What is on-page SEO?
On-page SEO is the optimisation of website elements for search engines (SEO) with the aim of improving a URL's visibility in organic search results. Common examples of on-page SEO include producing content, writing title tags and creating internal links.
What is the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?
The difference between on-page SEO and off-page SEO lies in what is being optimised: we have compared them line by line, with the timings and priorities of each. While on-page optimisation happens on the site itself (for example, creating content for a website), off-page optimisation happens outside the site (for example, promoting content to publishers).
Why does on-page SEO matter?
On-page SEO matters for several reasons, including:
- Search engines: the algorithms behind search engines such as Google and Bing use on-site elements, such as title tags, meta descriptions and content, to understand content and organise it in search results.
- Users: website visitors also use on-page elements to understand content and interact with it. Like search engines, users look at title tags, meta descriptions and content to understand and interact with your site.
Learning how to do on-page SEO and optimise your site helps you to:
- Improve your rankings in search results
- Increase your organic traffic
- Build a relationship with your target audience.
If you run a business, these benefits can also help you get more enquiries and sales from your site.
What are the most important on-page SEO ranking factors?
The most important (or highest-impact) on-page SEO ranking factors are:
| Ranking factor | Why it is a ranking factor |
| Keyword targeting | Target keywords are the foundation of your ranking strategy. If you choose keywords that are not relevant to your site, you will struggle to appear in search results for them. |
| Keyword usage | Search engines such as Google use keywords to understand what a URL is about. Using relevant keywords throughout the page, and in prominent places, such as the title tag, helps signal the URL's relevance for specific search queries. |
| Title tag | The title tag can have a significant impact on your rankings from one day to the next. That is why you should write a title tag that uses the target keyword but also reflects search intent and stands out from the rest of the search results. |
| Content | There is too much content on the web to index and show: that is why search engines such as Google ask site owners to produce more helpful, original content, often including first-hand experience, expert quotes and other trust signals. |
| Internal links | Like the streets of a city, internal links help crawlers explore your site and understand its content, which is essential for better rankings. You can add internal links in the body text, in the navigation and footer menus and in other places too. |
| User experience | Poor usability, ranging from slow-loading pages to broken tools, can have a significant impact on rankings. That is because there is no benefit for Google, or for users, in visiting a URL with a poor experience. Testing URLs and monitoring user experience with heatmap tools can help. |
How to do on-page SEO
You now know what on-page SEO is and why it matters. Next comes how to put on-page SEO into practice on your website. Read on for an introductory guide with tips from our SEO checklist, plus resources to go deeper into each of these on-page optimisations, so you can handle DIY SEO yourself.
| On-page optimisation | Basic definition | Further reading |
| Domain name | Choose a concise domain name that fits your brand and has a trustworthy history. | Domain name guide |
| URL | Create a logical site structure and write URL slugs using the target keyword, with words separated by hyphens. | URL guide |
| Keyword research | Research potential keywords based on the site's target market and its pain points, interests and demographics. | Keyword research guide |
| Title tag | Write title tags that use the target keyword in 60 characters (or fewer) and fit the search results. | Title tag guide |
| Meta descriptions | Write meta descriptions that sum up the search intent in 150 characters (or fewer) and use the target keyword. | Meta description guide |
| Content | Create user-focused, SEO-friendly content that answers the search intent with original, useful resources. | Content guide |
| Keyword placement | Work target and related keywords into headings and body text without hurting readability. | Keyword density guide |
| Internal links | Add three to five internal links per page, and build navigation and footer menus that work for users and search engines. | Internal links guide |
| Images | Use charts, screenshots and stock images, and optimise them with descriptive file names and alt text. | Image guide |
| User experience | Optimise the website experience on every device and create a user-focused site design. | User experience guide |
| Page speed | Compress images, and reduce and slim down code with the help of a web developer to improve page speed. | Page speed guide |
Domain name
Definition: a domain name is your unique address on the internet, such as https://www.example.com, and it is shown in search results.
Why it matters for on-page SEO: domain names can affect the authority and trustworthiness of your site. A domain's history can also matter for SEO, because older domains may have more, and more authoritative, external backlinks than newer ones, which acts as a trust signal for search engines.
