On-Page SEO
This is a complete guide to on-page SEO in 2022.
In this new guide, you’ll learn:
- How to optimise your content
- How to create SEO-friendly URLs
- How to write titles and descriptions
- Lots more
Let’s get started.
What is On-Page SEO?
Optimising web page content for search engines and visitors is known as on-page SEO (or “on-site SEO”). Title tags, content, internal links, and URLs are among the most common on-page SEO techniques.
On the other hand, Off-page SEO focuses on external factors to your website, such as backlinks.
Importance of On-page SEO
The question remains, “will traditional on-page SEO still be relevant?” The “How Search Works” study from Google indicates that even though Google is far more intelligent than it was back in the day, they still employ many old-school methods (like looking for a specific keyword on your page).
According to data, it wasn’t possible to establish a link between keyword-rich title tags and first-page Google search results. You’ll find that the top-ranking pages for nearly every competitive term include that precise keyword in their title tag.
Therefore: On-page SEO is more than just stuffing your HTML with keywords.
You must also optimise your content to rank in 2021:
- User satisfaction
- Dwell Time and Bounce Rate
- Intended Purpose
- The speed at which a page loads.
- Click-through-rate
Optimising Your Content For SEO
Now that you know why on-page SEO is still important, it’s time to start optimising your content. You will learn how to keyword-optimise every page of your website in this chapter.
“How do I employ keywords on my page?” then, keep on reading!
Use Your Target Keyword In The First 100 Words
It’s a tried-and-true on-page SEO strategy that continues to yield positive results even today. Your major keyword should appear at least once in the first 100-150 words of your post, and that’s all!
If you take my email marketing piece as an example, I included the keyword in the first sentence. Google gives keywords that appear at the top of your page a higher weight.
That’s a good point. Take the Keto Diet as an example: you’ve recently written an essay on the subject. Is it logical to use the word “keto diet” halfway down the page if your content is genuinely about the keto diet? Quality content also focuses on every H tag!
No, there isn’t. This is why you need to drop your keyword in the first 100 words or so of your article, if possible. One of those minor things helps Google understand what your page is about.
Wrap Your Blog Post Title in an H1 Tag
Your H1 tag is like your mini title; that’s why it is important. An H1 tag ” helps Google understand the structure of the page,” according to Google.
MOST PLATFORMS (INCLUDING WORDPRESS) AUTOMATICALLY ADD the H1 tag to your blog post title by most platforms (including WordPress). Assuming that is the case, everything is OK.
There are certain exceptions to that. Check your website’s code to see if your title has been encased in an H1 tag. In addition, the H1 tag contains your term.
Use H2 Tags for Subheadings. In at least one of your subheadings, include your desired keyword. In addition, use an H2 tag for that subheading.
Is your on-page SEO made or broken by the H2 tag? Nope. However, there is no harm in trying. H2 tags can help your search engine optimisation efforts, as I’ve discovered through my own tests.
Here’s an example of how to use this method (target keyword=” content marketing tools”):
Keyword Frequency
Simply put, Keyword Frequency refers to the number of instances of an individual keyword inside a piece of text. Google may refuse the benefit of repeating the same keyword phrase. However, seasoned SEOs will attest to the fact that it is effective.
Is there a page on your site that Google thinks is relevant to this particular keyword? However, that keyword is only used once on the website.
How sure can they be that the page is focused on that keyword?? Not at all. On the other hand, Google may be more certain of the page’s content if the keyword is used ten times across the page.
To be clear, this has nothing to do with keyword stuffing.
It’s just a simple way for Google to verify that your page is, in fact, about that subject. For example, one of our posts appears in Google’s top three results for “YouTube SEO”.
That 3,200-word post, how many times did I utilise the precise term “YouTube SEO”? No need to go over the top with this one. If you use your keyword a few times naturally, you’re fine.
Use External (Outbound) Links
External links assist Google to understand your page’s topic. Google sees your page as a resourceful center; this isn’t a theory. Reboot Online tested whether external links helped improve rankings.
They made ten new sites. Half of the authority sites are connected to (like Oxford University). The other half had none. Websites with external links outperformed those without.
Optimise Your URLs for SEO
On-page SEO ignores URL structure. Yes, Google started using odd URLs in search results a while back.
