On-Page SEO: This one is good!

On-page SEO (also known as on-site SEO) is the practice of optimizing elements on your website, both the content and the HTML source code of a page – to improve search engine rankings and drive organic traffic​ moz.com. Unlike off-page SEO which focuses on external signals like backlinks and social media, on-page SEO is fully under your control and centers on what’s on your pages (e.g. text, keywords, images, meta tags) ​semrush.com. When done right, on-page optimization makes it easy for search engines to understand your content and provides a better experience for users. In essence, good on-page SEO helps search engines understand what a human visitor would see on your page and the value they’d get, so that the most relevant, high-quality pages rank at the top​ moz.com.

Why does on-page SEO matter? Search engines have become incredibly sophisticated, but they still rely on cues from your page content and structure to determine what your page is about and how it satisfies user queries. Optimizing on-page elements helps ensure your page is relevant to the search intent behind target keywords, which improves your chances of ranking. It also directly impacts whether users click on your result – for example, a well-written title and description can significantly boost your click-through rate from the SERP​ ahrefs.com​ahrefs.com. Ultimately, on-page SEO is about making your webpages as helpful and user-friendly as possible, which aligns with Google’s emphasis on “people-first content”​semrush.com. Google’s own starter guide states that creating compelling, useful content will influence your site’s presence in search results more than any other SEO tactic​ developers.google.com. By focusing on on-page best practices, you not only please the algorithms but also keep readers engaged, a win-win for SEO performance.

On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO (Quick Overview)

 On-page SEO vs. Off-page SEO, On-page factors are those you can control on your own site (site content, keywords, HTML elements, user experience, etc.), while off-page factors involve external signals such as backlinks, social media, and PR that happen outside your site​ semrush.com.

It’s helpful to understand the distinction between on-page and off-page SEO. On-page SEO involves any optimization done directly on your webpages or site, things like crafting quality content, refining keywords, improving HTML tags, internal linking, etc. Off-page SEO, on the other hand, involves efforts outside your site to boost its authority and visibility (for example, earning backlinks from other websites, social media marketing, brand mentions, etc.)​ semrush.com. Both are crucial to a well-rounded SEO strategy, but they tackle different facets of ranking. The key advantage of on-page SEO is control: you can directly adjust your page content and code. By contrast, off-page signals like who links to you are influenced indirectly.

Think of it this way: on-page SEO makes sure your own house is in order, your pages clearly communicate their topic and value, while off-page SEO is about reputation and authority in the broader web. A page optimized for on-page factors sets a strong foundation so that any off-page gains (like quality links) will have maximum impact. It’s wise to start with solid on-page optimization before heavily investing in off-page, since even powerful backlinks won’t help a page that search engines can’t understand or deem low-quality.

Next, we’ll dive into a comprehensive set of on-page SEO best practices. These tips will cover how to create content that search engines and users love, how to tweak your HTML elements for SEO, and how to improve user experience signals, all grounded in the latest guidelines and research. Let’s get started!

High-Quality, Intent-Focused Content

At the core of on-page SEO is content. Content quality and relevance can make or break your optimization efforts. You want to create content that is deeply valuable to your target audience. This means it should directly address the intent behind the search queries you’re targeting, be thoroughly informative, and be well-organized and readable. In fact, Google advises that “creating content that people find compelling and useful” is the single most important thing you can do, more impactful than any technical tweaks​ developers.google.com. High-quality pages are rewarded with higher rankings because they best satisfy users.

Here are key attributes of content that is optimized for on-page SEO success:

• Matches Search Intent: Before writing, consider why someone is searching your keyword. Are they looking for an answer to a question, a how-to guide, a product to buy? Shape your content to fulfill that intent comprehensively. For example, a user searching “how to brew espresso” expects step-by-step instructions – so your page should deliver a complete guide on brewing espresso. Google aims to rank pages that exactly meet the searcher’s needs. Ensuring your content type and angle align with the query intent is crucial​ semrush.com​ahrefs.com.
• Comprehensive and In-Depth: Cover all relevant subtopics and questions related to your keyword. Content that is more thorough than competitors’ tends to perform better. Analyze the top-ranking pages for your target term and identify any content gaps, points or subtopics they cover that your draft does not​ahrefs.com. By filling those gaps and adding more depth, you make your page the definitive resource. This not only improves relevance in Google’s eyes but also makes your content more useful for readers. (Tip: Use the “People also ask” suggestions or tools like Ahrefs Content Gap or SEMrush’s Topic Research to find ideas that you might have missed.)
• Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust (E-E-A-T): Demonstrate credibility in your content. Google’s quality rater guidelines encourage showing “experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness”, especially on topics that affect people’s money or life (YMYL topics)​ahrefs.com. To boost E-E-A-T on-page, you can include author bios highlighting credentials, cite reputable sources or external research, and even add original insights or case studies. If appropriate, mention your personal experience with the topic. For example, an article about medical advice should ideally be written or reviewed by a medical professional (or at least include expert quotes)​ahrefs.com. Content that clearly comes from a knowledgeable and trustworthy source is more likely to be favored by search engines (and users).
• Original and Unique: Ensure your content brings something new to the table. Don’t just copy or rehash what’s already online​ developers.google.com. Use your own voice, add unique examples, or share new data. Not only does duplicate content risk confusing search engines, but users won’t find any reason to prefer your page if it’s a carbon copy of others. Uniqueness can mean a fresh perspective, up-to-date information that competitors lack, or simply clearer explanations.
• Well-Written and Readable: Write in a natural, human-friendly way. Content should be easy to read and understand, this means using clear language, short paragraphs, and proper grammar/spelling​. Break up long blocks of text into sections with descriptive subheadings so readers (and Google) can quickly scan the page structure. Use formatting like bullet points or numbered lists to present steps or lists (just like this list!). A readable page keeps visitors engaged longer, which can send positive user engagement signals.
• Up-to-Date and Accurate: Refresh your content periodically so it stays current. Outdated information can harm your credibility and rankings, especially in fast-changing fields. Search engines favor content that is fresh and relevant. If facts or recommendations in your article become obsolete, update them. Maintaining updated content is an often-overlooked on-page SEO tactic that can significantly boost your rankings over time. (For example, adding 2024–2025 updates to a guide originally written in 2020 can make it more relevant and likely to rank today.)
• Multimedia and Visuals: Enrich your content with images, videos, infographics, or diagrams when appropriate. Multimedia not only makes your page more engaging but can also help explain concepts better, improving user satisfaction. Moreover, images on your page can potentially rank in Google Images, providing another avenue for traffic​ ahrefs.com. Just ensure any visuals you include are relevant and high-quality. A tutorial, for instance, might include photos for each step; a statistical piece might include charts. These elements enhance the user experience, which is ultimately the goal of on-page SEO.

