On-page SEO (also called on-site SEO) is the process of optimizing webpages and their content for both search engines and users. It can help rank pages higher on Google and drive more organic traffic.
Common tasks associated with on-page SEO include optimizing for search intent, title tags, internal links, and URLs.
Below, we’ll cover different techniques for optimizing your site for on-page concerns.
But first, let’s explore the difference between on-page SEO and off-page SEO:
On-Page SEO vs. Off-Page SEO
On-page SEO covers anything you can do on a webpage (or internally) to improve your rankings.
Off-page SEO covers anything you can optimize outside of your site (or externally) in an attempt to boost your rankings. Backlinks are arguably the biggest off-page SEO factor. Other examples include social media and PR.
Both are important components of any good SEO strategy.
But you have more control over on-page SEO factors. So focusing on those is a good place to start.
Why Is On-Page SEO Important?
Search engines use keywords and other on-page SEO elements to check whether a page matches a user’s search intent.
And if the page is relevant and useful, Google serves it to the user.
In other words:
Google pays attention to on-page SEO signals when ranking pages.
The Google algorithm is always changing, but Google continues to prioritize user experience. Google recommends focusing on “people-first content.”
Meaning creating valuable content that matches user intent is more important than ever.
Now, let’s take a look at how you can update your content to reflect on-page SEO best practices.
Pro tip
To quickly get actionable on-page SEO optimization ideas for your site, run it through On Page SEO Checker.
9 On-Page SEO Techniques for Your Website
Here are some key on-page optimization techniques you should consider:
- Write unique, helpful content
- Place target keywords strategically
- Write keyword-rich title tags
- Write click-worthy meta descriptions
- Use headings and subheadings to structure your page
- Optimize URLs
- Add internal links
- Add external links
- Include and optimize images
Let’s look at these in more detail.
Tip
Create a free Semrush account (no credit card needed) to follow along with the techniques in this guide.
1. Write Unique, Helpful Content
One of the most important on site SEO steps you should take is to create high-quality content that matches your readers’ search intent.
Start by performing keyword research to find relevant topics and target keywords.
For this example, we’ll use the Keyword Magic Tool.
Enter the topic you want to research and click “Search.” We’ll use the keyword “audio book” as our example.
You’ll get a list of keywords related to your seed keyword, sorted by search volume.
High search volume can be useful to target.
But pay attention to the keyword difficulty (KD %) level, too. It’s much more difficult to rank for more competitive keywords (which have higher KD % scores).
Target less competitive long-tail keywords, too.
They often have lower search volume but lower keyword difficulty. Which means they can be easier to rank for.
The Keyword Magic Tool automatically sorts related keywords into relevant categories.
They’re located in the left-hand sidebar. You can narrow your research by selecting one.
Here:
Once you’ve selected your keywords, it’s time to create your content.
Read our guide to formatting a blog post when you’re ready to get started.
In the meantime, here are a few best practices to create optimized, high-quality content:
- Incorporate keywords naturally into your content (and avoid keyword stuffing)
- Make sure your content matches the search intent of your target keyword
- Fully answer the query—your content should be useful to users
- Write unique content that offers something competitors don’t
- Include visual content (more on that later)
Further reading: What Is Quality Content & How to Create It
2. Place Target Keywords Strategically
So you have your target keywords. Now it’s time to strategically place them in your content.
Google scans your content to see what a page is about—and readers will likely do the same.
So you should include your target keywords in these key areas:
- H1
- First paragraph
- Subheaders (H2s, H3s, etc.)
This will help Google gain context about the topic of your page. And users will be able to quickly tell whether the page matches their search intent.
You can begin analyzing your content with On Page SEO Checker.
Start by configuring the tool for your site.
Once you complete the setup, you’ll see a page that looks like this:
You can click on a specific page from the recommended “TOP pages to optimize” list, or review the “Optimization Ideas” tab for a complete overview.
Click on the “# ideas” blue button to see recommendations.
The content section will let you know whether you’ve used your target keywords in key places like the H1 and body of the of the page (and whether keyword stuffing is detected):
If the tool does detect issues, it will provide recommendations.
Like this:
It also provides helpful information about related keywords you can add to your text to further optimize it.
Optimize Your Pages to Rank Better
with the On Page SEO Checker
3. Write Keyword-Rich Title Tags
Title tags are pieces of HTML code that indicate what the title of a page is. And display that title in search engines, social media posts, and browser tabs.
Additionally,they can influence whether a user decides to click on your page.
They can look like this on the SERP (search engine results page):
Here are a few tips to follow when writing your title tags:
- Keep it brief. We recommend keeping title tags between 50 and 60 characters so Google doesn’t cut them off
- Include your target keyword. This helps both Google and users determine what your page is about.
- Be unique. Avoid duplicate title tags so that each individual page’s purpose is clear to Google (and users know what they’re clicking on).
On Page SEO Checker will also provide tips to help you write better title tags. Plus information about what, how, and why to do it.
Further reading: What Is a Title Tag & How to Optimize Title Tags for Google
4. Write Click-Worthy Meta Descriptions
A meta description tag is an HTML element on a site that provides a brief summary of the page. And search engines like Google may use it to generate a snippet (the descriptive text part of a search result).
It usually shows up on the SERP below your page’s title. Like this:
Meta descriptions don’t directly influence Google rankings.