Now that we've covered the basics of how on-page SEO works, let's get into the nitty gritty. Use these strategies to improve your on-page SEO game.
1. Optimize your keywords effectively
Keywords are what people are searching for on search engines. Using keywords in your content ensures that Google knows what your work is about, so your page is more likely to rank higher in search results for these terms.
But you can't just put a keyword in every sentence and call it a day. Google looks for natural, well-written content. Place keywords naturally in targeted areas such as headers, intros, and metadata.
2. Use metadata to your advantage
Speaking of metadata, it's another way to clarify to Google what your page is about. Metadata includes both the meta title (the title that Google displays in his SERPs) and the meta description (the small blurb that Google displays below the meta title in the SERPs).
Google typically removes meta titles that are longer than 60 characters, so stay within that limit. The same goes for meta descriptions, 160 characters is a good limit. When writing these, try to use positive and engaging language to draw the reader in. Also, don't forget to include alt tags (text that describes what the image is to search engines) on your images.
3. Structure your pages using clear hierarchies
Google typically scans pages for relevant information, but it's much easier to scan pages if they're organized with clear headers. Starting with her H1 for the page title, he drops in H2 and H3 as needed to structure the information. Your readers will appreciate this as it will be easier to find the information they are looking for.
4. Create friendly URLs
Remember how Google wants your pages to be trustworthy? Having a URL that clearly describes your page can really help with this.
By default, some content management systems publish new pages with the date and folder name embedded in the URL. This doesn't really help the user because it doesn't tell them what the page is about. Instead, consider renaming your slug using a long-tail keyword phrase.
5. Make the most of internal and external links
We talked about how Google tries to understand the structure of your pages, but Google also wants to know about the structure of your site. Using a significant amount of internal links (links to other pages on your site) helps Google better understand how everything is connected. Also, the more links to a page, the more valuable it appears to Google.
Google also looks for authoritative content, and by linking to authoritative external links (links to pages outside of your site), you can show that what you've written has value. For example, linking to the government's her website increases the credibility of the site.
6. Add an author byline to your content
Search engines want to see that your content comes from people with experience and expertise. Providing a byline for your content is one way to prove it, especially if your content is written by industry experts.
To further increase author credibility, include an author bio that describes the author's background and experience, as well as an “About Us” page that details their business experience.
