Creating The Perfect On-Page SEO
Building a perfectly optimized page that search engines and users alike will love requires incorporation of many evolving factors. As search engines evolve, so must SEO practices. Although, opinions on perfect On-Page SEO practices may differ, the common goal is still the same: building pages that will rank highly on search engines while earning site and social media traffic, link and web shares, and ultimately promoting your brand. By following these key elements and strategies you can build the ideal On-Page SEO providing your website with the ability to convert off search engine results.
Importance of On-Page SEO
On-Page SEO refers to optimizing website code, content, and structure in order to rank higher on search engine results and consequently increase site traffic. By establishing the right On-Page SEO tactics from the beginning, you provide your website with the tools necessary to equally appeal to search engines and site visitors.
Elements of Perfect On-Page SEO
SEO-Friendly URLs:
Good URLs will help increase search engine relevancy and are also used as anchor text, so make sure to create URLs that are short and keyword targeted. Because the first 3-5 words in a URL carry the most weight, you want to include your target keyword at the beginning and avoid long URLs.
Titles and Subheadings
The most important element of successful On-Page SEO is the title tag. The first step in producing the optimal title tag is to determine the keyword you want your business to be known for or that you are directly aiming for on that particular page. Placing your keyword at the beginning of the title tag allows it to carry greater weight with search engines providing for a better opportunity to catch the eye of a potential user. You may also consider adding modifiers such as the current year or “best” to better rank long tail versions of your keyword. By optimizing keyword standing in the title tag, you create a more compelling page for users along with search engines.
Wrapping your title in an <h1> tag will provide your page with extra emphasis on your chosen keyword and further improve your search engine ranking. Make sure to use only one H1 heading tag per page and that it includes your target keyword.
Subheadings should be wrapped in an H2 tag and also include your desired keyword. Using H2 subheadings creates a logical itemization of page headings providing search engines with further insight into the subject and purpose of your page.
Images and Design
Incorporating images and other multimedia facets such as videos, info graphics or diagrams increases a page’s ability to engage its audience and therefore increase time on site. Eye-catching design elements not only appeal to site visitors, but also to search engines. It is also important to ensure that image file names include your target keyword. Including keywords in your image Alt Text will further help search engines to identify your page’s topic and increase ranking.
Eye-catching design goes beyond interesting multimedia images or videos; it also refers to the design structure of your page. Google has begun penalizing sites lacking in responsive design, the site’s ability to cater to mobile devices. A growing number of search engine inquiries come from mobile devices; having a site that does not meet the particular demands of that device will affect your search engine ranking and reduce the effectiveness of your SEO strategy.
Content
The most important place for keywords in a page’s text content is in the first 100-150 words. Getting those keywords in at the beginning of a post further helps search engines to identify the content and subject of your page. Avoid lengthy introductions with delayed keyword incorporation and instead focus on an initial keyword placement in your text body.
Throughout each post, make sure to include LSI keywords to increase potential views of your page. Applicable LSI keywords can be found by searching for your keyword in a search engine and then scrolling down to the “Searches Related To…” section at the bottom of each page.
Providing lengthy content can easily increase SEO strength and increase your chances of ranking on the first page of search engine results. Longer content allows for greater keyword density without overpowering a post. Quality content that provides relevant and useful information will also increase dwell time and traffic on your site.
Links
The use of both outbound and internal links is crucial for generating site traffic. Outbound links to correlated pages on other sites provide search engines with greater focus on your page’s topic. Make sure, however, to only include outbound links to sites that will positively reflect on you.
Internal linking is an often-overlooked element of successful on-page SEO. Linking to other of your website’s pages from within the current page internally boosts search engine ranking. However, be mindful of the amount of links within a page to avoid over-selling your brand; 2-5 internal links per page allows for the ideal approach.
Social sharing buttons or links provide increased exposure for your site’s content. Although prominent links to social media will not directly increase search engine ranking, it does play a crucial role in promoting your brand. Social sharing increases exposure and providing an accessible outlet for such will just make it easier for site visitors to inadvertently market your site.
Perfect On-Page SEO
Abiding by many of these simple but key on-page SEO elements for page structure will provide your site with a better optimization from the beginning. Perfect on-page SEO is vital for successful search engine ranking and brand promotion.
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