On-Page SEO Basics: Optimize Your Content

💡 Key Point: On-page SEO helps both search engines and users understand what your page is about. When done right, it improves your rankings AND increases the likelihood that visitors will convert into customers.

✅ Include Your Target Keyword

Put your main keyword near the beginning of the title where possible.

Good: "Keyword Research 101: Find the Right Keywords in 2025"

Bad: "Learn About Finding Keywords for SEO and Marketing"

✅ Keep It Under 60 Characters

Google typically displays the first 50-60 characters. Longer titles get cut off with "..."

Tip: Front-load important information in case it gets truncated on mobile.

✅ Make It Compelling and Click-Worthy

Your title needs to rank AND get clicks. Use power words and be specific.

Boring: "SEO Tutorial"

Compelling: "SEO Tutorial: Beginner's Guide to Ranking #1 in 2025"

✅ Match Search Intent

Look at what's ranking and match the format. If all top results include the year, include it. If they say "guide" or "tutorial," use those words.

✅ Include Branding (Optional)

For brand awareness, add your site name at the end.

Example: "Keyword Research Guide | BestKeywordSearchTool.com"

Primary Keyword + Modifier (best, guide, checklist, 2025) + Benefit or Detail

Example: "Keyword Research Tools: 15 Best Options for 2025 (Free & Paid)"

✅ Length: 150-160 Characters

Google truncates around 155-160 characters. Make every character count.

✅ Include Your Target Keyword

Keywords in the meta description appear in bold when they match the search query, making your result more eye-catching.

✅ Write a Compelling Call-to-Action

Examples:

• "Learn how to..."
• "Discover the best..."
• "Get step-by-step instructions..."
• "Find out why..."

✅ Highlight Benefits, Not Just Features

Feature-focused: "This guide covers title tags and meta descriptions."

Benefit-focused: "Boost your rankings and traffic with our proven on-page SEO strategies. Easy-to-follow guide for beginners."

⚠️ Important: Google may rewrite your meta description if it thinks it can create a better one from your content. Write compelling descriptions anyway—they often get used, especially for branded searches.

✅ One H1 Per Page

Your H1 should be your main headline and include your primary keyword. It's usually the same or similar to your title tag.

✅ Use H2s for Main Sections

Break your content into logical sections with H2 tags. Include related keywords and variations naturally.

Example for a coffee brewing guide:

• H1: How to Make French Press Coffee: Complete Guide
• H2: What You'll Need
• H2: Step-by-Step Brewing Instructions
• H2: Common Mistakes to Avoid

✅ Use H3s for Subsections

Under each H2, use H3s to break down subtopics further.

✅ Make Headers Descriptive

Vague: "More Information"

Descriptive: "How to Choose the Right Coffee-to-Water Ratio"

💡 Pro Tip: Headers create a natural outline that users can scan. If someone can understand your page by reading just the headers, you've structured it well.

1. First 100-150 Words

Include your primary keyword early in your content, preferably in the first paragraph. This signals topic relevance to search engines immediately.

2. In Your Headers (H1, H2, H3)

Use your main keyword in the H1 and variations in H2/H3 tags naturally.

3. Throughout the Body Content

Use your keyword naturally 3-5 times in a 1,000-word article. Don't force it.

Keyword Density: Aim for 0.5-2% (meaning if your keyword is 2 words and you have 1,000 words total, use it 2-10 times). But focus on natural writing, not hitting an exact percentage.

4. In Image Alt Text

Include keywords in at least one image's alt text where relevant.

5. In Your URL

The page URL should include the target keyword (more on this below).

⚠️ Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Using keywords unnaturally or excessively will hurt your rankings. If it sounds awkward when you read it aloud, rewrite it. Write for humans first, search engines second.

✅ Keep URLs Short and Descriptive

Good: yoursite.com/keyword-research-guide

Bad: yoursite.com/p?=12345&category=seo&ref=blog

✅ Include Your Target Keyword

If your target keyword is "on-page SEO," your URL should be /on-page-seo or /on-page-seo-guide

✅ Use Hyphens, Not Underscores

Good: /keyword-research-tools

Bad: /keyword_research_tools

✅ Use Lowercase Letters Only

URLs are case-sensitive on some servers. Stick with lowercase to avoid duplicate content issues.

✅ Remove Stop Words When Possible

Words like "a," "the," "and," "or" can usually be removed.

Instead of: /how-to-do-keyword-research-for-seo

Use: /keyword-research-guide

✅ Keep URL Structure Simple

Flat structure (better): yoursite.com/on-page-seo

Deep structure (avoid): yoursite.com/blog/seo/on-page/basics/guide

1. Use Descriptive File Names

Before uploading, rename your images to describe what they show.

Good: keyword-research-tools-comparison.jpg

Bad: IMG_12345.jpg

2. Write Descriptive Alt Text

Alt text (alternative text) describes the image for accessibility and SEO. It should:

• Describe what's in the image
• Be specific and accurate
• Include keywords where natural (don't force it)
• Be under 125 characters

Example alt text: "Comparison chart showing features of top keyword research tools including Semrush and Ahrefs"

3. Compress Images for Fast Loading

Large images slow down your page, hurting both SEO and user experience.

• Use WebP format when possible (smaller file size, great quality)
• Compress images before uploading (tools: TinyPNG, ImageOptim, Squoosh)
• Aim for under 100KB per image when possible

4. Use Responsive Images

Ensure images scale properly on mobile devices. Most modern websites handle this automatically.

💡 Pro Tip: Images can rank in Google Image Search, driving additional traffic. Optimizing images helps you capture this traffic.

✅ Use Descriptive Anchor Text

The clickable text should describe what users will find on the linked page.

Good: "Learn how to do keyword research for beginners"

Bad: "Click here to learn more"

✅ Link to Relevant Pages

Only link when it adds value. If you mention a topic you've covered in depth elsewhere, link to it.

✅ Link from High-Authority Pages to New Content

When you publish new content, add links to it from your best-performing pages to help it rank faster.

✅ Use a Reasonable Number of Links

Too few: Missed opportunities for SEO and user engagement

Too many: Looks spammy and dilutes link value

Sweet spot: 2-5 internal links per 1,000 words

✅ Deep Link to Inner Pages

Don't just link to your homepage. Link to relevant blog posts, product pages, and guides deep in your site structure.

1. Comprehensive Coverage

Cover topics thoroughly. If top-ranking content is 2,000 words, yours should be at least that length (and ideally better).

2. Originality

Add unique insights, examples, data, or perspectives. Don't just rewrite what's already ranking.

3. Expertise

Show you know what you're talking about with specific examples, case studies, and detailed explanations.

4. Freshness

Update content regularly with current information, especially for time-sensitive topics.

5. Readability

Make content scannable with:

• Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences)
• Bullet points and numbered lists
• Headers to break up sections
• Images, charts, and graphics
• White space

Before Publishing

• ☐ Title tag includes target keyword (under 60 characters)
• ☐ Meta description is compelling (150-160 characters)
• ☐ H1 includes primary keyword
• ☐ H2/H3 headers use keyword variations
• ☐ Keyword in first 100 words
• ☐ URL is short and includes keyword
• ☐ Images have descriptive file names
• ☐ Images have descriptive alt text
• ☐ Images are compressed/optimized
• ☐ 2-5 internal links to relevant pages
• ☐ Content is comprehensive (matches or exceeds top results)
• ☐ Content is original and valuable
• ☐ Content matches search intent
• ☐ External links to authoritative sources (where appropriate)
• ☐ Content is scannable (short paragraphs, bullets, headers)