After building a website, the next important thing is to create content for your website. However, having a website and creating content is not enough. You will need to optimize your web pages to improve your site’s rankings and attract more organic traffic, a practice often known as on-page SEO.
But what is on-page SEO, and what does it entail?
Keep reading as we explore the ultimate checklist for on-page SEO that can help you get the most out of your website.
What Is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO is one of the two types of SEO that deals with factors within your direct control, such as content quality, keyword research, internal linking, optimizing your site for mobile viewing, etc.
If you are competing to rank on the first page globally, you must brace yourself for tough competition. That means you will be better off aiming to rank in your area than globally, especially if you are a startup.
For instance, if you are based in Melbourne, you will need to optimize your page to rank for searches in your area. But you may need the help of local SEO experts like Online Marketing Gurus’ services to get the best results.
On-Page SEO Checklist
Get Your Keywords Right
Your target audience determines your choice of keywords. For example, if you sell winter jackets for kids, your target keywords should be around winter jackets.
There are two types of keywords you may want to consider; short-tail and long-tail keywords. Using the example above, “winter jackets for kids” would be the short-tail keyword.
Short-tail keywords are very competitive, and standing out may be almost impossible for a startup. The best approach would be going for long-tail keywords which are more specific such as “Pink winter jackets for kids” or “best winter jackets for boys.”
While these keywords do not get as many hits as the short-tail keywords, you stand a better chance of ranking for them and even get more refined leads.
Use Descriptive URL
URL helps web crawlers identify what a page is all about, so you will want to give the crawlers the easiest time possible by keeping your URLs short.
Research proves that search engines and especially Google tend to prioritize short URLs. Therefore, target to have 3-5 words in your URLs, and ensure that you include your main keyword.
Use Clean Title Tags
Title tags are a page’s most prominent part and can affect organic visibility on two levels.
First, Google crawlers prioritize title tags when determining the relevance of a page.
Secondly, title tags show in the search engine results, which, when done right, can determine the number of people clicking on your content.
Therefore, you must ensure that your title tags contain your target keywords. You may also want to get your brand name on it. But ensure that it is short and as descriptive as possible.
Use Effective Header Tags
Header tags, H1, H2, H3, etc., can also impact your SEO positively when used right. H1 is the main heading, while consecutive header tags are subheadings.
The best practice for H1s is making them the same as your title tag or slightly different and must contain your target keyword. It should also closely match the reader’s intent, as poor H1s can result in a high bounce rate.
You can also include target keywords on your H2s or consecutive H tags, but only when it is necessary. Breaking down your content with H tags also makes it readable and can determine if your audience will spend time on a page or not.
Other factors of on-page SEO you may want to consider include metadata description, unique content, internal linking, image alt tags, and improving overall user experience.
