What Is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO (on-page search engine optimization) is the practice of optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. Search engines consider several ranking factors when determining the relevance and quality of a webpage for a specific search query. These ranking factors can be divided into content-related and HTML source code-related factors.
On-Page SEO Content-related Ranking Factors
Content-related ranking factors include the quality and relevance of the content on a webpage.
- Targeted and relevant keywords
- The content’s length and depth – is your content fresh and organic? Does it offer the reader anything? You must consider – why would someone spend their time on my website?
- The webpage’s overall user experience – Does your content explain what your company does or offers in words that the target visitor quickly and easily understands?
- Internal page linking strategy – all internal pages need to be linked together so that any authority one-page gains are shared across the site. This can be as simple as a full menu showing on every page or even just physical links on every single page pointing to the next.
- External links to other websites
- Multimedia elements such as images and videos should include ALT tags using keywords. These are there both for SEO purposes and so visually impaired persons can get an idea of what your image represents.
On-Page SEO HTML Source Code-related Ranking Factors
HTML source code-related ranking factors refer to the elements of a webpage that are not visible to users but are important for search engines to understand the context and relevancy of a webpage.
- These include the title tag and meta description, which search engines use to understand the topic and purpose of a webpage.
- Since Google cannot read images, make sure every image has “alt-text,” a description to Google that says what the image is about.
- The use of header tags (H1, H2, etc.) based on your target keywords.
- A sitemap is an important HTML source code-related ranking factor.
In addition to these on-page ranking factors, search engines consider off-page factors, such as the number and quality of external links pointing to a webpage, when determining its relevance and ranking in search results.
Domain Name
Don’t forget to analyze your domain name. Is it easy to remember? The most common domain name length based on registrations is about 12-13 characters and contains two words. It’s ideal not to exceed three words for simplicity’s sake.
By following best practices for on-page SEO, businesses can improve their search engine rankings and drive more qualified traffic to their website.
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Start With a Good Website SEO Plan
The best website starts by knowing what keywords and key phrases will be used and targeted, what the target market is – be it Raleigh or some other city/town, and what kind of visitors you ideally want to buy your product or service.
When we design a website, we focus on two things – 1) search engine optimization to rank in search results, and 2) conversion rate optimization – will the visitors take an action.
We spend time learning what your company offers so we can best market it for you. We spend time running the numbers for how many people are searching for your products and services in your area and exactly what terms are being used by your ideal audience.
The best way to lose rankings is simply not keeping up with what the search engines favor at the time.
We can’t guarantee any particular placement, but we can often rank a new site higher right off the bat than your existing site was ranking. In highly competitive markets/services, we can spend more time after a website launch to get our clients to the front page as quickly as possible using both on-page and off-page SEO techniques.
If you want to learn more about our overall SEO process, please check out our Search Engine Optimization website page.
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Supercharge Your Local SEO By Uncovering the Hidden Potential of Google Business Profile
CLICK HERE to download the Ebook now and learn how to start using all of the free Google techniques today! If your business needs help with social media or any other aspects of digital marketing, call us at (888)404-5850 or contact Edge Digital today. Edge Digital is excited to help you grow and improve your business!
Phillip Worrell, SEO Manager
You can have the best website out there, but if no one sees it, what good is it? Phillip is our go-to guy for getting our SEO clients’ websites seen by more potential customers. Phillip uses everything from link building & keywords to metadata and more to get results!