In short, content is king in on-page SEO. By publishing helpful, high-quality content that fully addresses the user’s needs, you create a strong foundation. You’re essentially telling Google, “This page is the best answer for this topic.” As a bonus, great content naturally attracts backlinks over time, which further boosts SEO (though that crosses into off-page benefits). Before worrying about any HTML tweaks, make sure your content itself is top-notch.

Strategic Keyword Research & Usage

Even the best content needs to be relevant to specific search queries. This is where keyword optimization comes in. Keyword research and on-page keyword usage remain fundamental parts of SEO, though the approach today is more about natural optimization rather than cramming a keyword everywhere. Here’s how to handle keywords in on-page SEO:

• Do Keyword Research to Guide Content: Use SEO tools or Google’s own suggestions to find out what phrases your target audience is searching. Look for a primary keyword (the main topic of your page) as well as related keywords and long-tail variations. For example, if you run a digital marketing blog, a primary keyword might be “on-page SEO techniques,” while related terms could include “on-page SEO checklist,” “optimize title tags,” “SEO content tips,” etc. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz’s Keyword Explorer can show search volume and give ideas​ moz.com. Long-tail keywords (longer, more specific phrases) often have lower search volume but also lower competition, making them easier to rank for​ semrush.com. Don’t shy away from these, incorporating a few long-tails can help you capture niche searches and signal topical relevance.
• Map Keywords to Search Intent: As mentioned in the content section, ensure the keywords you target align with what the user expects. If a keyword has ambiguous intent, you may need to pick a specific angle or create separate pages. For instance, the query “apple” could mean the fruit or the company, completely different intent. The context of other words or the dominance of certain results on Google (try searching yourself) will tell you what most searchers want. Choose keywords that match the purpose of your content.
• Include Keywords in Key On-Page Locations: Once you have your target keywords, you want to sprinkle them (and close variations) in the most important parts of your page. Specifically, make sure your primary keyword appears in:
  • The title tag of the page (and ideally close to the beginning of the title, if it reads naturally, more on title optimization below).
  • The URL (if feasible and short).
  • The H1 heading on the page (often this is similar or identical to the title tag).
  • The first paragraph or introduction. Getting the keyword in early can reassure readers they’re in the right place, and it helps search engines confirm the page topic​ backlinko.com​backlinko.com.
  • At least a couple of the subheadings (H2/H3) where relevant​ semrush.com.
  • Throughout the body text, where it fits naturally.

Placing keywords in these high-attention areas signals clearly what your page is about​semrush.com. Google does parse your headings and early sentences as hints to the page’s content. That said, always avoid keyword stuffing. Keyword usage should feel organic; forcing the exact phrase in every other sentence will degrade the quality and could even hurt rankings if the page seems spammy. As a rule of thumb, use exact match keywords where they make sense, but also use variations and synonyms to keep the copy natural.

• Use Synonyms and Related Terms: Google’s algorithms have evolved to understand topics more broadly. You don’t need to repeat the exact same keyword ad nauseam. In fact, using synonyms and semantically related terms (sometimes referred to as LSI keywords) can be beneficial​ backlinko.com​. These are words or phrases closely tied to your main topic. For example, for “on-page SEO,” related terms might include “content optimization,” “meta tags,” “keyword placement,” “internal linking,” etc. Including such terms enriches your content and helps search engines see the thematic relevance of your page​. It can also help you capture searches for those variations. A Backlinko checklist suggests replacing repetitive exact keywords with synonyms to avoid a spammy feel​. Google’s own advice is to write naturally for your readers, their systems will understand your page even if you don’t use the exact keyword every time​.
• Optimize for Primary and Secondary Keywords: It often makes sense to target a cluster of related keywords with one page. Your primary keyword should be the main focus, but secondary keywords (variations or related subtopics) can each be addressed in your content as well, perhaps as sections or FAQs. For instance, if your page is about “on-page SEO,” you might naturally also rank for “on-site SEO” (synonym) or “HTML SEO tips” or “optimize meta tags” if your content covers those. Use your judgment, the page should stay focused, but a bit of breadth can go a long way. Just ensure all the keywords in a cluster share the same general intent (if not, they might need separate pages).
• Focus on Topics, Not Just Keywords: A modern approach to on-page SEO is thinking in terms of topics and entities. Keywords are a tool to understand what users want, but ultimately you should aim to cover the topic in full. Search engines now use natural language processing to gauge content relevance beyond simple keyword matching. So ask yourself: does my page fully answer questions someone with this search might have? Am I providing value beyond just repeating the query? If yes, you’re likely hitting the right notes. Tools that analyze “content score” or compare your coverage to competitors (like content optimization tools) can help identify if you missed any key topic elements (for example, a guide about “SEO” might need to mention Google algorithms, backlinks, content, technical SEO, etc., to be seen as comprehensive).

Actionable tip: After writing your content, do a quick scan, is your primary keyword present in the title, URL, H1, intro, and a few times in the body? If not, edit those in where appropriate. Also scan for any opportunity to swap a generic word for a relevant synonym or add a naturally fitting phrase related to your topic. This can often be done without changing the meaning for readers, but it adds SEO value.

Remember, the goal is to make it abundantly clear what your page is about, both to readers and to search engines, without detracting from the reading experience. Thoughtful keyword optimization achieves this balance.

SEO-Friendly Title Tags

Your title tag is one of the most critical on-page SEO elements. The title tag is the HTML <title> element that specifies the title of your page, it’s what typically appears as the clickable headline in Google’s search results (the blue link for a result) and also as the tab title in browsers. An effective title tag can greatly influence whether someone clicks through to your site, and it also carries significant weight for SEO.

 Example of a title tag (highlighted in purple) as shown in Google search results. The title tag is the clickable headline that searchers see, so crafting a compelling and relevant title is crucial for on-page SEO.

