On-Page SEO Explained: What It Is & How to Optimise

Effective on-page SEO can really boost your site’s visibility on search engines. This means more people can find and visit your website. In this blog, you’ll discover the essential parts of on-page SEO, practical ways to enhance it, and how to keep making your site better.

• Optimising title tags and meta descriptions can increase click-through rates by 20%.
• Long-tail keywords are essential for targeting specific audiences and increasing organic traffic.
• Internal links aid search engines in understanding your site’s structure and enhance user engagement.
• Ensuring a mobile-friendly design improves user experience and SEO performance.
• Page load speed is a vital factor for both user experience and search rankings.
• Schema markup can enhance visibility and click-through rates through rich snippets.

On-page SEO is the practice of optimising your website to improve its ranking and draw more relevant traffic from search engines. It aims to boost your site’s google rankings. This is done by tuning each page to meet the needs of search engine algorithms.

On-page SEO includes refining title tags, meta descriptions, and headings, all crucial for ranking. Keeping title tags under 70 characters avoids truncation. Meanwhile, an optimal meta description under 160 characters boosts visibility in search results. Plus, Google often uses these descriptions, making their optimisation key.

Using primary keywords in your content boosts both relevance and user engagement, often meaning viewers spend longer on your site. Also, URLs with relevant keywords mean lower bounce rates. They make it clear to users and search engines what your pages are about.

A good heading (H1) reflecting the main topic keeps visitors engaged for longer. Low bounce rates tell search engines your content is relevant and user-friendly.

Using internal and external links within your site also helps. Internal links increase traffic to key pages and elevate page authority. Meanwhile, external links from credible sites improve your google rankings by enhancing content credibility and signalling that your content is relevant to searches.

In summary, on-page SEO is a detailed strategy improving your site’s search engine performance. It involves refining content, HTML, and the structure of your site to work together in boosting rankings.

Improving your search engine rankings is key, and on-page SEO does just that. It makes sure your site meets search engine guidelines. This leads to a better user experience, a big deal for Google’s algorithm. Marketers believe that SEO is better than PPC for boosting sales, with a 70% agreement.

With effective on-page SEO, a website’s organic traffic might go up by 50%. The Google algorithm considers over 200 factors, including content quality and the right keywords. Considering that 93% of online journeys start with a search engine, on-page SEO’s role is clear.

Sites that are quick to load and well-structured are more likely to win Google’s favour. If a page loads in 2 seconds, it has a low bounce rate of 9%. But if it takes 5 seconds, the bounce rate jumps to 38%. Quick loading times help create a great user experience, which on-page SEO enhances.

Unique title tags and meta descriptions can make a page rank five times higher. Adding structured data can also boost click-through rates by 30%. These tweaks are easy to apply with systems like WordPress, which runs over 40% of the web.

Ignoring the first page of search results is common, with 75% of users never looking past it. So, getting your on-page SEO right is essential to land in these top spots. Search traffic leads to about 40% of online revenue, underscoring the value of on-page SEO.

Focusing on on-page SEO boosts your site’s ranking and keeps it friendly and relevant. Aligning with Google’s emphasis on user experience leads to more organic traffic and long-term success.

On-page SEO is made up of several important elements that influence your site’s visibility and user interaction. To get the top rankings, focus on these crucial factors:

Title tags show the title of a webpage and are key in getting more clicks from search engine results. They should be no more than 60 characters, offering a precise description of the page’s content. Make sure your title tags include target keywords to boost visibility. A well-crafted title tag can attract users and help search engine crawlers understand your page better.

Meta descriptions provide short summaries of your pages, enticing people to visit your site. Though they don’t directly affect rankings, good meta tags can increase your click-through rate (CTR). Keep these descriptions between 155-160 characters and add relevant keywords. This makes your page summary more appealing and relevant to both crawlers and users.

Using the correct heading structure (H1, H2, H3) is crucial for organising your content. It makes your site easier to read for people and search engines. Each heading should clearly describe what the following section is about. This ensures the content flows logically. Content with well-structured headings is more engaging and easier for search engines to index.

