On-page optimisation is the foundation of organic search engine visibility and long term website success.
Did you know that, according to Moz, on-page SEO signals contribute to over 70% of a website’s ranking on Google?
While this statistic may fluctuate over time depending on algorithm changes, there is no doubt that the content, code, and other elements businesses control on their own website carry significant weight for search engines.
When done correctly, on-page optimisation acts as a guide for both users and search engines.
It helps search engines understand what the page is about through elements like keywords, titles, headings, and related internal links.
It also enhances the user experience with well-structured, informative content that is optimised for readability and comprehension.
Preliminary results from Google have shown that pages that are highly optimised for users also tend to perform better in search.
This article will break down the different aspects of on-page optimisation and provide best practises for tackling each element.
From keyword research and content optimisation to technical elements like page speed, we will offer practical tips backed by data and research.
The goal is to help businesses of all sizes optimise their websites and web pages for discovery online through natural search results.
By focusing on quality content optimised for end users first and search engines second, any website can see improved rankings, traffic, and conversions over time.
Let’s start our journey towards search success by learning the fundamentals of on-page search engine optimisation.
The implementations you make today could pay dividends for your business’s discoverability, relevance, and authority for years to come.
We invite you to read on to gather strategies and insight that will elevate your website’s presence online through smarter on-page optimisation.
Table of Contents
What is On-Page Optimisation?
On-page optimisation involves strategically tweaking individual web pages to ensure they are easily discoverable by search engines and provide an engaging experience for users.
Done correctly, it helps websites achieve higher search rankings while satisfying visitor needs.
So in simple terms, what exactly is on-page optimisation? At its core, on-page optimisation refers to the practise of optimising individual web pages by analysing and addressing the various factors that search engines prioritise.
These include elements like page content, title tags, meta descriptions, heading usage, image optimisation, and more.
The goal is to present page information in a way that is easily understood by search engine algorithms to boost rankings and eventually drive more qualified traffic from organic searches.
On-page optimisation stands apart from off-page optimisation, which focuses more on external linking strategies to increase backlinks and domain authority.
Activities under off-page optimisation include guest blogging, social sharing, directory submissions, and link building outreach.
Technical SEO, on the other hand, centres around under-the-hood aspects like website speed, security, bug fixing, and server-side coding to improve core page functionality and accessibility.
While all three tactics – on-page, off-page and technical SEO – are collectively important, on-page remains the most foundational and directly influential area of focus that website owners can control themselves.
Getting on-page optimisation right forms the starting point for further SEO efforts and ensuring search engines can properly understand and index website content.
Some of the key on-page factors that search algorithms evaluate include page titles, meta descriptions, internal linking structure, keyword optimisation, multimedia incorporation, and compatibility across devices.
Getting these vital on-page elements correct as per the best practises can go a long way in boosting a website’s search visibility and drawing relevant traffic from free, organic listings.
The subsequent sections of this article will delve deeper into optimising individual on-page factors for maximum impact.
Content Optimisation - The Heart of SEO
Among all the on-page optimisation factors, content remains the single most important element that can either make or break a website’s search engine rankings and organic traffic.
In fact, the quality, readability, and relevance of the content are often weighed the heaviest by Google and other major search engines.
Ensuring your content marketing strategy is truly optimised is key to long-term SEO success.
Effective keyword research is the starting point for any content project.
Take the time to identify commercially relevant keywords and phrases related to your website’s topic and target audience.
Analyse keyword difficulty, search volume, and competition level using a free keyword tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs.
Select keywords that have decent monthly searches but are relatively easier to rank for in the early stages.
Including 2-3 long-tail or specific variants of your main target keywords per page is ideal.
Build content around the target keywords you have identified, but avoid keyword stuffing at all costs.
Write naturally for human readers while optimising the copy with the relevant keywords where appropriate.
Google’s algorithms have become too advanced to be fooled by unnatural inclusions of keywords.
The content should have a minimum length of 800 words for it to provide value to the readers and be considered worthwhile by search engines.
Focus on creating unique and engaging content that helps, educates or entertains website visitors instead of just readers.