When optimizing title tags, keep these best practices in mind:

• Include Your Target Keyword: Make sure your primary keyword (or a close variant) is present in the title tag, preferably towards the beginning if you can do so naturally. Search engines pay close attention to the words in your title, and having the keyword up front can ever-so-slightly improve relevance. For example, a page targeting “on-page SEO techniques” might have a title like “On-Page SEO Techniques: 10 Tips for Higher Rankings”. This immediately signals relevancy. (However, avoid just listing keywords – the title still needs to read like a real headline, not a string of search terms.)
• Keep It Descriptive and Accurate: The title should accurately reflect the content of the page​ moz.com. Avoid “clickbait” or misleading titles, if users click expecting one thing and get another, they’ll bounce, which isn’t good for SEO or conversions. Summarize the main topic or benefit of the page in a concise way. Think about what the user is really looking for, and indicate that your page provides it.
• Make It Compelling: Write your title tag with humans in mind. In the search results, the title is your first (and sometimes only) chance to grab attention. Use power words or an interesting hook that encourages clicks. For instance, “Ultimate On-Page SEO Guide for 2025 – 15 Essential Techniques” is more compelling than “On-Page SEO Guide 2025” alone. The former promises a comprehensive, up-to-date guide and includes a number which often attracts the eye.
• Keep It Concise (Around 50-60 Characters): There’s no hard character limit (Google measures in pixels), but generally titles longer than ~60 characters may get truncated in search results. Aim for roughly 50–60 characters so the full title displays on most devices. If it’s longer, ensure the important parts (keyword, hook) are towards the front, in case the end gets cut off.
• Add Modifiers if Appropriate: Adding title tag modifiers can help your title stand out and also capture long-tail searches. Modifiers are extra words like “best”, “guide”, “checklist”, “2025”, “how to”, etc., that give context. For example, “On-Page SEO Techniques” vs “15 Best On-Page SEO Techniques (2025 Guide)” – the latter has modifiers (“15”, “Best”, “2025 Guide”) that might catch people looking for updated info or list-style posts. Don’t go overboard, but one or two modifiers can make the title more enticing.
• Unique for Every Page: Each page on your site should have its own unique title tag. This helps search engines understand that each page has distinct content, and avoids them seeing duplicates as possible “copies”. If multiple pages have the exact same title, it can confuse search engines and dilute your relevance. So, even if some pages are similar, craft distinct titles that highlight what’s unique about each.

An optimized title tag can directly increase your click-through rate (CTR) from search results​ ahrefs.com. Even if you rank #5, a catchy, relevant title can sometimes pull in more clicks than a boring title at #4 or #3. And there’s evidence that higher CTR can feed back into better rankings over time (Google may interpret it as your result being a good match). So put effort into your titles, they are small but mighty elements of on-page SEO.

Example: Instead of a dull title like “On Page SEO Tips”, a better title could be “On-Page SEO Tips: 10 Ways to Boost Your Search Rankings”. The latter includes the keyword (“On-Page SEO Tips”), a number, and an appealing promise of “boosting your search rankings,” which tells the reader what’s in it for them.

Meta Descriptions that Drive Clicks

The meta description is the snippet of text (HTML <meta name=”description”> tag) that provides a brief summary of a page’s content. While Google doesn’t always use your meta description verbatim in search results (and meta descriptions themselves are not a direct ranking factor ​ahrefs.com), writing a good one is still very important. A compelling meta description can improve your CTR from the search results, which means more traffic. Think of it as a mini advertisement for the page.

Best practices for meta descriptions:

• Length and Format: Aim for about 150–160 characters. Anything longer may be truncated with an ellipsis. Make those ~2 sentences count. It should be human-readable, not a list of keywords.
• Summarize the Content: Give a concise, accurate summary of what the page is about​ moz.com. If the page is a guide or list, mention what it covers. The user should get a clear idea of the page’s value proposition from the meta description. For example: “Learn how to optimize your website content with these 15 on-page SEO techniques. This guide covers keyword placement, title tags, meta descriptions, page speed, and more to improve your Google rankings.” This description tells exactly what to expect.
• Include the Target Keyword (Naturally): It can help to include your primary keyword or a close variant in the meta description. If the user’s search query matches text in your meta description, Google will bold those terms in the snippet, which can draw attention. Additionally, it reassures searchers that your page is directly relevant to what they searched. Just work it in where it makes sense – e.g., “…15 on-page SEO techniques…” contains the keyword “on-page SEO”.
• Make it Compelling: Just like the title, the description should be written to entice the click. Highlight a benefit or answer that the user is seeking. Using a call-to-action or indicating a solution can help. For instance, phrases like “Learn how to…”, “Find out…”, “Discover…”, “In this comprehensive guide…” set an expectation of value. If space permits, you could include something like “Updated for 2025” or “step-by-step” if that’s a selling point. Ensure it reads as a coherent, appealing sentence (or two).
• Avoid Duplicate Meta Descriptions: Each page should have its own unique meta description. If multiple pages share the same or very similar descriptions, it can reduce the snippet’s effectiveness. Tailor the description to the specific content of each page.
• Don’t Keyword Stuff or Deceive: Avoid just cramming keywords or writing something unrelated in hopes of baiting clicks. Google might ignore a spammy meta description anyway and auto-generate one from page content. And even if a misleading description gets the click, it will likely result in a quick bounce – not good for user signals.

While meta descriptions might not improve your ranking position directly, they are essential for earning the click once you do rank. Think of ranking as only half the battle; getting the user to choose your result over the others is the other half. In competitive searches, a well-crafted description can be the tie-breaker. For intermediate SEOs, remember to audit your site for missing or subpar meta descriptions – it’s a quick win to update them. Tools like Google Search Console or SEO crawlers can show you which pages have empty meta descriptions so you can fix them.

Heading Tags and Content Structure

Using heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your content is important for both SEO and user experience. Heading tags are like the outline of your page – they break content into sections and sub-sections. Proper use of headings makes your content easier to read and skim for visitors, and it helps search engine crawlers understand the hierarchy of information on the page​ahrefs.com.