URLs that are easy to understand and include keywords help search engines index your site better. URLs need to be short, clear, and use dashes not spaces. This improves readability. A good URL structure also helps users navigate your site easily. This leads to a better user experience and improves your SEO.

By focusing on title tags, meta descriptions, heading structures, and URL structures, you create content that draws in users and is easy for search engines to find. Keep your content fresh and optimise these elements regularly. Doing so will greatly enhance your site’s visibility in search results and contribute to ongoing SEO success.

Effective keyword research is key to on-page SEO. It means finding relevant, widely searched keywords that fit what users are looking for. Knowing which search terms to use and putting these throughout your site can really help people find you easier.

It’s vital to use a good keyword research tool. Tools like Ahrefs Keywords Explorer and SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool offer in-depth views of how keywords perform. They show things like monthly search volume (MSV) and competition. For example, “small business SEO” has an MSV of 2,500, showing lots of people are interested. Choose keywords that match what you’re talking about and what your audience is after.

Grasping the search intent behind the search queries is crucial. People might want info, to buy something, or to find a certain page. Your content must match what they intend to do. For instance, “SEO tips for small businesses” are words people use when they want helpful advice. Google says that if your content matches user intent, it’s more relevant and pleases users more.

After finding your keywords and understanding what users are looking for, put those words in key spots. Your main keyword should be in the title, meta description, and the start of your content. Spread your keyword naturally across the piece and use variations to boost relevance and chances to rank well.

Optimising images is crucial for on-page SEO. High-quality images make a webpage look good and help users understand content better. As of April 29, 2024, over half the SERPs in the U.S. included images. This shows how vital image optimisation is for search visibility.

Images have become key for SEO, not just decoration. Billions use Google Lens for visual searches each month. Optimising images can boost your site’s traffic by appearing higher in search results. High-quality images also keep visitors engaged longer.

For effective image optimisation, there are best practices to follow. Start with descriptive file names, using hyphens for spaces, as Google suggests. Images should be high-quality, up to 2,500 pixels wide and 72 DPI. This helps with indexing.

Reduce image file sizes for faster webpage loading. The best formats are WebP, JPEG, and PNG. They offer small sizes and support for compression.

Ensure your images work well on all devices for a better user experience. Using structured data and an image sitemap helps search engines find and index your images. This improves their search results appearance. Finally, always test your pages to see the benefit of these practices on SEO and user experience.

An effective internal linking strategy boosts site navigation and spreads link juice to improve page authority. These links are key for many reasons. They boost user engagement and aid search engines like Google in finding, indexing, and ranking content efficiently. With good internal linking, you ensure no page is left “orphaned” and hard to be found by search engines.

Internal links offer several benefits:

• They help Google find new content, raising the chances of higher rankings.
• Google sees pages with many internal links as important, which helps them rank better.
• Linking new blog posts from the homepage can make them more visible and easy to be indexed by Google.
• Internal links boost user engagement by offering more content for readers to explore.
• Tools like Yoast SEO suggest which internal links to use and count them to help you manage your links better.

When structuring internal links, consider these best practices:

• Use clear, descriptive anchor text for all internal links, avoiding repetition for clarity for users and search engines.
• Link to content that offers deeper insights or related topics to strengthen your site’s structure and improve the user experience.
• Putting internal links at the top of a page can lower bounce rates and keep users engaged longer.
• Check your internal links regularly, at least once or twice a year, to ensure they’re well distributed and identify any orphaned content.
• Use “dofollow” links for internal linking to pass on authority; “nofollow” links can block the transfer of link juice.

Using these strategies in your website’s internal link plan can greatly enhance its SEO, making sure your content gets found and ranked well by search engines. This also improves user engagement and creates a smooth navigation experience.

External links boost your website’s authority and make your site more credible. By using credible sources, you share valuable information and show trustworthiness to search engines. This can boost your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). But remember, it’s important to have a good balance to avoid looking spammy.

Linking to high-quality websites makes your site seem more credible. Search engines view these links as endorsements, improving your search rankings. The Domain Authority (DA) of a site shows its strength; high DA sites can boost your SEO when you link to them.

Make sure your external links are related to your content. This makes for a better user experience and increases engagement. It also shows search engines that your content is reliable.

