If you’re working within the digital marketing field, then chances are you’ve heard of on-page SEO. As one of digital marketing’s most useful tactics, on-page SEO is how visitors find your website on search engines like Google and Yahoo. While it may sound complicated, and can be at times, on-page SEO is all about your ability to abide by certain practices. But, what are these practices, and how can you apply them to your website? In today’s case study, we’re going to take you through the best practices for improving your on-page SEO.
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Website loading Speed for on-page SEO score
Load times and webpage speed are important factors in improving your on-page SEO. The faster your website loads, the better off your on-page SEO will and vice versa. Website speed is dependent on the number of files being requested, so try to keep them to a minimum for faster load times and an improved score. Important Factors Include:
- Page Load Speed
- Page Size
- Number of File Requests
URL for on-page SEO Score
Your URL is in the address bar that displays your domain name. Believe it or not but even URL must be tailored a certain to suit on-page SEO. If possible, fit your exact keyword into your URL, as well as removing any underscores and ensuring that your domain is original. Important Factors Include:
- SEO-friendly URL
- Exact Keyword in URL
- URL is Underscore Free
- Page is Close to Top Level Domain
Title Tag for on-page SEO Score
Your title tag is what draws most visitors to your link in the search engine. As the main title of your webpage, it should contain your keywords as well as a summary of what to expect. Try to make your title-tag as engaging as possible while abiding by the rules of SEO. Important Factors Include:
- Title-Tag Should Contain a Keyword
- Begin Title-tag with a Keyword
- Must be 70 Characters or Less
Meta Description Tag for on-page SEO Score
A description tag is what goes directly below your title tag in the search engine. It typically contains a piece of content that can be found on your webpage. Like your title-tag, your description should include your exact keyword. Where a title-tag must be 70 characters or less, your description has a limit of 160 characters or less. Important Factors Include:
- Description Tag Should Contain a Keyword
- Must be 160 Characters or Less
Image optimization for on-page SEO Score
Images factor into on-page SEO just as much as words. This form of content also comes with its own tag that should be optimized for SEO. That includes adding keywords in its file name as well ensuring it meets the proper conditions. Important Factors Include:
- Images must contain an alt-tag
- Exact Keyword should be Included in Alt-Tag
- Include Exact Keyword in File Name
Header Tags for on-page SEO Score
Header tags are headings used in your webpage’s content. These come in H1, H2, and H3 formats. Try to add your exact keyword in your headings in order to improve your on-page SEO. Also, avoid using duplicate headings as this can cause your score to drop. Important Factors Include:
- Watch Out for Duplicate Headings
- Include Exact Keyword in Your Headings
Relevant text for on-page SEO Score
The words on your webpage are referred to as copy. This is where most of your on-page score is derived from. Keyword usage is important here and the number of times you utilize it depends on how long your content is. If your content is 2000+ words then your keyword should appear at least two to four times. Important Factors Include:
- Bold and underline your keyword
- Include your exact keyword in the first 100 words
- Use your keywords multiple times
Website coding for on-page SEO Score
While coding may not be your strong suit, there are some factors you should consider. As stated in our 19 factors that affect SEO, it is important that you have an equal text to HTML ratio to increase your search ranking. Also make sure that there is no inline CSS in your code as well. Important Factors Include:
- Leave Out Inline CSS
- Maintain an Equal Text to HTML Ratio
- Ensure That Your HTML is W3C Validated
Social media integration for on-page SEO Score
Social media can have a major effect on your website’s on-page SEO. When it comes to social channels, your website should be linked to your Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages via share buttons. These buttons are a great way for visitors to share your content, thus increasing your SEO ranking. Important Factors Include:
- Facebook Share Button
- Twitter Share Button
- Google+ Share Button
- Link to Website’s Blog
Mobile friendly for on-page SEO Score
It is important to note that mobile-friendly websites are typically ranked higher than ones that are not. In order to achieve a high on-page SEO ranking, your website needs to be compatible with mobile devices. That means its design is responsive with tablets and smartphones, as well as compress files for quicker load times. Important Factors Include:
- The Inclusion of a Mobile Sitemap
- A Viewport Mata Tag
- Server Uses Compression
Domain Analysis
Even your domain name factors into your on-page SEO. Try to keep your domain name under 15 characters in length, while including your exact keyword. It is also imperative to add a robots.txt file so that search engines can go through website’s text content. Important Factors Include:
- Domain name is 15 Characters or Less
- Domain Has Been Established For a Significant Period of Time
- Contain a Robots.Txt File
- Domain is Far From Expiration Date
- Contains a Preferred Domain Set
In Conclusion
Keeping these factors in mind when establishing your on-page SEO is a great way to receive a sizable ROI (return on investment). Success in SEO is all about following a specific set of practices. On-page SEO can be difficult to manage but by abiding by these rules, you can greatly improve your search ranking and drive traffic to your website. For more information on improving your SEO, be sure to check our blog on SEO trends in 2017. Best of Luck on all your SEO efforts!
