Why is OnPage SEO so important, and which areas should you focus on and optimize to improve search rankings for underperforming content? The SEO landscape is constantly changing, and this also applies to on-page SEO. Therefore, we no longer have to consider only the title and meta description to optimize our pages for the most important search engines. There are several different elements and aspects you can focus on. Ideally, you will have a comprehensive on-page SEO strategy that includes best practices and innovative optimizations that ensure long-term success.
However, if you are constrained by time, budget or other limiting factors, you may need to prioritize and demonstrate quick wins to justify further investment. In this blog, you’ll find tips on which on-page SEO elements you should optimize for better rankings, and context to help you understand why you’re making these changes in the first place.
What are the most important elements of on-page SEO?
There are two main types of on-page SEO elements:
Contents
Your content elements include the written, visual and video content of your website. The content you write and the content you embed on your website should focus on providing value to your audience. If your content doesn’t have a clear focus, you’re missing a great opportunity to provide your audience with the information they need. Your content must also make good use of your keyword research. If you don’t focus on keywords that are relevant to your target audience, how can you even create relevant page content that meets their needs?
HTML
An HTML element is any part of your web page that is defined in HTML, the standard code behind the scenes. This includes elements such as the title, the meta description and the alt text of images. This also includes the HTML elements that display the page. HTML elements play a crucial role in telling Google what your page is about and how it should rank in search results. If you don’t use these elements correctly, they can have a negative impact on your rankings.
OnPage SEO elements for better Google rankings
There are many ways to optimize your website for search engines, but some basic elements should be present on every page. Below are five on-page SEO elements that you should test and optimize if you find that your pages are underperforming – and also as best practice for new websites.
1. written content
The first point you should pay attention to is, of course, the written content of your site. If your main purpose in writing content is to convert your audience into paying customers, you should make sure that each page offers value to your audience. Make sure the content you write makes good use of your keyword research. If you don’t have a clear focus for your content, your audience will struggle to engage with it.
Use HTML subheadings to structure your content and signal the relevance of the topic to both readers and search engines. And while we know that E-A-T is especially important on YMYL topics, all web content can benefit from demonstrating more expertise, authority and trustworthiness.
2. title tags
The title tag is the “title” of your page and the main element that search engines use to determine what your page is about. The title tag should be targeted to the exact keyword your page is targeting, as Google has confirmed that this is a “tiny” ranking factor.
If you are targeting the keyword [SEO Agentur Leverkusen], your title tag must contain this phrase. This will make your site appear higher up in the search results and easier for your audience to find. You can find more information in this guide to title tag optimization.
3. page URL
URLs play an important role in both search engine optimization and user-friendliness. Every web page generates a unique URL, and you should take the time to make sure your URL contains the right keywords. Try to include your target keyword in the URL in a way that makes sense to your audience. If your visitors are searching for a product, you should include the name of the product in the URL. For example, if you are targeting the keyword phrase “SEO agency Leverkusen”, the URL could look something like this:
Including a keyword in the URL is an easy way to help Google determine the content of your page and how it should be ranked. Also make sure that the URLs of your pages are short, concise and to the point. Long, complicated URLs are difficult for search engines to understand and a challenge for searchers. Your URLs should be easy to decipher and remember or recognize so that your audience can more easily type them into the search bar when they want to return to a specific page.
4. image alt text
While more and more content creators understand how important the visual elements of a website are, too many are still neglecting an important on-page SEO element: their video and image alt text. Alt text is a description of the image or video that is displayed behind the visual element. They do not usually appear on a well-functioning website as they are used as an alternative way for viewers to see what was intended. For example, if a photo doesn’t render properly once your web page is fully loaded, the alt text will take its place so the viewer can still understand what you wanted to show them.
If you don’t include your target keywords in the alt text, your visuals won’t be indexed by the search engines, which can prove detrimental if your audience decides to do a video or image search instead of a normal Google search. Alt text also ensures that your content is accessible to everyone who views it. This is because alt text is the easiest way to tell someone using a screen reader that a page has audio or video. These tools can be beneficial when it comes to making certain types of content accessible to users with visual or hearing impairments.
5. internal and external links
Internal links are links that refer to other content within your website. They help Google to understand the context of a page and how it relates to other pages on your website. Check out these internal linking best practices that can help your SEO strategy. External links, on the other hand, refer to content outside your website. They can help you gain the trust of readers by referring to reputable sources and offering more information on complex or lesser-known topics.
Conclusion
Ensuring on-page SEO is a continuous process and should always be part of your SEO strategy. With the right support, you can ensure that your on-page SEO is top-notch and that your website generates quality leads and conversions.
