How to do on-page SEO step-by-step with best practices

by

Here’s a step-by-step guide to performing on-page SEO with best practices:

Step 1: Conduct Keyword Research

Tools: Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs

  1. Identify Primary Keywords:
  • Choose relevant keywords with a good balance of search volume and competition.
  • Focus on long-tail keywords that match the user intent.
  1. Analyze Competitors:
  • Look at the keywords your competitors are ranking for.
  • Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to gain insights.

Step 2: Optimize Title Tags

Best Practices:

  • Include primary keywords near the beginning.
  • Keep it under 60 characters.
  • Make it compelling to attract clicks.

Example:

  • Instead of “Welcome to Our Site”, use “Affordable SEO Services for Small Businesses | Your Company Name”.

Step 3: Write Compelling Meta Descriptions

Best Practices:

  • Summarize the page content in 150-160 characters.
  • Include primary and secondary keywords.
  • Encourage users to click with a call-to-action (e.g., “Learn more”, “Get started”).

Example:

  • “Discover affordable SEO services designed for small businesses. Improve your rankings and grow your online presence. Get started today!”

Step 4: Optimize URL Structure

Best Practices:

  • Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich.
  • Use hyphens to separate words.
  • Avoid unnecessary numbers and characters.

Example:

  • Instead of “example.com/page1?id=1234”, use “example.com/affordable-seo-services”.

Step 5: Use Headers and Subheaders (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

Best Practices:

  • Use a single H1 tag for the main title.
  • Use H2 tags for main sections and H3 for subsections.
  • Include primary keywords in headers naturally.

Example:

  • H1: Affordable SEO Services for Small Businesses
  • H2: Why Choose Our SEO Services?
  • H3: Proven Strategies for Higher Rankings

Step 6: Write High-Quality, Engaging Content

Best Practices:

  • Address user intent and provide valuable information.
  • Use a conversational tone and avoid jargon.
  • Break up text with bullet points, lists, and short paragraphs.

Step 7: Optimize Images

Best Practices:

  • Use descriptive file names and alt text with keywords.
  • Compress images to improve page load speed.
  • Use responsive images for different devices.

Example:

  • File Name: affordable-seo-services.jpg
  • Alt Text: “Affordable SEO services for small businesses”

Step 8: Internal and External Linking

Internal Linking Best Practices:

  • Link to relevant pages within your site using descriptive anchor text.
  • Ensure all links are working and not broken.

External Linking Best Practices:

  • Link to authoritative sources that support your content.
  • Ensure external links open in a new tab.

Step 9: Improve Page Load Speed

Best Practices:

  • Compress images and use modern image formats like WebP.
  • Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.
  • Use a content delivery network (CDN) to serve content faster.

Tools: Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix

Step 10: Mobile Optimization

Best Practices:

  • Ensure your site is responsive and works well on all devices.
  • Test your site on various devices to ensure a good user experience.

Tools: Google Mobile-Friendly Test

Step 11: Use Schema Markup

Best Practices:

  • Implement structured data to enhance SERP listings with rich snippets.
  • Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper.

Example:

  • Add schema markup for articles, events, products, reviews, etc.

Step 12: Encourage User Engagement

Best Practices:

  • Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs).
  • Use social sharing buttons to encourage sharing.
  • Respond to comments and engage with users.

Step 13: Regularly Update Content

Best Practices:

  • Review and update old content to keep it relevant.
  • Add new information, update statistics, and refine keywords.

Step 14: Monitor and Analyze Performance

Best Practices:

  • Use Google Analytics and Search Console to track metrics like traffic, bounce rate, and keyword rankings.
  • Adjust your strategy based on the data.

Example:

  • If certain keywords are driving more traffic, create more content around those topics.

Summary

  1. Keyword Research: Identify and analyze relevant keywords.
  2. Title Tags: Optimize with keywords and keep them compelling.
  3. Meta Descriptions: Write concise, keyword-rich descriptions.
  4. URL Structure: Create clean, descriptive URLs.
  5. Headers: Use structured headers with keywords.
  6. Content: Write high-quality, engaging, and valuable content.
  7. Images: Optimize file names, alt text, and compress images.
  8. Linking: Use internal and external links effectively.
  9. Page Speed: Improve load times with various optimizations.
  10. Mobile Optimization: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly.
  11. Schema Markup: Implement structured data for rich snippets.
  12. User Engagement: Encourage interactions and sharing.
  13. Content Updates: Regularly update and refresh content.
  14. Performance Monitoring: Use analytics to refine your strategy.

Following these steps and best practices will help you optimize your on-page SEO, improve search engine rankings, and drive more organic traffic to your website.