Even so, the terms in your URL appear here. Also, URLs are now above the title tag on mobile and desktop. So I’d argue your URL is now more vital than ever.
How to make your URLs SEO-friendly?
Reduce the length of your URLs and include a keyword wherever possible.
My link-building tutorial, for example, is heavily focused on the keyword “link building.” So I included it in the URL.
To be clear, this does not mean your keyword should be the only thing in your URL. Even if your URL contains a few more words, it’s absolutely acceptable to include your keyword after a subdirectory. To learn more about SEO, contact us!
Optimise title and Description Tags
This chapter will learn how to optimise your title and meta descriptions for search engine optimisation. In the eyes of Google, title tags are still a big factor in determining a site’s search engine ranks.
This holds true even while describing what you saw. Although Google may not use the description you provide to comprehend the content of your page, searchers do.
Then this chapter is for you if you’re looking to build SEO-friendly title tags and descriptions.
Front-load Your Title tag
The most crucial on-page SEO aspect, in my opinion, is your title tag. As a result, your title tag provides search engines with a high-level summary of what your page is all about.
The closer the term is to the beginning of the title tag, the more weight it has with search engines. Here’s an example of one of the many SEO tools I’ve put together.
You don’t have to put your keyword at the beginning of your title to be effective. This isn’t always a good idea. Even so, if your title tag contains a prominent place for your title, the more effective it is.
Use Title Tag Modifiers
You might aid ranking for long-tail variations of your target keyword by using modifiers such as “best”, “guide”, “checklist”, “quick” and “review.” There are two ways to describe Ahrefs alternatives: free and paid.
We may rank for long-tail variations of “best Ahrefs alternatives,” such as “best free Ahrefs alternatives” in this fashion—more forethought as possible. I added the “for SEO” title tag modifier to this list of keyword research tools.
As a result, when someone searches for “SEO keyword research tools,” my page will show up. Guess what, it was a success!
Use Unique, Keyword-Rich Meta Descriptions
It was recently suggested by Google’s Search Engine Optimisation Starter Guide that you create your meta descriptions. That’s because a well-written meta description can increase your organic CTR by making your results more noticeable.
Here is a description template that I use and recommend. In your description, be sure to use your keyword at least once. Google emphasises words relevant to the user’s search, so it would be helpful.
Again, this may result in a modest click-through rate (CTR) increase.
Generate SEO Content
It’s time to start publishing content that’s worthy of being ranked number one. Using keywords on your website is just the beginning of this process.
Content in 2021 must meet the following criteria to rank well:
- Unique
- Irreplaceable
- Optimise for search engine
Unique Content
The term “unique” encompasses a broader range of characteristics than simply avoiding plagiarism. Rather than posting more of the same, I’m referring to creating original content.
To put it another way, content that adds something fresh:
- A new strategy or tip
- A more comprehensive list of handpicked resources
- Excellent design and user experience
- A brand-new case study
- Step-by-step procedure streamlined
For example, the featured snippet for the keyword “SEO checklist” is this SEO checklist post. Is it because I’ve used my keyword a lot that I’m ranked so highly? That was unquestionably beneficial. When it comes to a highly competitive term like this, keywords alone aren’t sufficient.
Because my page is original, it ranks at the top of the list. Some of the advice and examples are universally applicable, but many more can be found solely in my essay.
Valuable Content
An excellent place to start is by publishing something original. We need more than that, though. In order for your material to be recognised, it must be incredibly valuable.
Here are a few ways that you can make your SEO content insanely valuable:
The following are a few ideas for enhancing the usefulness of your SEO content:
- Please provide the following additional information: With images, samples, and instructions, you can put your information into practice more easily.
- Your information will be more interesting if written clearly and concisely.
- New content: New approaches, steps, and examples can make a big difference.
- Educated writers: The majority of content is created by people who have never done what they’re advising you to do in real life. Almost usually, content published by an expert with first-hand knowledge is more valuable than the content provided by a freelancer.
The checklist is the most important part of my SEO checklist post. It begins with easy-to-understand material.
As you progress through it, it becomes increasingly difficult.
Content That Satisfies Search Intent
If you want to rank highly on Google, your page must provide exactly what a searcher is looking for. To avoid this, your page will most likely end up on the third page of search results.
