All SEO strategies are focused on getting the top ranks on the search engine results pages (SERPs). To do this, SEO experts and businesses try to design and develop websites that are in line with Google’s algorithm rule book.
Two factors that influence Google’s algorithm: on-page and off-page elements. For this post, we’ll focus on the on-page SEO factors that make your website tick on the SERPs, as well as discuss how investing in on-page SEO services in Phoenix can help your business.
First Things First: What is On-Page SEO and Why Does It Matter?
On-page SEO (also known as ‘on-site SEO’) optimizes individual web pages to rank higher and earn quality traffic in the SERPs. On-page SEO also optimizes the content and HTML code of a page, which is different from off-page SEO, which refers to backlinking and other off-page signals.
The importance of on-page SEO lies in the elements. With on-page SEO, you have more control over the elements. For example, if you own a website, you may control the quality of your content and other technical issues.
Also, proper on-page SEO techniques result in higher rankings on the SERPs, an increased number of relevant traffic to your website, and more conversions. The results might take time, but once your strategy gets off the ground, expect your rankings and sales to soar.
Second: What are the On-Page Factors You Should Focus On?
On-page SEO factors can heavily influence your website’s potential to rank well. The biggest on-page factors are:
- The content of a page determines the page’s worthiness to get a high SERP rank. Users visited your page to see the content, which makes it a valuable ranking factor for search engines. For this reason, it’s important to focus on creating quality and relevant content.
So what makes content good?
- It answers a need. The best content supplies the demand of the searcher. It should be informative and free from fluff. Quality content can be a text, an image, a video, or a sound clip that answers the customer’s question on the search box.
- It is linkable. If people can’t link back to your page, the search engines are unlikely to rank it. As a result, your content won’t earn the traffic it deserves.
- Title tag. Also known as the HTML tag, this tag is located in the top section of each web page and provides an initial context as to what the page’s subject matter is. You can see it in the SERPs (typically used as a clickable link) as well as in your browser window.
- Compelling headlines can make a big difference between a click and an impression. A great headline sparks interest, enticing users to click on the page and continue reading the rest of the content.
- Meta description. Meta tags and meta descriptions provide users with a summary of what the page is about. These descriptions are often displayed on search results underneath the title of the page. An optimized meta description will help you improve:
- Perception of the quality result
- Click-through-rate
- Perception of what your website offers
- Image optimization. Images can make your website more appealing. Some images, however, can slow down your website. Optimizing images well will help improve your user’s experience, as well as promote faster page load times and more ranking opportunities.
- User engagement. Make sure that your users stay on the page by improving your website’s UX. To increase user engagement, focus on the following aspects: content optimization, site speed, and user experience.
Finally, Maximize Engagement and Conversions with a Checklist
Before you publish new posts or up new pages on your website, use this on-page SEO checklist to ensure your path is right on track:
- Perform keyword research to find relevant keywords. The first step in any successful SEO strategy is to find the best keywords for a particular web page. Your keywords should be relevant to the main theme or topic of the content. Your target audience should regularly search for it. The search volume for a potential keyword should be large enough to drive traffic to your website form your target market.
- Select a primary keyword for your content. Once you’ve chosen a keyword, insert it on one page of your website’s content. Also, create an editorial calendar to keep track of the keywords you use. Make sure that you don’t use the primary keyword to another piece of content.
- Write more than 300 words of content. The number of words in your content will vary according to the depth and purpose of the topic. If you’re after the best results, publish pages that have more than 300 words in the body. Write at least 800 to 1000 words, and make the content as detailed as possible to secure better rankings.
- Write original and high-quality content. Google and other search engines know when you copy your content. When you do, search engines will penalize your site and keep your rage from ranking higher in the SERPs. Make sure your copy is 100 percent original and not published on other websites.
Also, prioritize the need of your readers when writing content. Write quality content that is informative, useful, and easy to understand.
- Make your content easy to scan. Both readers and search engines prefer content that is easy to understand. Scan your content and simplify its formatting so that readers and search engines can easily review it. Consider the following changes:
- Use bullet points to list down information.
- Break down content into sections with descriptive subheadings.
- Use call-outs or bold formatting to highlight important content.
- Use targeted anchor text to add relevant internal links. Links can help search engines understand your page better. Add relevant links to other pages of your website and use the keyword for the link’s anchor text.
On-page SEO (along with off-page SEO) can help boost your website on the SERPs. If you need more help with your SEO strategy, Section 5 Media is at your service. Get in touch with us today!