Here’s how to optimize your headings and overall content structure:

• Use One H1 for the Main Title: The H1 heading is usually the title of your content (often mirroring the title tag). Ensure you have a single H1 that defines what the page is about – this is typically at the top of your content. Include your primary keyword or topic in this H1 for relevance. Most CMSs (like WordPress) will automatically wrap your post/page title in an H1. Double-check your theme to be sure it isn’t using multiple H1s (which is not ideal).
• Organize with H2s, H3s (Subheadings): Divide your content into logical sections and use H2 tags for the main section titles. Under each H2 section, you can further break it down with H3 tags for sub-points, and so on (you rarely need to go below H3 or H4 in most content). For example, this article might use an H2 for each major on-page SEO factor, and within the “Content” section, use H3s for subtopics like E-E-A-T or content freshness. This nested structure creates clarity. Search engines use headings to get a quick grasp of the topics covered on the page​ ahrefs.com, and users benefit by being able to jump to sections of interest.
• Include Keywords in Headings (Where Relevant): If a section of your content naturally aligns with a related keyword, include that term in the subheading. For instance, an H2 titled “Optimize Title Tags for SEO” in this article clearly indicates that the section is about title tag optimization (and contains the keyword “title tags”). Google scans headings to understand content context ​semrush.com, so descriptive headings are beneficial. That said, only put keywords in headings if it makes sense – headings first and foremost should describe the section’s content. Avoid writing awkward headers just to squeeze in a keyword.
• Make Headings Descriptive: Instead of vague section titles, be specific. For example, “Improving Page Speed” is more informative than “Faster Website”. Think of headings as signposts for someone scanning the page. Many readers will scroll and read all your H2s to decide if they want to delve deeper. Clear headings improve user engagement by helping people find what they need quickly.
• Use Bullet Points and Numbered Lists: This is part of content structure too – not everything should be a wall of text. When you have a list of tips, steps, or examples (like we do throughout this guide), use the proper list format. Numbered lists can indicate a step-by-step process, while bullet points work well for collections of ideas or recommendations. Lists are inherently easier to digest, and search engines sometimes feature them (for example, in a “featured snippet” list). A well-structured list can even have a chance to appear as a snippet for queries like “steps to do X”. It’s also great for readers because it calls out key points.
• Use Formatting for Emphasis: Within your content, use bold or italics sparingly to highlight key terms or important lines (as long as it’s not overdone or manipulative). For instance, if there’s a golden rule, you might bold it to ensure it stands out. This can improve user experience by drawing attention, and if the bolded text includes keywords, it could (in a minor way) emphasize those to crawlers. But clarity for the reader is the main reason.
• Maintain Logical Flow: Ensure that your content flows in a logical order. Perhaps you start broad (definition of on-page SEO) and then go into specific factors, then advanced tips, then conclusion. Within each section, the points should follow a sensible sequence (e.g., don’t jump randomly between unrelated subtopics). A coherent structure helps readers follow along and absorb information more easily – and a well-understood page is more likely to satisfy their query, which is ultimately what Google wants.
• Enhance Readability: We touched on readability earlier, but it bears repeating in terms of structure: keep paragraphs short (a few sentences each) and focused on one idea. Large paragraphs can overwhelm readers, especially on mobile screens. Many successful SEO content pieces use one or two-sentence paragraphs frequently. While that style is subjective, the key is to avoid intimidating walls of text. Also consider font and text size (mostly a design/CSS concern, but important for UX). Mobile-friendliness in structure – meaning text that’s easily readable on a phone without zooming is crucial (more on mobile later).

Well-structured content with appropriate headings not only helps SEO but can also win featured snippets. For example, if you have a section titled “How to Optimize Images for SEO” followed by a clear list of steps under it, Google may grab that as a snippet for a query like “how to optimize images for SEO”. Always ask: could someone get the gist of my page just by reading the headings and highlighted bits? If yes, you’ve likely nailed the structure.

URL Structure and Site Navigation

The URL of your page is another on-page element that communicates context to search engines and users. A clean, keyword-rich URL can improve your click-through rate and makes it easier for Google to parse what the page is about​ backlinko.com. Additionally, how you structure URLs across your site (the site architecture) affects crawlability and user navigation.

Optimize individual page URLs:

• Keep URLs Short and Descriptive: In general, shorter URLs are preferable. They are easier to read, copy, and paste, and they tend to perform better. In fact, an industry study of 11.8 million Google search results found that shorter URLs correlate with higher rankings on average. This doesn’t mean you should chop every URL to a single word, but avoid unnecessary length. For example, yourwebsite.com/on-page-seo-guideis better than yourwebsite.com/2025/08/15/blog/seo/20-tips-for-on-page-optimization (overly long and contains redundant folders).
• Include the Main Keyword: If possible, put your primary keyword (or a concise version of it) in the URL slug​. This makes the URL itself a signal of relevance. A user seeing the URL can also tell what the page is about, which is good for usability. For instance, if the keyword is “title tag optimization”, a URL like /title-tag-optimization is clear and contains the keyword. However, avoid keyword repetition or stuffing in URLs; it should be one occurrence of the core term or a short phrase.
• Use Hyphens as Separators: If your URL has multiple words, separate them with hyphens (-). Search engines interpret hyphens as word separators. Avoid using underscores or spaces (spaces will get encoded as “%20” which is ugly). For example, on-page-seo is the proper format, rather than onpageseo (hard to read) or on_page_seo (not standard).
• Avoid Superfluous Parameters: Unless absolutely needed (for filtering or tracking), try to serve a clean URL without query parameters (?id=123 etc.) for your main content pages. Static, human-readable URLs are preferred for SEO. If your CMS adds a lot of gibberish or numbers, see if you can enable URL rewriting or “pretty URLs” to eliminate those.
• Lowercase URLs: Always use lowercase letters in URLs. Mixed or uppercase letters can lead to duplicate content issues on some servers (since some systems treat Page.html and page.html as different). Keeping them lowercase is a standard convention.