Unfortunately, I had to learn this lesson the hard way. Recently, I produced a list of the best backlink analysers available. Backlink checker was the keyword I wanted to be at the top of search results for.
I decided to examine the SERPs for that term a few days after publishing that piece. On the first page of results, I found tools in abundance.
Backlink checkers accounted for a whopping ten out of ten of the results. On the first page, you could find not a single blog article. As a result, there was essentially no possibility that my content would appear on the first page of search results.
Luckily, I do rank for a long-tail keyword variation of that phrase (“best backlink checker”).
However, had I spent additional time analysing the Search Intent for that keyword, I would have concluded that my article had little chance of ranking for “backlink checker.”
Optimise for CTR
For two reasons, our organic click-through rate is critical:
- CTR is (presumably) a ranking component in Google.
- Improving your click-through rate can result in increased visitors to your site.
This article will show you five practical techniques to increase your organic CTR.
Use “Question Title Tags”
We evaluated 5 million Google search results in a few years ago to determine why certain pages receive more clicks than others.
And one of the most interesting discoveries was that title tags that include a question have a higher click-through rate than normal. Therefore, wherever possible, I recommend testing title tags containing a question.
For instance, the title tag of my nofollow links tutorial contains a question. That is because anyone searching for “nofollow link” is most likely curious as to what it implies.
And my title tag informs visitors that my site will provide them with what they seek. Indeed, that page has a click-through rate of 27% for the phrase “nofollow link.”
Fill In Missing Meta Descriptions
Your meta descriptions should be extremely convincing. However, you are not required to create an exceptional description on a consistent basis. Simply HAVING a meta description may be enough.
Indeed, we discovered that pages with a meta description received around 6% more clicks than pages without one. I recommend conducting an SEO assessment of your site in order to identify pages that lack a meta description. Then, for pages that require them, including descriptions.
Use Review or FAQ Schema
The Schema is not directly beneficial to your SEO. However, certain sorts of Schema can connect you to your Rich Snippets.
And Rich Snippets CAN assist you in increasing clicks. Two of the most effective forms of Schema for obtaining Rich Snippets are the following:
- Review Schema
- FAQ Schema
You can use the Structured Data Testing Tool to verify that your Schema is configured appropriately.
Add Some Emotion to Your Title Tags
Our CTR analysis discovered that emotional titles were clicked on 7 per cent more frequently than non-emotional titles. Additionally, we noticed that emotionally charged “Power Words” reduced the click-through rate by 13%.
Individuals are drawn to names that deliver an emotional hit to some extent. When a title goes too far, it appears to be clickbait. And they’ll click on a less spammy result.
Bottom Line: Infuse your title tags with emotion. However, avoid adjectives like “crazy” and “powerful,” which can give your headline the appearance of clickbait.
Add the Current Year to Title and Description
Here is an illustration of what I mean. Including the year in your title and description will not affect your click-through rate. However, in my experience, it does help-particularly for content that can soon go out of date.
For instance, someone searching for “Seneca philosophy” does not require a publication from last month. However, when a keyword such as “best smartphones” is used, readers want to be certain they’re about to read something current.
Additionally, include the year in your title and description that indicates that your content is current.
On-Page User Experience Signals
This chapter will demonstrate how to optimise your content for “UX Signals”. Is Google truly concerned with Dwell Time, Bounce Rate, and other indicators of user interaction?
Indeed, Google’s “How Search Works” page states that they “use aggregated and anonymised interaction data to determine whether search results are relevant to queries” in order to help them rank the best results.
Now it’s time to demonstrate how to keep Google searchers on your website with your content.
Push Content Above the Fold
People who arrive at your site via Google want an immediate response. This is why you should avoid graphics like the following in the content area above the fold:
As an alternative, make your headline and introduction the primary focus of your document.
Having an image at the top of your post is perfectly acceptable. But if it pushes your material to the bottom of the page, that’s a terrible thing..”
Chunk Your Content
In an ideal world, every word on your page would be read by visitors. It’s just that we don’t live in a perfect world. As a result, your information must be readable at a glance.
At Backlinko, I spent a lot of time on this. The H2 subheadings I use frequently. Images and bullets are included in this section.
Have an Active Community
It’s like having a Bounce Rate cheat code when you have a community on your blog.
After they’ve finished reading your piece, folks will have something to read in your comments section if it’s of excellent quality.
