }}
-        />
+        <script type="application/ld+json" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: SeoHelper.jsonLd(getJsonLd(program!, study!, lessons?.length ?? 0)) }} />
       </Layout>
     </>
   );