Site structure and internal URLs:

• Organize Content in Logical Directories: If you have a large site, group related content under directory folders. For example, site.com/blog/… for blog posts, site.com/products/… for product pages, etc. This hierarchy shows relationship and can pass context. Google can also infer sections of your site and crawl accordingly (as noted in Google’s documentation, using directories to group topics can help them understand site structure)​. Don’t go overboard with many nested subfolders though; keep the structure as deep as needed but as shallow as possible.
• Use Breadcrumbs and Navigation Links: Implement breadcrumb navigation on your pages if it fits your site. Breadcrumbs (e.g., Home > Blog > SEO > On-Page SEO Guide) not only help users know where they are, but Google sometimes uses them in search result snippets. They also reinforce the site hierarchy. Ensure your main menu and internal linking (discussed next) make it easy to reach important pages in few clicks.
• Avoid Duplicate Content URLs: Make sure each content piece primarily lives at one URL. If the same or similar content is accessible at multiple URLs (e.g., with and without a slash, or HTTP vs HTTPS, or printer-friendly versions), implement proper canonical tags or redirects to consolidate them​developers.google.com​. Duplicate content can dilute your on-page SEO efforts because link signals and relevance might get split between duplicates. A canonical URL tells search engines which one is the “main” version. However, small duplicates (like a page accessible via two categories) typically won’t incur a penalty; it’s often handled by Google, but better to be safe with canonicals.
• Use HTTPS: This is not exactly URL text, but the protocol – ensure your site is on HTTPS (secure). Google gives a ranking preference to HTTPS and labels non-HTTPS sites as “not secure” in browsers, which can hurt user trust. HTTPS is a baseline now for all sites, and it’s considered part of on-page/technical SEO (security as a page experience signal) ​ahrefs.com.

In summary, a good URL is like a good book title, succinct, relevant, and unique. It should communicate the page topic and fit into a sensible structure within your site. Both users and search engines appreciate clarity here: a user might decide to click (or not) partly based on the URL showing under the title in Google (a messy URL can deter clicks), and search engines get another clue to your page’s focus.

Internal Linking and Anchor Text

Internal links are hyperlinks that point from one page on your website to another page on the same website. They are a powerful on-page SEO tool to guide both users and search engine crawlers through your content. By strategically interlinking your pages, you can pass “SEO value” (like PageRank) to important pages, help Google discover new or deeper pages, and improve user engagement by suggesting relevant further reading.

Here’s how to optimize your internal linking:

• Link to Relevant Pages: Whenever you mention a topic that you have another page about, consider linking to it. For example, in an article about on-page SEO, if you reference “technical SEO” in passing and you have a detailed technical SEO guide, link the text “technical SEO” to that guide. This is useful for readers who want to explore that subtopic, and it signals to Google that the target page is about [technical SEO] since you linked those words. Ensure the linked page truly adds value for someone reading the current page; internal linking should be a service to the reader, not just for SEO.
• Use Descriptive Anchor Text: The anchor text is the clickable text of a link. Write anchor text that clearly indicates what the target page is about​developers.google.com. Avoid generic anchors like “click here” or “read more”, they’re a missed opportunity. Instead of “We have a guide on this topic here,” link the actual topic phrase like “our technical SEO guide explains this”. Descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text helps search engines understand the context of the destination page​backlinko.com​backlinko.com. It also sets expectations for users (they know what they’ll get if they click). That said, keep it natural and relevant; don’t force exact-match anchors excessively or in irrelevant places.
• Don’t Overdo It: Quality over quantity. A few well-placed internal links are far better than dozens of random ones. You don’t want to distract or overwhelm the reader with too many links. Also, too many links can dilute the value passed to each. There’s no strict rule, but as a guideline, if every other sentence has a link, you likely have too many. Contextual in-text links are the most valuable. You can also use in-content “See also: [Page]” or navigational sections like “Related articles” if it fits your site’s style.
• Link to New Content from High-Authority Pages: When you publish a new page, try to find a spot on some of your existing well-ranking or high-authority pages to add a link to the new page (if relevant). This gives the new content an initial boost of link equity and helps Google find it faster. For instance, if you have a cornerstone article about SEO that ranks well, and you just wrote a new piece on “Core Web Vitals”, edit the SEO article to mention CWV and link to the new piece. As an SEO checklist suggests, whenever you publish new content, link to it from 2-5 other pages on your site​ backlinko.com.
• Consider Site-Wide Navigational Links: Besides in-text links, your site’s navigation, footer, or sidebar links are also internal links. Make sure your top pages are linked in your main menu or appropriate sidebar categories. This ensures those pages get crawled often and share in link authority. However, avoid having every page link to every other page (common in poorly structured footer, that’s not useful. Keep navigation focused and organized.
• Check for Orphan Pages: An “orphan” page is one that isn’t linked from anywhere on your site, making it hard for users and Google to find. Use an SEO audit tool or a crawl to identify any important pages that lack internal links pointing to them. Then incorporate them into your internal linking strategy (e.g., link from a related page or add to a resource list).
• Maintain a Shallow Click Depth: Important content should be reachable in as few clicks from the homepage as possible. If a page is buried 5 clicks deep through a chain of links, it’s less likely to be crawled regularly and may be seen as less important. Use internal links to surface valuable content higher up the chain (e.g., link a deep article from a more popular hub page).

Internal linking, when done right, has multiple benefits. It increases the average time users spend on your site (by guiding them to other relevant content), it distributes ranking power throughout your pages, and it helps search engines index your pages efficiently. Moz notes that internal links help crawlers navigate your site and understand content hierarchy​ moz.com, which improves indexation. Google itself says that links (in general) are how they discover most new content on the web​developers.google.com, and this applies internally too. So, link thoughtfully and you’ll be rewarded with better visibility and a stronger site structure.

External Links to Authoritative Resources

Linking out to other websites (external linking) is an often debated aspect of on-page SEO. Some early SEO myths suggested that linking out could “leak PageRank” or hurt your own rankings, but in reality, external links to relevant, authoritative sources can be beneficial for your content’s credibility and user experience​. Google’s own Search Central guidelines encourage linking to other sites when it makes sense for your users​ developers.google.com.