Google gives precedence to pages with original content over copied or spun material.
Include relevant multimedia elements like images and videos to enhance the user experience.
With users on mobile commanding over 50% of all search traffic, optimise your articles by following best practises for mobile readers.
Keep paragraphs and sentences short, use ample headings and subheadings, and insert images/videos side-by-side text for easy consumption on smaller screens.
Employ responsive design across all devices for the best UX.
Regular content updates help keep your website fresh and maintain its search rankings over time.
Aim to publish at least one highly optimised new article per week.
Monitor performance and get feedback to refine your keywords, visuals, calls-to-action based approach to yield the maximum business results from every content investment.
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are like the main headlines and summaries of an article – they should entice users to click through and want to learn more.
Search engines also use these text elements on the SERPs to represent each page.
Getting them right is crucial for high click-through rates (CTRs) and search visibility.
The title tag appears as the main headline of a listing on the SERPs.
It must be unique, accurately depict the core topic of the page, and ideally be under 60 characters for optimal relevance.
Start with the primary keyword and include important descriptive details.
For example, a page about “SEO writing tips” can have the title “Top 25 SEO Writing Tips for Content Creators in 2024”.
The meta description, which often shows up underneath the title, allows searchers to scan the 150-160 character summary and determine if the page merits a visit.
Writers should compose compelling, value-driven descriptions mentioning the key benefits a user will obtain.
An enticing meta description for the above example could be “Learn 25 essential SEO writing tips from experts to boost traffic, rankings, and leads for your website and blog content in 2024 and beyond.”
Both title tags and meta descriptions must be optimised for the target keyword yet read naturally and provide value to human users.
Cookie-cutter templates with bland or vague messaging will likely be ignored.
Instead, take some time to draft several variations, testing different angles and keyword placements to identify the most impactful version.
Tools like Google Search Console can reveal which versions are engaging more searchers on the SERPs.
Combining relevance, usefulness, and readability, websites can significantly increase their click-through potential and move up in the search results for sought-after keywords and phrases over time through continual A/B testing and refinement of title tags and meta descriptions.
Regular updates and optimisations are also important as search algorithms and user behaviour evolve over time.
Your title and meta description may occasionally exceed the character limit.
While it won’t have a significant negative impact, it’s advisable to avoid such instances.
Some experts recommend including your brand name within the meta title; you can also follow this suggestion.
Include target keywords naturally, but do not stuff them unnaturally.
Stuffing keywords can send spammy signals to search engines.
It is best to write descriptively for users while optimising the on-page elements for search engines.
Headings and Subheadings
One of the easiest and most effective ways to structure content and draw attention is through the strategic use of headings and subheadings.
Headings and subheadings play an important role in optimising a website’s on-page SEO.
The H1, H2, H3 tags are commonly used heading tags that help delineate the structure and hierarchy of content on a webpage.
Headings not only guide users in a top-down manner through your content but also provide valuable signals to search engines regarding the relative importance and focus of different sections and paragraphs.
Search engines are able to understand the importance and interlinking of content topics based on the appropriate use of headings.
It is recommended to have only one H1 tag per page, which should clearly represent the main topic of that specific page.
H2 tags should be used for subsections and paragraphs within the main content. H3 tags can further break down subsections into detailed paragraphs.
The proper use of heading tags makes content scannable and easier for users to read and understand at a glance.
As mentioned earlier, search engines are able to extract keywords from heading tags to better understand the focus of the page.
Keywords or key phrases included in headings will match what a user is searching for.
Therefore, it is important to thoughtfully incorporate target keywords into heading tags.
However, avoid exact keyword matching or over-optimisation which can be seen as manipulating search rankings.
To summarise, the following are some best heading practises:
- Reserve H1 for the main topic of the page. Use only one H1 per page to help search engines and users determine what the page is all about.
- Use H2, H3 tags for subsections and paragraphs to divide your content into a logical flow.
- Don’t overstuff your headings with keywords. The content within the heading tags should make sense on its own for readers.
