Search engines are also smart enough to determine if a website is doing a job enough job of satisfying the search intent of their users. For example, they may reward an article for having a relevant and eye-catching headline, but also penalise it for body copy that fails to deliver on the promise of that headline. Every element of your website must work together to satisfy the needs of your target audience. One slip up, and you risk losing potential customers without even realising it.
This is just a small sample of how deep the SEO rabbit hole goes. And it only gets deeper the more you explore. So, it’s understandable that so many online marketers struggle to keep up with the latest trends, approaches, and best industry practices. The rules are always changing. But there are a few underlying fundamentals that, for the most part, have remained intact, even amidst the many algorithm changes and updates.
On-page SEO
On-page SEO is one aspect of SEO that has managed to perform highly among online marketers. But what is it exactly? In essence, on-page SEO is the process of optimising individual pages on your website, so that they can help you earn better search rankings and generate more organic web traffic.
When it comes down to it, on-page SEO has a lot to do with delivering a positive user experience. Your business website exists solely to sell a specific range of products and/or services. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to have a website that does an effective job of selling your business to potential customers. This involves optimising various aspects of your website. From the quality of your sales copy, through to your choice of graphics and images, right down to the type of CTA (Call to Action) you use. There is a lot to think about. And unless you are an expert in digital marketing, covering all your bases may be a struggle. That’s where this article may be able to help. Here, we’re going to cover the many ways you can optimise your website for on-page SEO, from keyword research and headline writing to meta tags and more.
20-Point On-Page Checklist
One thing to note: SEO is not a ‘set it and forget it’ strategy. Completing every task on this list does not mean your website is guaranteed to rank high on popular search engines.
It also does not mean you never have to revisit these tasks again. Over time, your website may change in structure and direction. You may add new pages, remove existing ones, modify the text, replace old images with, and much more. When these changes occur, it can change the way search engines rank your website, for better or worse.
For this reason, you should revisit this list often, and make sure that each page ticks as many of these boxes as possible.
1. Perform keyword research
Keyword research is vital to a successful on-page SEO strategy. It involves using a keyword research tool – like the free Google Keyword Planner, or a paid alternative like Ahrefs – to narrow down the most relevant keywords to target for your website.
When choosing keywords, it’s important that the ones you pick are: 1) Relevant to the main topic or theme of the content, 2) Already being searched for by your target audience, and 3) Within your capabilities to rank well for.
2. Choose one primary keyword per web page
Don’t try to target more than one primary keyword for each web page. And don’t flesh out your primary keyword over multiple pages. Otherwise, search engines won’t know which web page to prioritise, and as a result, they won’t rank either web page.
3. Choose three to five sub keywords
Sub keywords are words or phrases that are either synonyms or semantically related to your primary keyword. In terms of semantics, this means the sub keyword is conceptually related to the original keyword. For example, a semantically related keyword to ‘hot water systems’ might be ‘gas hot water systems’ or ‘solar hot water systems’
4. Create a content plan for your primary keyword
Think about the role your primary keyword will play in converting a visitor into a customer. Consider the search intent of your target audience. Why are they searching for this keyword, what information are they looking for, and what do they want to walk away with?
You should also consider where the keyword lies in the sales funnel. Will the keyword be most appropriate for an article or blog post, an individual product description, or a landing page? This will help you determine where best to use that keyword.
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5. Use the primary keyword in the main headline
Write a headline that will appeal to both your target audience and search engines. Come up with a title that promotes the benefits of your products or services. And include the primary keyword in a way that is seamless and natural.
6. Use the primary keyword in your title tag and meta description
The title tag and meta description are two pieces of content that appear on the search engine results page. The title tag is kind of like the ‘headline’ of a search engine listing, while the meta description contains a block of text that delivers on the promise of the title tag. Where possible, include the primary keyword in both sections.