Why and how to use external links:

• Support Your Claims and Provide References: If you mention a statistic, study, or fact, it’s good practice to link to the source (unless it’s common knowledge). This not only bolsters the trustworthiness of your content (readers appreciate seeing the source), but it also aligns with E-A-T principles by showing you’ve done research. For example, linking to a Google developer document when you say “Google recommends people-first content” backs up your statement (as we’ve done in this article)​ semrush.com. Similarly, linking to a famous industry study when citing a data point (like the short URL study earlier​ backlinko.com) validates your content.
• Link to Reputable Sites: Choose authoritative websites for external linking, think industry leaders, official sites (.edu, .gov for certain info), well-known publications, research journals, etc. These links can indirectly signal to Google that you are creating well-cited content (though not a direct ranking factor, it’s hinted that a well-referenced article might be seen as higher quality). Additionally, users benefit by being able to follow the link for more detail or verification, which improves their experience on your page.
• Relevant Anchor Text: As with internal links, use descriptive anchor text for external links. For example, “Google’s SEO starter guide​developers.google.com” is better than “Google says this here​developers.google.com”. This tells the user what they’ll see if they click, and contextually it helps that site’s SEO (a minor generosity). But importantly, it just reads better.
• Moderation is Key: You don’t need to link every other word to Wikipedia. Too many external links can distract readers or send them away prematurely. Use them where it adds value – for clarifying a term, backing a claim, or suggesting further reading on a subtopic you won’t cover. If you fear users leaving, set external links to open in a new tab (target=”_blank”), though that’s a bit of personal preference.
• External Links and SEO Impact: As noted, linking out isn’t a direct boost to your rankings, but it can contribute to indirect benefits. Well-placed external links can make your content seem more trustworthy (in the eyes of users and possibly quality raters). Backlinko points out that external links show Google that your content is well-referenced and trustworthy, providing a better user experience​backlinko.com​backlinko.com. There is even an older correlation study that pages with outbound links to high authority sites tended to rank higher, but correlation is not causation. At the very least, external linking does not hurt as long as you’re linking to legitimate resources. It’s part of the natural web ecosystem to have outbound links.
• Use Nofollow/UGC/Sponsored when Appropriate: In cases where you don’t want to vouch for a link (e.g., user-generated links in comments, or paid/sponsored links), use the rel=”nofollow” or appropriate rel attribute to tell Google not to count it as an editorial vote. For your main content though, if you’re deliberately linking a source, you can leave it as a normal followed link.
• Avoid Linking to Low-Quality Sites: One caveat – don’t link to spammy or untrustworthy sites, as that could reflect poorly on your page. If you must reference something on a not-so-great site, consider citing it without a hyperlink or use nofollow. But generally, stick to linking respected sources.

In essence, external links are like outgoing citations in a research paper. They show you’ve done homework and help situate your content in the larger knowledge web. Both Moz and Google emphasize providing external links to authoritative sources when it enhances the user experience​. So don’t be afraid to link out, just do it thoughtfully. Your page visitors will trust your content more, and a trusted page is one that search engines are more likely to rank.

Image Optimization for SEO

Images play a significant role in on-page SEO, not only for making your content more engaging but also for accessibility and for driving traffic via image search. Optimizing images properly can improve your page’s load speed and help search engines understand your content better. Plus, as a bonus, well-optimized images can rank in Google Images and potentially bring in additional visitors.

Key aspects of image optimization:

• Use Relevant Images: First and foremost, choose images that add value and relate to your content. An informative diagram, a screenshot example, or an illustrative photo can reinforce your point. Avoid purely decorative images that don’t add context (they can still be used for aesthetic, but focus your optimization efforts on images that matter).
• Optimize Image File Size (Compression): Large, uncompressed images can slow down your page significantly, hurting user experience and SEO (page speed is a ranking factor). Always compress images before uploading. There are many tools (like ShortPixel, TinyPNG, etc.) that reduce file size without noticeable loss of quality​ ahrefs.com. For example, a 2MB photo might be reduced to 200KB with minimal visual difference – that’s a big win for load time. Use the appropriate format as well (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics, SVG for vector illustrations, WebP for a modern, efficient all-around format).
• Descriptive File Names: Name your image files something meaningful before uploading, rather than a random string of characters​. For instance, on-page-seo-checklist.png is better than IMG00123.png. The file name can give search engines a clue about the image content. Keep it concise and relevant to what’s in the image. Use hyphens to separate words. It’s a minor factor, but every bit helps (and it’s good organization practice).
• Write Descriptive Alt Text: The alt attribute of an <img> tag is crucial. Alt text provides a text alternative for the image, which is used by screen readers (for visually impaired users) and displayed if the image fails to load. It also serves as additional context for search engine crawlers about what the image depicts​ahrefs.com. A good alt text describes the image in a brief phrase or sentence. For example: <img src=”on-page-seo-chart.png” alt=”Chart showing on-page SEO factors by importance”>. This not only improves accessibility (important for usability and per Google’s advice) but also can help the image rank for related searches. Google does consider alt text when indexing images.
• Captions (if appropriate): Captions (the text immediately below images) are one of the most read parts of content, according to some studies. If an image needs additional context, a caption can be useful for users. It may not directly affect SEO much, but anything that keeps users engaged (reading captions) is positive. Just make sure the caption is relevant and not just stuffing keywords.
• Responsive Images (Srcset): This is a more technical aspect, using srcset and appropriate image sizes to ensure the correct size image is served on mobile vs desktop. This can improve load times on smaller devices. Ensure your site either uses responsive image markup or that your images aren’t excessively large for mobile screens.
• Image Structured Data (optional): If relevant, you can use schema markup like ImageObject to provide additional meta-data about your images. This is more on the technical SEO side and usually not needed unless images are a main focus (like product images for e-commerce, which might use structured data for product schema).
• Lazy Loading: For pages with many images, using lazy-loading (not loading images until they’re needed/visible) can speed up initial load. Many modern platforms have this built-in. It doesn’t directly improve SEO except via performance, but it’s good practice.
• Context Around Images: Include images near relevant text and possibly mention the subject of the image in the text. Google often uses the surrounding text to understand an image’s content as well. For example, if you have a photo of an optimized webpage layout, talk about on-page layout in the text around it.
• Leverage Image Search Traffic: Optimize images with the mindset that they could appear in Google Image search results. That means the file name, alt text, and surrounding content all paint a clear picture of what the image is. Someone might find your site through an image result (e.g., searching for “on-page SEO infographic” might show an image that, when clicked, leads them to your page). If your content is good, that image click could turn into a site visit.

To illustrate the importance: imagine you have an e-commerce site with product images, or a blog post with infographics. If those images are not optimized (huge files, no alt text), you lose out on both speed and potential image SEO. Conversely, optimized images can make your page faster and more discoverable. Google explicitly notes that it uses alt text as a ranking factor for images​, and that descriptive filenames can give clues about the subject matter​. So, taking a few minutes to properly prep each image is definitely worth it.

In sum: choose great images, compress them, name them well, and describe them for accessibility. Your page will load quicker and communicate better with both users and search engines.