- Choose keywords that are relevant to the topic being discussed in each heading rather than loading unrelated words.
- Try naturally including target keywords you want to optimise for within headings, but not at the expense of readability or information scent.
- Maintain a clear hierarchy by not skipping heading levels (e.g. don’t go from H2 directly to H4.)
- Ensure all important sections and topics are covered with relevant heading tags to improve internal linking.
By following these best practises when using heading tags, you can see improvements in how your content is digested both by search engines and users.
Test different heading tag structures to identify what works best for boosting the usability and search performance of each page.
Proper Internal Linking
Internal linking refers to the strategic use of hyperlinks between pages within the same website.
It helps users seamlessly navigate through related content pages and enhances the browsing experience.
From a search engine optimisation perspective, proper internal linking passes valuable linkage signals that help search engines better understand how different pages are interconnected.
A well-planned internal linking strategy has significant SEO benefits.
While external links from other domains build authority and pass link equity, internal links allow you to spread this “link juice” throughout your own website.
Strategically linking relevant pages to each other helps search engines assess page importance within your domain topology.
For example, linking your blogroll or sitemap pages to the homepage tells search engines these are important directory-style pages.
Likewise, linking a product page back to the product category collection and main navigation boosts its perceived ranking potential within that topic cluster.
Rather than leaving high-value pages isolated, identify natural linking opportunities between related or complementary pages.
You can essentially “tag team” pages together in search engines’ eyes to increase overall website exposure.
Anchor text should clearly yet naturally convey page relevance when possible, rather than using generic labelling like “click here”.
While internal links certainly don’t directly impact external ranking factors, they allow you to better optimise how search engines distribute internal link equity and prioritise topical authority.
Strengthen hierarchical associations and create more chances for readers and search bots alike to discover all your website offerings.
Link judiciously rather than excessively to avoid dilution.
For context linking separate from the current page flow, clearly mark external links to avoid confusion.
Explain why visitors should access that outside information source for trust and transparency.
For example, linking out from a “Resources” page to reputable third-party sites on that topic.
Or linking to authoritative websites and partners from your blogs.
However, don’t overdo external links at the cost of internal linking opportunities.
Consider nofollow links for external marketing or affiliate promotions as per search quality guidelines.
Experiment with new or improved linking patterns and measure their impact through tools like Semrush or Ahrefs Site Audit.
Optimise connections based on engagement and ranking wins to continuously reinforce topically related widgets across your virtual real estate.
Proper internal structure through smart linking sets the stage for enhanced searchability and the user experience.
Images and Video Optimisation
Images and videos have the power to make content more visually engaging and enrich the user experience.
They also offer opportunities for search engines to better understand your website’s content.
Optimising your images and videos is therefore important from an SEO perspective.
According to WPromote, users absorb and retain information better when visuals are incorporated.
Videos, in particular, keep visitors engaged almost three times longer than text or images alone.
At the same time, search engines also utilise multimedia components to better understand the topics covered on a webpage.
Images are an integral part of any content marketing strategy.
Use relevant and meaningful images that help users understand complex topics with a glimpse and boost readership.
From an SEO standpoint, including relevant images on pages and optimising them correctly can aid discovery and rankings.
Proper image optimisation starts with choosing the right file formats.
Web-friendly types like JPG, PNG, and GIF are preferable over others in terms of page loading speed.
The size of image files also matters – heavier files will negatively impact page speeds.
Resizing large images and compressing them without loss of quality is advised.
Images weighing over 1MB should be resized and recompressed as JPEGs whenever possible.
Descriptive alt text provides context to images and helps them shed more light on the surrounding content for search engines as well.
Include your target keywords naturally in the alt text whenever applicable.
File names may also contain keywords, but avoid stuffing.
You can conduct image SEO further by including your target keyword phrases in the file name.
For example, for a page about “benefits of content marketing”, name relevant image files with keywords like “content marketing infographic” or “top content marketing tips”.
This passes relevancy signals to search engines.
Videos are very engaging visual content that users are willing to invest more time in.
They boost time spent on pages and support longer descriptive content.