How to optimise
Here are some tips for optimising this on-site SEO element:
- Use a trusted top-level domain: users trust some top-level domains more than others, such as .com (or .co.uk for a UK business). That is why it is worth paying for a trusted top-level domain rather than a cheaper, less trusted one.
- Choose a branded domain: pick a domain that includes your brand rather than one built around the keyword you most want, such as "online algebra courses". Keyword-stuffed domain names can look spammy to users, and if that reduces trust it can lower your click-through rate.
- Check a domain's history: if you buy a domain name that has already been owned, look into its history. It is better to buy a trustworthy domain than one used for black-hat SEO practices, such as link farms. Use a domain lookup tool and a blacklist checker.
For more on domain names and this type of SEO, read our guide on how to choose a domain name for SEO.
URL
Definition: a URL is the unique address of a page on the internet, for example https://www.example.com/courses/basic-algebra, and it is shown in search results. A URL has five components:
- Protocol: https://
- Domain name: example
- Top-level domain: .com
- Subfolder: courses
- Slug: basic-algebra
Why it matters for on-page SEO: a URL gives search engines and users context about a page and its purpose. By optimising your URLs you can avoid URL problems that could hurt your site's rankings. On-page URL optimisation includes building a site structure and using the target keyword in the URL slug.
How to optimise
Here is how to optimise this on-site SEO element:
- Build a logical site architecture: your website's architecture is like a map, creating the site's neighbourhoods (folders) and streets (pages). Think about the long-term vision for your site when you define its architecture.
- Add the target keyword: optimise your URLs by including a page's target keyword in the slug. For example, if your target is "advanced algebra", consider "advanced-algebra" as the slug. The full URL might look like this: https://www.example.com/algebra/advanced-algebra.
- Use hyphens: Google recommends using hyphens rather than underscores in URLs, so follow this best practice. Use hyphens to separate words, as in "advanced-algebra", and make your URLs easier for search engines such as Google to read.
For more tips, see our guide on how to create SEO-friendly URLs.
Keyword research
Definition: a keyword is a word or phrase (called a search query) that people use to search online. Keyword research is the process of finding search queries that are relevant to the target audience and goals of the site, for example "online algebra courses for beginners" for a site focused on teaching algebra online.
Free keyword generator
Why it matters for on-page SEO: keywords help search engines understand a page and its purpose, which is essential for returning relevant search results. Users also look at keywords to judge how relevant a page is to their original search query. With keyword research, you can target the most relevant and profitable queries.
How to optimise
To get started with this on-page optimisation, follow these steps:
- Define your target audience: who is your website trying to reach? List your audience and its characteristics, such as location, age, profession and so on. Consider outlining their pain points too, so you can identify the most relevant topics for keywords.
- Brainstorm topic ideas: gather topic ideas based on what you know about your target audience. If you are not sure, explore online forums such as Reddit or Quora, talk to customer-facing teams such as sales or customer service, or use tools for finding blog post ideas.
- Check keyword metrics: next, use keyword research tools such as Keywords Everywhere, Ahrefs and Semrush to find the search volume and competition for these topics. Ideally, you want keywords with higher search volume and lower competition.
- Work out the search intent: look at the pages that rank best for the topics you have chosen, so you can understand the search intent. What are people trying to solve? And is that problem relevant to the purpose of your website and to your target audience? If not, cross that topic off your list.
- Select your keywords: after your research, you can select the topics to use as keywords. Once that is done, find three to five related keywords for each topic using a tool such as Keywords Everywhere, Ahrefs or Semrush.
To learn more about mastering this on-page SEO technique, see our guide to keyword research.
Title tag
Definition: a title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a page, for example:
<title>Algebra basics for beginners</title>This title is shown in search results.
Why it matters for on-page SEO: search engines and users use title tags to understand a page and its purpose. That is why title tags often contain a page's main keyword: it tells users and search engines that the page covers exactly that topic.
How to optimise
Here is how to optimise your title tag:
- Check the search results: go through the first page of search results for your target keyword. Look at what the title tags have in common, such as format, word choice, tone and length. You can decide on the best format and tone to use based on those similarities.
