Here’s a little secret: you don’t need to be a tech genius to make a real difference in your website’s search visibility. You don’t want random clicks, you want clicks that address the questions of your target audience. This makes it easy to focus on on-page search optimization strategies that you control with your content, without spending a fortune on an SEO strategist!
So, what exactly is “on-page” SEO? It’s all about the actual content on your website’s pages and posts (not external factors such as inbound links). By making a few tweaks to your content, you make it easier for search engines (and people!) to understand what your pages are about. The goal is to make your content as clear and helpful as possible, which in turn helps you rank higher and attract more visitors.
Ready to get started? Here are five simple ways you can give your on-page SEO a boost.
1. Think about your page/post titles and descriptions
Think of your title tag and meta description as your website’s little billboard in the search results. A great title tag is a quick, clickable headline that includes your main keyphrase. Your meta description is the short summary below it—use it to tell people what your page is all about (around 160 characters) and encourage them to click. The more informative you make them, the more clicks you’ll get! There’s several great WordPress plugins that make it easy to customize these tags. No coding needed.
2. Use headings & sub headings (H-tags) like a pro
Headings (tagged H1, H2, H3, and so on) are your readers’ best friends. They break up big blocks of text, making your content easy to scan and digest. For search engines, they’re like a table of contents, telling them what the most important topics on your page are.
- H1: You only need one of these! It’s the main title of your page and should contain your primary keyword.
- H2s and H3s: Use these for subheadings to organize your content into neat, logical sections. These make your content easier to read and helps Google too. Amp up their impact by including important keywords and phrases.
3. Weave in links (internally and externally)
Links are the threads that connect the web. Adding links to your content is a fantastic way to improve the user experience and give search engines a helpful hand.
- Internal links: Link to other relevant pages on your own website. This helps people discover more of your great content and keeps them on your site longer. Google loves a thread of interlinked, relevant content. As with headings, including keywords and phrases in your links also helps!
- External links: Don’t be shy about linking out to other high-quality, reputable websites. It shows that you’ve done your research and are providing even more value to your readers.
4. Optimize your images
Images make your content pop, but if they’re too big, they will slow your site down. Here’s how to make them work for you:
- Alt text: This is a brief description of what’s in your image. It’s super helpful for people who use screen readers and gives search engines another clue about your page’s content.
- File size: Before you upload an image, use a compression tool to make it smaller (I like ShortPixel for a free and easy option). Your page will load faster, and Google will approve! As a quick rule of thumb, images on a website should be less than 100K in size (for larger “hero” sections) and under 50K for content images. The smaller the better.
5. Focus on content that answers a common question.
This is the big one! All of these tips are just little pieces of a bigger puzzle: creating genuinely helpful, high-quality content. Search engines reward websites that truly serve their visitors. Remember, the goal is to get searchers to click! Focusing on answering your audience’s questions, writing naturally, and creating content that you’re proud of. When you put your readers first, success will follow!
If you have a WordPress site that could use some on-page SEO improvements, I can help! Check out my WordPress webmaster services page (notice the keyword link there? ☺️). Or, click here to get in touch today.