From an SEO lens, optimise your videos by including targeted, branded titles and accurate descriptions with relevant tags.
To maximise discoverability, videos must be tagged comprehensively with relevant keywords in multiple metadata fields.
Technical aspects like optimised encoding, fast load times, and embeddability across devices also enhance the user experience.
Videos hosted natively instead of links to third-party sites generally perform better for SEO as well.
Videos in MP4 format tend to load faster.
Host videos on your own site or on user-friendly platforms like YouTube and Vimeo that don’t divert traffic.
Make sure to add closed captions for accessibility and repeat your keyword within the first 30 seconds of narration whenever possible.
Monitor the performance of videos to improve them over time.
Optimise images and videos for faster page speeds as well as for discoverability on search and social platforms.
Regular evaluation and optimisation of visual content as per evolving best practises ensures the long-term SEO success of your website.
Site Speed Optimisation
Site speed is one of the most crucial on-page SEO factors that search engines consider as an important ranking signal.
Google has stated on many occasions that site speed is a ranking factor, and it directly impacts the overall user experience on websites.
Users expect pages to load quickly, preferably within 2-3 seconds, otherwise, they may abandon the site in frustration.
Faster sites tend to see improved search performance and increased time-on-site, bounce rates and conversions.
Page load speed should be optimised for both desktop and mobile versions of the site.
As per Google, 50% of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices, so having an equally fast responsive experience is crucial for a good user experience and SEO rankings.
Pages loading slowly, especially on mobile, leads to bad UX and an increased bounce rate, which Google dislikes.
There are several steps businesses can take to improve their site speed:
- Minimise HTTP requests by reducing redirects and combining files like images, CSS and JavaScript where possible. This can significantly reduce the number of server round trips.
- Optimise images by compressing them without compromising quality too much. Images often account for the largest proportion of webpage file sizes.
- Leverage content delivery networks and image optimisers like TinyPNG, ImageOptim to serve compressed images in different sizes for different device widths.
- Implement gzip compression to reduce file sizes being transferred over HTTP.
- Enable browser caching for static files and leverage a CDN which will cache resources at the edge.
- Use a page speed optimisation tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify opportunities for minification, image optimisation, caching etc. It also provides scores.
- Host the website on a managed cloud hosting provider that optimises speed and performance.
- Load external plugins and stylesheets asynchronously or deferred, when possible.
- Employ responsive design techniques for optimal viewing across devices of different widths. Ensure smooth UX on all devices like Android, iOS etc.
By proactively measuring site speed with tools and optimising pages, businesses can boost user experience, reduce site bounce rates and improve their search ranking potential over the long run without breaking a sweat.
Ensure to regularly SEO audit pages and continuously enhance performance as per evolving best practises.
Mobile-friendliness
With more than half of all search traffic coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for optimising search engine ranking in 2024 and beyond.
According to Google, over 50% of searches are now made on smartphones, meaning pages need to load fast and function optimally across different mobile screen sizes to provide the best experience for users.
Google actively favours websites that are mobile-friendly in search results.
In fact, having a mobile-friendly site is considered a basic ranking factor, and pages that are slow or have usability issues on mobile may see their rankings suffer.
A non-responsive website can quickly lose visibility and traffic from search engines over time.
It is important to check if your website is mobile-friendly and responsive using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool or similar services.
This allows you to scan your site and identify any issues blocking users on portable devices.
Common causes of non-responsiveness include non-flexible layouts, small touch targets, and unnecessary or heavy page elements.
If fixes are needed, employ responsive web design techniques and methods like fluid grids, flexible images, and CSS media queries to adapt the viewport size.
The content structure and layout should reflow attractively across screens of varying widths, from mobile to tablet to desktop.
Resource-heavy elements that slow page loads on mobile networks need optimisation or deferred loading as well.
Additional optimisations for the mobile experience include simplifying menus for one-tap access, breaking content into scannable chunks, using larger click targets, and optimising page weight.
Always test pages on actual devices in addition to desktop responsive previews.
