8 On Page SEO Must-Haves
On-page SEO and getting found online is at the heart of our everything we do at Southern Creative. We see SO many clients who started crafting content without a clear keyword focus. In the end, that just leads to missed searchability opportunities– and nobody wants that!
So, let’s talk about how to bring effective on page SEO tactics to your website from day one. We’ll talk about everything from keyword selection to optimizing meta tags, headers, image descriptions, and more, so you can audit your blog posts and on page SEO with confidence.
What is On Page SEO?
On page SEO encompasses all the strategies you implement directly on your website’s pages to improve their search engine rankings. This includes how you structure content, optimize meta tags, and even how you format URLs and images. It’s about making each page as discoverable and relevant as possible to both search engines and users.
Your on page SEO checklist
We’ve created a downloadable on page SEO checklist to guide you through every step of the optimization process. But if you’d like to learn more about each step, keep reading!
Find & use quality keywords
This is the foundational step to ALL on page SEO strategy! It all starts with keyword research. Identify one primary and at least one secondary keyword that resonates with your content. Then, weave them naturally throughout the text, headings, and meta data for the page. Here’s how to do it right:
- Research: Use tools like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner to find keywords relevant to your topic.
- Natural Integration: Sprinkle these keywords throughout your content, but avoid keyword stuffing which can hurt your SEO.
- Strategic Placement: Always use keywords in the title, at least one keyword, and opening paragraphs.
Content length & quality
Does content length matters to search engines. While the usual advice is that longer content tends to perform better, we’ve found that our clients’ best performing content is usually 800 words or less. That being said, we also like to mix in at least one longer, more in-depth blog (1000-1500 words) per month to appeal to readers and SEO.
Keep in mind that while length is important, the quality of your information is even more important. Include your own thoughts and opinions in each post – not just whatever AI has to say.
Image names and alt text
Images enrich your content by stopping the scroll and encouraging engagement. And naming them correctly can also boost your SEO!
When you upload new images to your site, rename them with relevant, descriptive titles that use a keyword (if it makes sense to do so).
Alt text helps search engines understand the content of an image. They’re an important website feature for accessibility, so the most important thing is accuracy. However, you can weave in keywords if it naturally fits.
Section Headings
What are headers? They’re the dividers and organizers of all on page content. Clear headings not only make content more skimmable and readable, they’re great for on page SEO!
Use proper heading hierarchy. There should only be one H1 per page, which covers the title or main topic of the content. It should always include your primary keyword. H2 subheadings are best for supporting ideas to your H1, and H3s support H2s. H2 and H3 headings are great places to include FAQs on your topic and your target keywords.
Internal and external links
Links are the pathways that connect your content to the broader internet, and they’re essential for on page SEO!
Internal Links link to other relevant pages and posts on your own site to guide visitors and search engines to more of your content.
External Links go to reputable external sites and are especially great when citing data or quotes. They can also boost the credibility of your content.
Meta Tags
What are meta tags? Meta tags are snippets of text that describe a page’s content. They don’t appear on the page itself but in the page’s code. Think of them as little content descriptors that tell search engines what a web page is about. The most crucial meta tags for SEO are the title tag and the meta description.
The title tag should sum up the idea behind the post, contain your primary keyword, and be 60 characters or less.
A meta description is a brief summary of a page’s content. It should be compelling, informative, and 160 characters or less. Don’t forget to add your primary keyword!
On page SEO doesn’t have to be hard!
Start by auditing your existing posts using the tips provided here, and you’ll start seeing improvement in your site’s SEO results. Grab our free On Page SEO Checklist – your handy guide to everything on page SEO.
Ready to level up your website’s SEO?
That’s what we do best! Book a call to chat about your SEO strategy.