Page Experience: Speed, Mobile-Friendliness & UX Signals

In recent years, Google has increasingly emphasized page experience as part of SEO. While content relevance is king, the experience users have on your page is a strong supporting factor. If two pages both have great content, the one that provides a faster, smoother, more user-friendly experience may outrank the other. Several on-page/technical elements contribute to this:

• Core Web Vitals (Site Speed & Stability): Core Web Vitals (CWV) are a set of performance metrics Google considers important, including Largest Contentful Paint (loading speed), First Input Delay (interactivity), and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability)​. In plain terms, your page should load quickly, respond quickly to user actions, and not have annoying layout shifts (e.g., images or ads popping in and pushing content as the user tries to click). Optimizing for speed may involve compressing images (as discussed), minifying CSS/JS files, using fast hosting, and possibly implementing caching or CDNs. For many site owners, using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse can reveal specific suggestions. Fast pages not only rank better (Google uses CWV as a ranking signal), but also keep users from bouncing out of frustration.
• Mobile-Friendliness (Responsive Design): With Google’s mobile-first indexing, the mobile version of your site is the primary one considered for rankings​ahrefs.com. Thus, on-page SEO must include ensuring your pages work well on mobile devices. This means a responsive design that adapts to various screen sizes, legible text without zooming, buttons/links that are easily tappable, and no horizontal scrolling. Test your pages with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool. If elements are cut off or awkward on mobile, fix those in your CSS/layout. A mobile-friendly page is essential, as a large portion of searches occur on mobile.
• HTTPS and Security: Serving your site over HTTPS (SSL) is part of a good user experience – users’ connections are secure and data protected. Google has confirmed HTTPS as a lightweight ranking factor (security is one of the “page experience signals”). So make sure your on-page content is delivered via HTTPS. Avoid mixed content (secure page but loading some insecure scripts/images) as that can trigger browser warnings.
• No Intrusive Interstitials/Pop-ups: Google specifically calls out that pages should avoid intrusive interstitials, e.g., those full-screen pop-up ads or banners that cover content, especially on mobile​. If an interstitial appears right after clicking a search result and obstructs the main content, that’s a poor experience. Things like cookie notices are fine (often legally required), but try to be user-friendly about any modals. If you need to use a popup (say, for newsletter sign-up), consider timing it or styling it in a way that’s easy to dismiss, and maybe exclude it for traffic coming from search.
• User Engagement Signals: While not 100% confirmed how they factor in, things like bounce rate, dwell time,and pogo-sticking (bouncing back to search) are often thought of as indicators of user satisfaction. If users consistently bounce off your page quickly to click another result, it might signal your page didn’t meet their needs. By improving on-page elements like content quality, readability, and overall UX design, you can keep visitors around longer. Engaged users are a sign of effective on-page SEO. Some of this is indirect, for example, a very slow site or a non-mobile-friendly layout will cause people to leave, so those technical fixes improve engagement.
• Ad Experience: If you run ads, ensure they don’t interfere excessively with the content. Ads that push content below the fold or that are stuck in between every paragraph can be off-putting. Google’s page layout algorithm (earlier update) targeted sites with too many ads at the top. So balance monetization with usability.
• Visual Design & Readability: This goes beyond pure SEO, but a clean design, pleasant visuals, and logical content layout contribute to a better experience. Use ample white space, an easy-to-read font, and contrasting colors for text vs background. While Google might not “rank” you for a pretty site, good design can improve conversion rates and user trust.
• Interactive Elements: Ensure any on-page interactive elements (forms, menus, etc.) work correctly. A broken contact form or a malfunctioning navigation menu is a bad UX. Also, excessive use of heavy scripts (like too many animations) can slow down the page.
• Monitoring & Fixing Issues: Regularly monitor your site’s Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console (it provides a report for CWV issues on your URLs) and fix any flagged issues. Likewise, check the Mobile Usability report in Search Console for any pages with mobile problems. These tools directly inform you of on-page experience issues that could affect SEO.

Google groups a lot of this under “Page Experience” and indeed has made a point that these factors, while generally not as critical as content relevance, do serve as tiebreakers and can impact ranking if your site is notably poor in these areas​. Moreover, providing a good experience is just good business, SEO isn’t just about getting traffic, it’s about satisfying users so they stay, convert, or come back.

From an on-page SEO perspective, you should consider page experience optimizations as part of your checklist. They may require help from a developer if you’re not technical, but even content creators should be aware (e.g., compress your images, don’t paste huge tracking scripts needlessly, etc.). A fast, mobile-friendly page with great content is the ideal combination.

Advanced On-Page SEO: Schema Markup & Featured Snippets

Once you’ve covered the basics, content, keywords, tags, links, UX, there are a couple of advanced on-page techniques worth exploring: Schema structured data and featured snippet optimization. These don’t apply to every site or page, but can provide an edge in search appearance when used wisely.

1. Schema Markup for Rich Results:

Schema markup is code (often in JSON-LD format) that you add to your pages to help search engines understand the content and context better. By providing this structured data, you make your page eligible for rich results (also known as rich snippets), those enhanced listings in Google that show extra information like star ratings, recipe times, FAQs, event details, etc. For example, a recipe page with proper schema might show calories, cooking time, and a photo right in the search result.

Implementing schema can indirectly improve SEO by making your listing more attractive, thus boosting CTR. Some common schema types:

• Articles/BlogPosting: Can enhance appearance (e.g., showing publish date, author).
• Recipes: Show image, ratings, cook time, etc.
• Products: Show price, availability, ratings.
• FAQ: Can add expandable Q&A under your listing if you implement FAQ schema for a list of questions and answers on your page.
• How-To: Can show step-by-step instructions in SERPs for how-to guides.
• Local Business, Events, Videos, Reviews, and many more types.

If your site content fits a schema type, adding it is worthwhile. For instance, an e-commerce product page should absolutely have Product schema; a blog post might include Article schema plus maybe FAQ schema if you have a FAQ section in the post.

Google’s Search Gallery documentation lists what rich results are possible. Not every schema guarantees a rich snippet (and not every search shows rich results), but if you’re eligible and your competitors are not using it, you could stand out.

From an on-page perspective, adding schema doesn’t change what users see on the page (it’s in the HTML source), but it’s an optimization for search engines. There are plugins and tools (for WordPress, etc.) that can help generate schema, or you can manually script it. Always test your structured data with Google’s Rich Results Test to ensure it’s error-free.