7. Write a minimum of 300-words
Technically, there is no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to content length. But at the very least, you should aim for a minimum of 300-words per web page. This will ensure that your body copy is doing a good enough job of selling your products and services in pristine detail. For longer articles and blog posts, aim for a minimum of 800-words, as more detailed posts have a higher probability of ranking on a search engine.
8. Write original content
Search engines have become very good at rewarding websites with original, engaging, and well-written content. Publishing duplicate content – that is, content that has literally been copied and pasted from another website – is a sure-fire way to tank your search engine ranking. Therefore, make sure each piece of content on your website is original. Aside from improving your ranking, it’ll also help your business stand out and get noticed.
9. Keep your content clear and easy to read
Writing clearly and plainly is not for the purpose of ‘dumbing down’ your content. It makes it easier for people, who otherwise have busy lives and a lot of priorities, to stop what they are doing and pay attention to your message. Keep this in mind when preparing your content and sales copy. Follow a guideline like the Flesch Reading Scale, and its recommendations until your content is as concise as can be.
10. Add the primary keyword at 2-3% keyword density
To help the search engines find your content, try adding the primary keyword at least two to three times per 100 words. At the same time, though, avoid keyword stuffing to maintain flow and consistency.
11. Use each related keyword at least once in your content
Refer to your list of related keywords and add each of them at least once in your body copy. This will help your page rank for terms that are synonyms or semantically related to your primary keyword.
12. Make your content easy to scan
On top of making your content easy to read, you should also make it scannable. What does this mean exactly? Use relatively short sentences, short paragraphs (around two to three sentences each), and easy to understand language. Furthermore, break up each topic or section with subheadings, so that readers can quickly scan the page to find what they’re looking for without having to read everything.
13. Use the primary keyword in at least one subheading
Tie your content back to the main keyword by including it at least once in one of your subheadings. You can place the primary keyword in any of the subheadings, so pick whichever one you think fits best.
14. Add relevant internal links with anchor text
An internal link is a link that redirects a reader to another page on your website. For example, if you run an online store selling candles, and you write a blog post about gift ideas for Valentines Day, you could add internal links in the content to guide the reader to specific products on your website. Use this to your advantage to encourage readers to learn more about your business.
15. Add at least one image
Adding relevant images is a great way to break up your content and help the reader visualise certain aspects of your content. They can also help emphasise a key selling point in your content. One example being an infographic to highlight an important statistic.
16. Optimise each image you add
When you add a new image, there are many ways you can incorporate the primary keyword into you. You can add it to the image file name, the image title, and the image alt tag. The image title is essentially the name of your image, while the alt tag is a short description of the image to help make sense of it when it can’t be viewed.
17. Properly size each image
Oversized images can slow down your website loading times. So make sure your images are large enough to be seen clearly, but not overbearing. Compress each image you add before you upload them to your website. To do this open the image in Microsoft Picture Manager, click the Picture Tools Format tab, and then click on Compress Pictures.
18. Include the primary keyword in the URL
Add the primary keyword just once in the permalink of the relevant web page. Avoid using stop words like ‘the’ or ‘and.’ Just use the primary keyword as you found it in your keyword research tool.
19. Assign relevant tags and categories for blog posts
When you upload a new blog post on a platform like WordPress, you have the option to give it its own category and tags. When adding tags, choose ones that are relevant to the subject or topic, and keep them short as well – a maximum of one to two words.
20. Proofread your content
You only get one chance to make a strong first impression on a reader, so make sure it counts. Do this by thoroughly proofreading each piece of content you publish. Or hire a third-party editor to do this for you. Make sure the language is clear, the content itself easy to skim, and each topic given their own individual section. This way, your content will flow seamlessly from beginning to end, and have the highest possible chance of retaining the reader’s interest.
Summary
These are just some of the many ways to optimise the on-page SEO for your website.
While not every page has to completely adhere to these points, you should aim to satisfy as many as possible. This will ensure that each page is working hard to achieve your unique business requirements, and that it’s doing so in the most efficient way.
