5 Essential On-Page SEO Factors You Need to Know
Many of you might have heard of On-Page SEO. But do you know what that means? Is it a bunch of gibberish to you? It may sound complicated but it isn't. On-Page SEO is one of the actions you can take right away on your website to give it the boost it needs. It's a great strategy where you have complete control over what should be done. So let's get into it.
What is On-Page SEO?
Let's start by explaining what On-Page SEO is. According to Moz.com, "On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines." Think about this for a minute. There is a lot of pure goodness in implementing this strategy. We're talking about boosting an individual website page visibility and reach. We do that by simply optimizing the choice of words and structure.
Ok, let's slow down one minute and explain why this is important. On-Page SEO is important because it helps search engines understand your website and its content. It not only helps your readers see your content through text, images, and videos. But it allows search engines to read what is in your content through Title tags, URLs, and structured content.
Ranking factors for on-Page SEO
Optimizing your web pages can have a huge impact on your SEO ranking. Let's take a look at these factors in more details:
1| Content of a page - Your content has to be worthy and relevant to your reader. Ask yourself if it is providing absolute value to your readers? It has to answer the search question being asked. You want to infuse the content with keywords especially in the titles. Write content that is shareable so others can link back to your website (backlinks).
When it comes to your content, always keep in mind, the reason you are writing the content in the first place. You want to show off your expertise, your authority, and finally your trustworthiness!
2| Title Tags - Titles Tags are super important. They appear in various places, in search engine results, the title of a web page, and also when you share your site on social media.
Search engines read these titles to understand what your page is all about. They are able to display your content in a search result if it is relevant to a search that a reader types in. To do that, you want to use keywords in your titles as well. I wrote a blog post on Meta descriptions that play a part in helping search engines understand what a page is about.
Title appearing on browser tab.
Title appearing on Google Search Results
Title appearing on Social Media - Facebook
3| URL - Sometimes DIY website designers forget the importance of a URL structure. A URL is a website address in super simple terms.
For example, www.theresachaney.com/blog/4870rkhdf02.
Now the above is a bad example because it doesn't fully explain the structure of the page you're heading to. What is 4870rkhdf02? Means nothing. We get to the blog part and then what?
You want to do is have a URL that looks like this:
www.theresachaney.com/blog/hire-a-squarespace-designer
This is a lot more descriptive to a reader and to a search engine that crawls your website for its content. By adding a descriptive keyword, it's clear the page you're heading to has relevant content.
4| Alt Text - Image descriptions. A simple yet overlooked piece of website design. You want to get your content and image up. I love to see beautiful images. I can see it, but a search engine cannot. Entering a description of what the image has is called Alt text. Be sure to fill those for every image you use.
5| Mobile Friendly - Many readers digest their content on Mobile and Google considers this a plus if your website is optimized so it can be viewed on a mobile device. You can hop over to this link here and check how friendly your website is on mobile. Take the Mobile Friendly Test available from Google. Once you enter your website URL and hit enter, you’ll see the results from the test. Take action if you need to.
Using Keywords on you On-Page SEO
The one and most important thing you have to have handy are your keywords. Are you using the right keywords your target audience is using to search for a product or service? You can't optimize your website pages if you don't know the keywords they are using. So let's touch on that for me a minute.
How do you know what keywords your target audience is using. I shared several of this on this blog post. Know what your ideal client or customer is looking for? What language are they using? Decide what keywords you want to rank for? If your reader is typing a specific word, ask yourself if that is the word you want to rank for. Use those keywords on your page content to provide the relevant solution for your reader. Here's a recap:
Search and Identify the keyword(s) you want your page to rank for.
Decide which pages on your website you want to add those keywords in.
Structure your web pages in a way that it reads very easily and is digestible.
Write your copy. Write it with your reader in mind and using those keywords. Let it flow. Let your content be cohesive by adding extreme value. Show your expertise in that area. Your goal is to add value and provides the solution and answers your reader is seeking.
As you write your content for each page of your website, use keywords in your main headers (H1) and subheadings (H2).
Things to avoid doing on your pages:
1. Don't have duplicate content on one page and then another.
2. Don't stuff keywords all places. Use the keywords you researched and place them in your content in such a manner that it enhances reading and makes sense. Google is smart enough to know when keywords are being stuffed on a page.
Final Thoughts
This is a huge part of SEO that effectively can help you rank higher in search engines, and that you CAN control! If you understand these basic principles and are able to apply them, then yes you can do this!
Are you a blogger, service provider, influencer, online marketer, or business owner? If so, this applies to you! If you're trying to rank for anything, this is a must for you! If you have a business with a physical location, be sure to add your location details on your page as well. Adding your location helps with your local SEO. People who are searching for local services like yours can find you by location!
Have you implemented any of these on-page search engine optimization elements? What was your result?
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