That’s because comments provide additional context for your post:
Bring fresh ideas and methods to the table:
If you want to keep your readers engaged, add a little bit of controversy to the mix.
Advanced On-Page SEO Tips
A list of my preferred on-page SEO methods is provided in this final chapter. The following suggestions will help you improve your on-page SEO once you’ve optimised the title and H1 tags for your page.
First things first, let’s get down to business.
Use Original images
Do you utilise stock photos in any of your materials? On the other hand, those stock images could be harming your search engine optimisation efforts.
A recent experiment by Shai Aharony looked at the impact of stock photos on Google’s search results ranks.
Here’s what happened: In order to conduct these experiments, Shai first constructed several new websites. It was the first time these domains were registered. On some of the sites, he used generic stock pictures. In addition to original photos, there are some.
In the end, it was evident that sites using original photographs had a leg up on those using stock images. Instead of using stock photographs that have been used on thousands of other websites, consider generating your own.
Backlinko does this function. These original photographs, at least according to this study, appear to be a factor in our rankings.
Internal Linking
An SEO strategy is important, which is why internal linking is a huge factor. As a rule of thumb, you want to link from authoritative pages on your site to pages that need it. Use keyword-rich anchor text when you do this. Here’s a case in point:
The following is the method I employ and recommend. The first step is to utilise an SEO tool like Ahrefs to identify the most authoritative pages on your site. Include some internal links to a high-value page on your site from these subpages.
For instance, I recently sought to raise our standings in our press release directory. So I put a link to that instruction from one of our most authoritative pages.
Write Comprehensive Content
Google wants to present its visitors with quality content that provides them with all of the information they need on a single page. To put it another way: full information.
Moreover, if your piece is comprehensive, it is more likely to be ranked. If you want to ensure that Google views your material as full, is one of the simplest ways to do so? Keywords that are related to each other.
Search engines employ LSI keywords, which are synonyms, to determine the relevance of a page. I don’t obsess on LSI keywords because I write a LOT of stuff.
When in doubt, run a Google search for your phrase and look at the “Searches Related to…” section at the bottom of that page to ensure you’re using LSI keywords.
Your message should include as many as you can that make sense.
Boost Your Page Speed
Google has publicly declared that page loading time is a ranking factor for search engine optimisation (SEO) (and they recently made PageSpeed even MORE important ).
You can speed up your site’s loading time by shifting to a quicker host, according to our survey of 5.2 million websites. As many third-party scripts as you can get rid of
Reducing the overall size of your page is also an option.
Image Optimisation
A descriptive filename and alt text should be included for every image on your website. Images can be better understood by Google (as well as visually challenged users) thanks to this.
Also, if it makes sense, create a single graphic that focuses on your goal keyword. Make sure the name of the file includes the keywords you want to use (for example, on-page-SEO-chart.png). And don’t forget to include the term in your image alt tags as well.
Additionally, search engines will have a better idea of the content of your page if your photographs have been optimised for SEO.
“Blue Widgets” and “Green Widgets” are two examples of images that Google uses to identify a page as being about widgets.
Rank Your Content In Featured Snippets
A Featured Snippet placement can have a massive impact on your CTR.
Only one problem: According to this research, you must already be on the first page of search results to be eligible for a Featured Snippet. In other words, you need to locate results on the first page that include a Featured Snippet AND that you are able to rank in.
Ahrefs, SEMrush, or other SEO software can be used to find them. Also, look for pages on your website that appear on the first page of Google’s search results.
Afterward, look for keywords that have already been designated as having a Featured Snippet in your search results. Then, for each of those keywords, have a peek at Google’s Featured Snippet.
Optimising your material for the Featured Snippet is also necessary. The “definition” featured snippet indicates that your material should include a brief definition of the term.
Make sure your page structure is consistent if you’re providing a list of instructions or suggestions.
Voice Search SEO
The use of voice search is increasing at an alarming rate. Moreover, what is the ideal strategy to make your material more searchable by voice?
Publish FAQs on your website. According to my research, Google likes to draw voice search results from FAQs.
Now I’d Like to Hear From You
I hope our updated on-page SEO guide was useful to you. Which one of the suggestions in this post is you most eager to put into practice?
If you want to learn more about on-page SEO, off-page SEO or everything about SEO, give us a call.
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