Consider technologies like progressive web apps for app-like experiences.
Consult Google’s responsive design guidelines for the best approaches across devices and platforms.
Mobile usability should also be prioritised when developing new website sections or pages going forward.
Ensuring an optimised mobile experience will future-proof your website’s search rankings as more users rely on smartphones and tablets.
Minor tweaks and regular testing can go a long way in boosting conversion rates and keeping your brand top-of-mind among on-the-go searchers.
Mobile responsiveness should be a continual evaluation point for any serious SEO or broader digital strategy.
Additional On-Page SEO Factors
While keywords, content, titles, and internal linking are core on-page optimisations, some other technical factors also play a role in search performance.
URL structures, schema markup, and structured data are important elements that search engines utilise to understand webpages better.
The structure and naming conventions used for URLs can either support or hinder SEO efforts.
Search engine crawling is more efficient when URLs are short, descriptive, static, and contain important keywords where possible.
They should also be structured logically to showcase a website’s information hierarchy.
Ensuring URL parameters, session IDs and unnecessary variables do not appear is advised.
Some best practises include using hyphens between keyword chunks instead of underscores, keeping URLs under 70 characters, and avoiding duplicate content issues with parameterised tracking codes.
Schema markup allows businesses to include structured data on their webpages to clearly convey the main focus and entity types contained in a standardised format.
This helps search engines recognise and display content types like products, reviews, recipes, or events more accurately in search results through metadata.
Key schema types for e-commerce include Product, AggregateRating and BreadcrumbList.
Microdata and JSON-LD are popular Schema markup syntaxes supported across Google, Bing and Yandex.
Including markup improves the chances of content being understood thoroughly by bots.
From a user experience perspective, structured data helps search engines enrich their display previews.
It does not directly impact rankings but aids in discovery and click-through rates.
On-page SEO also involves optimising non-content elements like page URLs, canonical tags, and HTTP headers.
The canonical meta tag prevents duplicate content issues by specifying the main URL version.
While less critical now, proper HTTP status codes ensure there are no indexing problems from temporary or permanent redirects.
Regular audits through tools like Screaming Frog and SEMrush can highlight additional technical issues to address, like invalid HTML, slow loading resources or broken links.
Continual evaluation and optimisation of all visible and hidden code aspects keep webpages functioning at their best for readers and bots alike.
Beyond specific technical optimisations, the overarching goal is to present high-quality content to users and encode it with structured signals that enable search engines to recognise topics accurately and showcase them prominently in results.
An audit approach to track key performance indicators helps keep optimisation practises updated with changing algorithms.
Best Practises for Implementing On-Page Optimisation
Now that we understand the various individual on-page optimisation factors, it’s time to discuss how to holistically implement them for complete website optimisation.
Following are the best practises:
- Conduct a thorough website audit to identify technical issues, and content gaps and optimise ability using tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush Site Audit. Set benchmarks to measure future improvements.
- Perform keyword research for target topics and map them to relevant existing and potential new pages. Distribute keywords appropriately across important content elements like headers, body text, image alt text, etc.
- Prioritise the creation of valuable, human-readable content optimised for the top 2-3 keywords. Google favours authentic content that educates and engages readers over commercial fluff.
- Optimise page titles, meta descriptions, header tags, and internal linking as per the best practises discussed in the article. Run A/B split tests and measure engagement and ranking changes for continuous refinement.
- Compress and optimise all images, CSS and JS files losslessly for faster page speeds. Leverage CDNs and edge caching where possible. Make sure sites are responsive across devices.
- Use an XML sitemap and Google Search Console to submit your pages and track progress over time. Submit to other directory sites.
- Add Schema markup (e.g., Product, FAQ, Breadcrumbs etc.) for recognised content types to help search engines understand pages better.
- Audit and update URLs to be descriptive, concise, and keyword-optimised without being unnaturally manipulated for rankings.
- Monitor implementation changes using the Google Search Console and GA. Be patient with results, as optimisations may take 4-6 months or longer to fully impact the rankings.