- Brainstorm ideas: spend 10 to 15 minutes (or more) coming up with several title tag ideas. Brainstorming at least 15 title tags will help bring out creative, original ideas. Remember to include the target keyword and keep the title tag to 60 characters or fewer.
- Choose a title tag: once you have brainstormed the options, you can pick a title tag. Again, look at the search results: you want a title tag that is in line with the pages in the SERP but also unique, and make sure it uses the target keyword and is no longer than 60 characters.
Find more title tag tips in our guide to title tags. Is Google ignoring your title tag or rewriting it? Try checking the character limit or optimising it to better match the search intent.
Meta descriptions
Definition: a meta description is an HTML element that contains a description of a page, for example:
<meta name="description" content="Learn algebra as a complete beginner!">This description is shown in search results below the title tag.
Why it matters for on-page SEO: like title tags, meta descriptions give search engines and users more context about a page. That is why meta descriptions include the page's target keyword and sum up its purpose, for example by telling readers how to do algebra if they are just starting out.
How to optimise
Here are some tips for writing meta descriptions optimised for on-site SEO:
- Look at the search results: analyse the meta descriptions in the search results for your target keyword. Meta descriptions often sum up or answer the search intent, and search engines often rewrite meta descriptions to do so.
- Brainstorm meta descriptions: start writing a few meta descriptions for your target keyword. Use the target keyword and keep the meta description to 150 characters or fewer. Remember to align your meta description with the search results, otherwise it will be rewritten.
- Choose a meta description: finally, review your draft meta descriptions and pick one. Before adding it, check it one last time to make sure it follows on-site SEO best practice for meta descriptions, such as using the target keyword.
For more advice on writing SEO-friendly meta descriptions, read our guide to meta descriptions.
Content
Definition: content means both the written and the visual content of a web page.
Insights from Google
"Any content, not just unhelpful content, on sites determined to have relatively high amounts of unhelpful content overall is less likely to perform well in Search, assuming there is other content elsewhere from the web that's better to display."
Google Search Central
Why it matters for on-page SEO: content is one of the most important on-page optimisations, because it is the answer to a user's search query and the text Google draws featured snippets from. That is why content often includes target keywords and a user-focused page structure.
How to optimise
How to optimise content on-page:
- Outline the search intent: great SEO content starts with understanding the search intent behind the target keyword. Look at the URLs in the top positions for your target keyword and use the structure of their content as inspiration for yours, while also looking for new ways to help users.
- Write the content: follow best practice, such as working the target keyword into headings (H1, H2, H3 and so on), focusing on the user's needs with useful, trustworthy advice and putting readability first with concise paragraphs, lists and headings.
- Improve the content: consider adding multimedia elements, such as videos, images and quizzes, to make your content more useful. Multimedia elements (such as callouts for an algebra formula) can make your content easier to read and skim.
- Check for grammar mistakes: does grammar matter in content marketing? Yes. Correct grammar is a trust signal for your audience. Make sure you edit your content and fix grammar mistakes before publishing.
- Publish the content: finally, publish your content. Note: you should edit and proofread it before this step. When you publish, remember to add the title tag and meta description and to preview how the content will look on your site.
Keyword placement
Definition: keyword placement is about the relevance, frequency and density of keywords in your content.
Insights from Google
"Our systems analyze the content to assess whether it contains information that might be relevant to what you are looking for. The most basic signal that information is relevant is when content contains the same keywords as your search query.
For example, with webpages, if those keywords appear on the page, or if they appear in the headings or body of the text, the information might be more relevant."
Google Search Central
Why it matters for on-page SEO: keyword placement shows search engines and users the relevance of your content for specific search queries. Getting keyword placement right is essential, because overdoing it (known as keyword stuffing) can harm on-page SEO.
How to optimise
Tips for this on-page SEO optimisation:
- Optimise your headings: content headings, such as H1, H2, H3 and so on, should use target or related keywords: the H1 should use the target keyword rather than a related one. Check the readability of your headings to make sure they give a good user experience.
- Focused introductions: use the target keyword within the first 100 words. This on-site SEO good practice reinforces for users and search engines that your content is about that target keyword. Again, make sure the keyword does not get in the way of readability.
- Include related keywords: include related keywords throughout your content, such as "algebra for beginners". Related keywords can appear in headings, paragraphs and other text elements such as bullet lists.
