The role of SEO is significant in improving your organic ranking on the search engine results page (SERP). As a result, you can bring more traffic to your website or blog. To improve your ranking, two types of SEO complement each other: on-page SEO and off-page SEO. Both are important for boosting your ranking on Google and other search engines. But what is on-page SEO, why is it important, and what are the top on-page SEO ranking factors?
What is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO, or on-site SEO, is the technique used to optimise your website’s content and HTML code to make it user-friendly and discoverable for search engines. When you implement on-page SEO techniques, it becomes easier for search engines like Google and Bing to understand the motive of your website pages and show them up for relevant queries or keywords. The most common on-page SEO practices include having quality content, internal linking, website loading speed, meta tags, keywords, etc.
Importance of On-Page SEO
With a massive number of websites on the internet, you have to fight tough competition to reach your target audience. Search engines have their algorithms to show the websites in SERPs after crawling all the websites for relevant content. The aim of search engines is to bring the most appealing results to the users. To ensure that search engines show your website up in the search results, you have to optimise it and make it relevant for both search engines and users. On-page SEO helps you do that.
For instance, one of the main factors in on-page optimisation is using keywords in meta tags and content. As per an analysis by Backlinko, there is a correlation between the web pages ranking on the first page of Google and keyword-rich title tags. Moreover, search for any term, and you will find the top-ranking websites having those keywords in their titles.
Top 10 On-Page SEO Ranking Factors
There is more to optimising your website ranking with on-page SEO. Let’s discuss the primary on-page SEO ranking factors one by one:
1. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
Google prioritises websites with high E-E-A-T as it suggests the content is reliable and informative. Build your E-E-A-T by creating high-quality content, establishing yourself as an expert in your field, and acquiring backlinks from reputable sources. Showcasing your expertise and trustworthiness helps in gaining credibility.
2. Title Tags
Title tags are clickable headlines that appear in search engine results. They should be clear, concise, and relevant to the page’s content. Include your target keyword naturally and keep them under 60 characters to avoid truncation. Well-crafted title tags can significantly improve your click-through rates.
3. Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are short snippets that appear under the title tag in search results. They should be compelling and accurately describe the page’s content while also enticing users to click. Include your target keyword and keep them around 155 characters to avoid truncation. A good meta description can improve your page's visibility and attract more clicks.
4. Headings
Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) structure your content and make it easier for users and search engines to understand. Use relevant keywords in your headings, but avoid keyword stuffing. Proper use of headings enhances the readability of your content and helps search engines identify the main topics.
5. Content Uniqueness
High-quality, informative, and engaging content is the cornerstone of good SEO. Focus on creating content that is relevant to your target audience and addresses their needs. Use long-tail keywords, break up your text with images and videos, and ensure your content is well-structured and easy to read. Regularly updating your content also keeps it fresh and relevant. Use unique content, as duplicate or old content won’t necessarily bring high rankings. If your competitors have written unique and new content and use the right keywords, you won’t be able to beat them. That’s why you must bring something new to the table that offers value to the users and meets their search intent.
6. Internal Linking
Link to other relevant pages on your website to help users navigate and discover more content. This also helps distribute link juice throughout your site. Internal linking improves the overall user experience and can help search engines understand the structure of your website. Create a list of your web pages that attract the highest traffic. Then, add some internal links in those pages linking to other important pages. It definitely helps as a top on-page SEO factor.
7. Keywords
While keyword stuffing is no longer effective, using relevant keywords throughout your content is still important. Focus on using them naturally and avoid keyword cannibalisation. Keyword research should guide you in selecting the right terms to target. Include your primary keyword in the first paragraph or the first 100 words of the content. For instance, if you are crafting a blog post about the best content marketing tools, then you should use the ‘content marketing tools’ keyword in the introductory paragraph. This works because search engines emphasise the keywords appearing earlier on the page.
8. Image Optimisation
Optimise your images by using descriptive filenames, alt text, and captions. This helps search engines understand what your images are about and improves accessibility. Compressed and well-tagged images can also improve your page load speed. Before uploading the images, make sure you compress them so that it doesn’t impact your page speed.
9. Mobile Friendliness
With the majority of searches now occurring on mobile devices, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is crucial for SEO. Use a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and test your website on various devices. Mobile optimisation is essential for providing a good user experience and improving your search rankings.
10. Page Speed
Page speed is a major ranking factor as users are unlikely to wait for slow-loading pages. Optimise your website speed by compressing images, minifying code, and using a caching plugin. A fast-loading site enhances user satisfaction and reduces bounce rates. Google clearly says that the loading speed of a website is a ranking factor. It is because the search engine giant wants to provide the best experience to the users searching their queries on Google. Moreover, if your website fails to load within the first three seconds, 40% of the users will leave the site and jump to your competitors. You can’t afford that. Test your loading speed using Google’s Page Speed Insights tool and check the recommendations about what actions you can take to improve the page speed. For instance, you can reduce the time required to load a page by removing the third-party scripts, minimising the page’s total size, compressing images, etc.
Wrapping Up
If you want to optimise your website’s ranking on Google, you must work on the on-page SEO factors mentioned above. These factors can significantly grow your website traffic and help you outrank your competitors. Remember, SEO is an ongoing process, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices. By focusing on these top 10 on-page SEO factors, you can improve your website’s ranking in search results and attract more organic traffic. Optimising your on-page elements is a crucial step in your SEO strategy, and addressing these factors can lead to significant improvements in your site's performance and visibility.
Comments