Benefit: Pages with rich results often have higher CTR than plain results, and they can even occupy more screen real estate. For example, a FAQ-rich result expands and pushes others down. This can indirectly help your SEO by driving more traffic. Google has stated that structured data helps their systems better understand your content and can enable special search result features​ searchengineland.com.

2. Optimizing for Featured Snippets:

Featured snippets are those answer boxes that appear at the very top of Google’s organic results (often called “Position Zero”). Getting a featured snippet can be a huge traffic win, as your content is highlighted directly on the SERP. These typically appear for questions or informational queries (who, what, how, why, etc.), showing a snippet of text (or list or table) from a page that Google feels best answers the query.

To increase your chances of capturing a featured snippet:

• Target Likely Snippet Queries: Identify questions in your niche that have featured snippets (you can tell because Google shows an answer box). This can be done by searching your keyword and seeing if a snippet appears, or using tools that list snippet opportunities.
• Format Your Answer: Depending on snippet type, format accordingly:
  • Paragraph snippets: Provide a concise definition or answer (maybe 2-3 sentences) to the question in a single paragraph. E.g., start a section with “What is X? X is …” and answer clearly ​ahrefs.com.
  • List snippets: If the query is “steps to do X” or “top 10 Y”, a list is likely. Use a numbered list for steps or bullets for an unranked list.
  • Table snippets: For data comparisons or schedules, a table might be best.
• Be Succinct and Objective: Snippet answers should be to-the-point and factual. Aim for answers around 40-60 words (Google often takes a snippet around that length). Avoid fluff and avoid first-person language if possible​ (keep it neutral and authoritative).
• Use a Proper Heading: The question or keyword should be in a heading just above your snippet answer. For example, an H2 saying “What is On-Page SEO?” followed immediately by a concise answer. This helps Google locate the answer easily.
• Include the Query Terms: Make sure the snippet text includes the key terms of the question (rephrased in the answer). If the question is “How to do a site audit?”, your answer should say “To do a site audit, you should…”.
• Provide Comprehensive Content Around It: Often, Google prefers to snippet from pages that broadly cover the topic well (because it trusts that page). So you still need the rest of your content to be high-quality. The snippet just zeroes in on one part.
• Use Supporting Markup (Optional): You can wrap definitions in <dl> (description lists) or use specific structured data like FAQPage or HowTo schema which sometimes directly result in featured snippet-like displays (e.g., how-to rich snippets). But even plain well-formatted HTML can get featured.

There’s no guarantee to win a featured snippet. It often involves some trial and error and monitoring. If you see a competitor’s page holding a snippet, analyze how they format their answer and consider doing it even better. One trick: if a snippet currently pulls from a competitor’s list of 8 items, try making a list of 10 on your page, sometimes Google might prefer more comprehensive lists.

Note: Sometimes getting the featured snippet might reduce your regular listing’s visibility (since Google might not show your result again below), and there’s debate about whether snippets always drive traffic (since users might get the answer without clicking). But in many cases, snippets do lead to clicks, especially if the query needs more than a two-sentence answer.

For an intermediate SEO, featured snippets and schema are the kinds of optimizations to think about once foundational on-page SEO is in place. They represent the next level: not just ranking, but standing out in the SERP.

Iterate and Continuously Improve

On-page SEO is not a one-and-done task, but an ongoing process. The best practices we covered, from creating excellent content, to fine-tuning keywords and tags, to enhancing user experience, should be revisited periodically as your site grows and as search engine algorithms evolve.

Keep these final tips in mind as you work on on-page optimization:

• Monitor Performance: Use tools like Google Search Console and analytics to see how your pages are performing. Which keywords are they ranking for? What’s the CTR? If you notice a page isn’t getting the clicks it should even when it ranks, maybe the title/meta could be improved. If it’s slipping in rankings, perhaps competitors updated their content, time to audit your page.
• Update Content Regularly: Content can go stale. Every so often, refresh your pages with new information, updated examples, or the latest best practices. Google favors fresh, up-to-date content for many queries​. As Ahrefs has noted, even simple updates or a complete rewrite of underperforming content can lead to significant traffic boosts over time​ So don’t be afraid to revamp older pages, it’s often quicker than writing new ones and can reclaim ranking positions you lost.
• A/B Test Critical Elements: For pages where SEO traffic is crucial (like key landing pages), consider A/B testing different title tags or meta descriptions to see which yields better CTR. Be cautious to run tests long enough and not harm rankings, but small tweaks (wording, using a number vs not, etc.) can sometimes lift performance.
• Stay Informed: SEO guidelines change. For instance, what if Google announces a new on-page factor or gives more weight to a certain element (like Core Web Vitals became important in 2021)? By keeping up with SEO news, via sites like Search Engine Land, the Google Search Central blog, etc, you can anticipate and adapt to changes. The core principles of on-page SEO (relevance and quality) remain steady, but nuances can shift.
• Holistic Approach: On-page SEO works best in tandem with good technical SEO (so search engines can crawl your site efficiently) and off-page SEO (building authority via backlinks). If you’ve perfected on-page for all your content, consider focusing on technical improvements or content promotion to get those high-quality backlinks, which in turn will further boost your on-page-optimized content.
• User Feedback: Sometimes the best insights come from real users. Watch how users interact with your page (using tools like Hotjar or session recordings, if appropriate). If they seem to scroll past certain content or get stuck, refine your page layout or content to better serve them. High engagement and satisfaction is the goal of on-page SEO, after all.
• Patience and Consistency: SEO results don’t always happen overnight. You might implement changes and see the impact in a few weeks or months. The key is to be consistent – apply these best practices across your site, and over time, your overall SEO performance should rise. If rankings don’t improve immediately, keep refining and don’t lose heart – even seasoned SEO pros continuously tweak pages to find the winning formula​.

By following the on-page SEO techniques outlined in this guide – unique, intent-driven content; smart keyword usage; optimized titles and meta tags; proper headings; clean URLs; strategic internal/external links; optimized images; and attention to UX factors – you set the stage for SEO success. Remember that user experience and SEO go hand in hand: what’s good for your visitors often aligns with what search engines want to reward.

Every piece of content you publish is an opportunity to apply these principles. Over time, you’ll likely see better rankings, higher organic traffic, and perhaps most importantly, more satisfied readers. Happy optimizing!