- Avoid keyword stuffing: over-optimising keyword placement leads to keyword stuffing, which hurts the readability of your content and the user experience. It is an outdated practice that lives on as a common SEO myth. Check your content for keyword stuffing and remove the excess keywords, so you can deliver useful, user-focused content.
Internal links
Definition: Internal links are links from one page on your site to another page on your site.
Why it matters for on-page SEO: internal links help search engines crawl and index your website, the first step towards appearing in search results. They also give search engines context about a page. Beyond search engines, users too rely on internal links to navigate your site.
How to optimise
Here are the basics of on-page SEO for internal links:
- Optimise navigation and footer links: from both a user and a search point of view, your most important pages should sit in the menus and/or the footer. That placement gives each of those pages a link from every other page on your site, which can improve its search performance.
- Add links in the text: contextual links, or links within the content, also matter for internal linking. Make a list of three to five reference pages (make sure they are relevant) for each URL and add an internal link.
- Use optimised anchor text: with optimised anchor text, you describe accurately where users (and search engines) will go when they follow the link. Usually this text includes the target keyword of the linked URL, such as "algebra basics", but it can vary.
For more on on-site SEO for internal links, read our guide to internal links.
Images
Definition: Images are media files that appear in your content.
Why it matters for on-page SEO: images improve the user experience by providing visuals that explain concepts and make content easier to read. With a better user experience, users are more likely to stay on your site instead of going back to the search results, which sends a positive signal to search engines.
How to optimise
Here is how to do on-page SEO for images:
- Use original images: while you can use stock images in your content, original images (such as a screenshot or a chart) can emphasise how unique and useful your content is. Gather these images and rename the files with descriptive names.
- Write alt text: alt text helps search engines and users "see" an image without actually seeing it. Alt text describes your images in a few words, such as "person writing an algebra formula" or "algebraic equation".
- Compress your images: compressing images supports another on-page optimisation, page speed. There are paid options, but you can also use free tools such as Squoosh and TinyPNG to get the same result.
User experience
Definition: user experience (UX) describes how usable your site is.
Insights from Google
"Google's core ranking systems look to reward content that provides a good page experience."
Google Search Central
Why it matters for on-page SEO: UX elements, from mobile optimisation to page design, encourage users to stay on your website instead of going back to the search results. That behaviour sends search engines a positive signal about your on-page SEO.
How to optimise
Here is how to get started with this on-page SEO technique:
- Optimise for every device: check that your site displays correctly on all devices, such as desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Beyond looking right, make sure it is also easy to use: clicking buttons, scrolling pages and so on.
- Improve content design: analyse visitor behaviour, along with readability best practice, to improve the design of your content. For example, is the contrast between the background and the font colour poor? Or is your table of contents hard to use?
- Use HTTPS: use HTTPS rather than HTTP to follow security best practice. Make sure you have an SSL certificate and follow Google's documentation to move your site from HTTP to HTTPS.
Get more tips on mastering this on-page optimisation with our guide to user experience optimisation for SEO.
Page speed
Definition: page speed describes how quickly your site becomes accessible and usable for visitors.
Why it matters for on-page SEO: a site that loads fast and responds quickly creates a better user experience, encouraging users to stay and interact with the site. Page load speed is also a confirmed ranking factor. Google, for example, introduced and uses Core Web Vitals.
How to optimise
Here is how to get started with this key on-site SEO step:
- Compress images: set up an ongoing process for compressing the images on your site. If you use a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress, you can install a reliable image compression plugin to automate this step.
- Minify code: work with a web developer to minify your code, such as JavaScript, CSS or HTML. There are free online tools that can help you get started, but we recommend working with your web development team to avoid breaking your site's functionality.
- Code optimisation: web developers can also optimise existing code by removing unnecessary code or simplifying existing settings. Again, it is best to work with your web developers on this on-page optimisation rather than trying to do it yourself.
Master the basics of on-page SEO with Visilay
You now know the essentials of on-page SEO, one of the SEO basics that will help you optimise your site. If you want to go further, consider taking some of the best SEO courses.
Ready to take your SEO to the next level? Get in touch to find out more about our on-page SEO services and how we can help you increase your website's visibility.