- Continually publish new, optimised content to keep the site fresh and dive deeper into topic areas. Outreach to link prospects respectfully.
- Stay updated with evolving best practises through resources like Moz, Ahrefs, SEMrush blogs to continue optimising over the long term for improved organic visibility.
- Continually update, refine, and test your on-page optimisation approach based on data from analytics tools. Measure success based on traffic, rankings, and business goals.
- If you are not an expert, hire an SEO expert consultant to audit pages quarterly, advise on technical enhancements, and help fine-tune your content/link-building strategy for maximum results.
- Stay up-to-date with Google algorithm changes and emerging best practises by regularly reading reputed industry blogs and case studies. On-page optimisation is an ongoing process for organic success.
Bonus Section - Latest Trends in On-Page SEO for 2024
As the world of search evolves rapidly, keeping up with the latest on-page SEO trends is crucial.
In this bonus section, we’ll explore some key changes and focus areas coming up in 2024.
Content consolidation will continue to be a major focus.
Google has stated its goal is to reward websites with consolidated, curated information by potentially ranking fewer pages higher.
Publishers must ensure their highest-value pages have all the essential details users need without referral links.
Voice search is gaining traction. By 2024, 50% of all searches are predicted to be done by speaking to voice assistants.
Enhancing content with features like semantic understanding, structured data, and optimised audio/video will be important to maintain relevance in voice results.
More AI-generated content will surface. While human-created, expert-written articles tend to perform best, AI may augment certain types of routine pages.
Staying aware of copyright and transparency guidelines around AI generation will be essential to avoid issues.
Personalisation will increase. Search engines will leverage user data like location, past behaviour, and device IDs to tailor more customised results for individuals.
Ensuring content addresses diverse audience demographics and interests will help reach new searchers.
Local SEO factors will matter more. Given the rise of mobile and voice, location-based elements will gain prominence.
Proper local business citations, speed for local users, and geo-targeted content may influence rankings for “near me” queries.
Video and visual content will be key drivers. Google has said visual elements carry over 5x more weight today compared to 10 years ago.
Incorporating more videos, images, and interactive media will boost engagement and help pages stand out in 2024.
As algorithms progress rapidly, remaining vigilant about new advances and continuously optimising websites will be paramount.
2024 will undoubtedly bring exciting new challenges for SEOs, but also opportunities for growth.
Adaptability will be crucial for organic success in the coming year and beyond.
Conclusion
On-page optimisation forms the backbone of any successful SEO strategy.
As we’ve discussed throughout this article, the various elements websites can control directly, such as content, titles, headings, image optimisation and site speed, play a significant role in search engine visibility and the overall user experience.
Getting these factors right should be the priority for any business aiming to boost organic rankings and local traffic.
While on-page SEO requires thorough evaluation and consistent effort over the long run, the rewards can be highly valuable for driving qualified leads and sales.
By focusing on creating rich, human-friendly content optimised for readers first and targeting the right keywords, websites can gradually increase their search authority while satisfying user intent at the same time.
Regular optimisation of technical aspects also ensures pages load at optimal speeds across all devices to positively impact the user experience.
Implementation of SEO best practises may not yield immediate gains, but with patience and continuous refinement based on data, the efforts are sure to pay off.
Tools like Google Search Console and SEMrush provide invaluable insights into keyword opportunities, technical issues and ongoing performance for targeted improvement.
Above all, publishers should aim to genuinely meet the information needs of their target audience to gain the trust and loyalty of both users and algorithms over the long haul.
While external linking and technical factors also play a role, on-page optimisation remains the most influential asset under the control of website owners.
By auditing pages, adding structured schema data wherever applicable, and evaluating keywords, titles, and internal linking based on changing user behaviour, digital marketers can help their listings rank for increasingly competitive commercial phrases.
On-page SEO is a journey, not a destination, but addressing it properly through well-researched best practises sets the stage for powerful organic growth over the years.
Prioritising on-page optimisation through high-quality, richly optimised content and user-centric design lays the most important foundation for sustained SEO success.
Those who make such optimisation a continuous improvement process will see the most impactful results.
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