Follow these best practices to get the most out of external links:

• Use clear, descriptive anchor text for understanding of the linked content.
• Make sure external links open in new tabs to keep readers on your site longer.
• Only use a few high-quality external links to look professional and avoid link dilution.
• Check external links regularly to make sure they work and remain credible.

A strategic approach is vital for building external links. Use a mix of dofollow and nofollow links for a natural link profile. This attracts search engines and improves your site’s visibility. High-quality links from reputable websites boost your credibility and bring in referral traffic, aiding your site’s success.

Making sure your website is good to go on mobiles is key for SEO. This is due to the Google mobile-first index. A site that works well on mobiles greatly improves the user experience and engagement. Considering that over 60% of all web visits will come from mobile devices by 2024, ignoring mobile optimisation is a big mistake.

Mobile optimisation keeps customers coming back and happy. If a site is hard to use on a phone, nearly 40% of people will switch to a competitor. Since 63% of searches happen on phones, your site needs to match Google’s mobile-first index standards. Also, if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load, people will leave. This shows how crucial speed is for a great user experience.

Here are ways to make your site work better on mobiles:

• Responsive design: This makes sure your site looks and works well on all screen sizes. It’s essential for a good user experience.
• Reduce load times: Making images and videos smaller can help your site load faster. The time spent looking up DNS, connecting to TCP, and handling HTTP requests and responses should be about 600 milliseconds in total, with content appearing in under one second.
• Optimise touch targets: Button and link areas should be big enough, at least 48 pixels by 48 pixels, with 32 pixels of space around them for easier clicking.
• Appropriate font sizes: Using a base font size of 16 pixels is best for making text readable on mobile devices.

Using these methods will help your site meet the Google mobile-first index standards. It ensures a good user experience for people on mobile devices.

Keeping an eye on performance metrics is key for checking how good your on-page SEO is. Google Analytics gives a lot of useful info. This helps you make your strategies better and improve SEO. You should look at things like bounce rates and click-through rates. They tell you if your content is interesting and pulling in visitors.

A deep dive into the important KPIs and how to track them is coming up next.

For on-page SEO, watch these KPIs closely:

• Page Load Time: Quick-loading pages make for a better user experience and can help your rankings.
• Bounce Rates: High bounce rates could mean your content isn’t sticking with users.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): This tells you how often people click on your site after finding it in search results. A higher CTR means your meta titles and descriptions are working well.
• Organic Traffic: This is how many people come to your site via search engines. It shows how good your keyword strategies are.

There are several tools to help you track and analyse these KPIs:

1. Google Analytics: This platform gives details on how visitors behave, including bounce rates and how engaged they are.
2. Google Search Console: It shows data on indexed pages and errors that could affect being found in search engines.
3. SEMrush: Great for watching how your keywords do and your site’s visibility, helping you tweak your strategy.
4. Core Web Vitals: These metrics are key for checking page speed and user experience. Bettering these can boost SEO performance.

By using these tools and keeping an eye on your metrics, you can make your on-page SEO better. This makes sure your content not only ranks well but also draws in and keeps visitors.

The world of SEO is always changing, so you need to keep refining and updating your tactics. Unlike something you do just once, SEO needs regular attention to keep your site at the top. It’s important to keep refreshing your content to stay connected with your audience and meet the latest search engine rules.

Updating your content often is key for many reasons. First, reviewing your content helps find which pages are most successful. These pages are great places to sharpen your focus. For example, if a page gets lots of views but few clicks, improving its metadata could draw more attention. Also, tweaking keywords that are just outside the top 10 can improve your rankings.

Google changes its search engine rules hundreds of times a year. This means you must keep up and adjust regularly. Big updates have changed what Google looks for in websites, like the need for top-quality content. Keeping your site fresh and up-to-date helps avoid penalties and meets the latest SEO standards.

With more people using mobiles and voice to search, your SEO strategy must include mobile-first and voice search considerations. Regular checks and updates ensure your website performs well on Core Web Vitals—these are key measures for user experience and search ranking. Staying committed to ongoing improvement leads to more traffic, better rankings, and happier users.

Ready to get your business seen online? Let’s chat about how Revolve can help.