Whats the Solution?
We're going to recommend a component called Mass Content.
For this demonstration, I've started with a brand-new Joomla site with all the sample data installed.
Install Mass Content
Go to Baticore.com and download Mass Content. Install via Administrator >> Extension >> Install / Uninstall. Then go to Components >> Mass content >> Delete mass content
Delete the Sample Data
You'll be able to select one section at a time and delete all the associated categories and menu links. Alternatively you can choose to delete only one specific category or even just to delete the content from inside the articles. When you've made your choice, click "Delete".
The End Result
Mass Content will give you a warning that these items will be completely deleted. Click "OK" if you're sure you've made the right decision.
This is the end result of the deletion. All the article links and associated menu links are gone, but the modules are still in place. You will have to unpublish those or delete them from Extension >> Install / Uninstall.
Delete the Sample Metadata
Part of the sample data consists of a meta description for search engines. Is "Joomla! - the dynamic portal engine and content management system" a valid description of your site? Thought not. However nearly 700,000 sites still have that description according to Google. To change the metadata to apply to your site, go to Site >> Global Configuration and alter the "Global Site Meta Description" and "Global Site Meta Keywords" entries:
Also Worth Doing Before Launching a Site
- Components >> Newsfeeds >> Delete all newsfeed categories and items
- Components >> Newsfeeds >> Delete all weblinks categories and items
Also, go to Extensions >> Plugin Manager and unpublish these plugins, otherwise you'll find a lot of clutter in the search results:
- Search weblinks
- Search contacts
- Search newsfeeds
- Search categories
- Search sections
