Looking to improve your page’s ranking on Google? This on-page SEO checklist is your ultimate guide to success.
On-page SEO involves optimizing individual page elements to achieve higher rankings. This includes tasks like fine-tuning title tags, URL slugs, header tags, and more.
Complete all 14 tasks in any order to enhance your content for target keywords, make it Google-friendly, and boost user engagement.
Here’s your step-by-step on-page SEO checklist:
- Identify Target Keywords
- Optimize the Title Tag
- Write H1 Headline that Resonates
- Craft a Compelling Meta Description
- Ensure The URL Slug is SEO-Friendly
- Integrate Target Keywords in Your Content
- Review Content Quality for Relevance
- Use Header Tags for Subheadings
- Improve Navigation with Internal Links
- Add Engaging Visuals to Enhance User Experience
- Implement Schema Markup for Structured Data
- Ensure Your Page is Indexed
- Improve Page Speed For Faster Load Times
- Make Your Page Mobile-Friendly For All Users
1. Identify Target Keywords
Target keywords are essential for on-page SEO because they help you rank higher in search results and increase visibility. By choosing the right keywords, you can attract the audience most likely to engage with your content.
Start by conducting keyword research to understand which words and phrases people use to find pages similar to yours. Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool is a powerful resource for finding the best keywords for your website. With its extensive keyword database, you can access valuable data to optimize your page effectively.
Key data points you can use include:
- Intent: Understand the user’s search intent or motivation behind each query.
- Volume: The search volume indicates how many searches a keyword gets monthly.
- KD%: Keyword difficulty, which shows how hard it will be to rank in the top 10 organic search results.
Example of Keyword Research in Action:
Suppose you own a flower shop and consider targeting the keyword “blue flowers.” While it may seem like a strong choice due to its high monthly search volume of 60,500 searches, there’s more to consider.
The keyword difficulty (KD%) is 63%, indicating a challenging ranking process. Furthermore, the SERP for “blue flowers” is dominated by informational content, suggesting that users are seeking knowledge about flowers rather than making a purchase.
Key Takeaway: Although the keyword is popular, it may not align with your sales goals. Instead, focus on keywords that reflect commercial intent and are easier to rank for.
By conducting thorough keyword research and understanding search intent, you can select the most effective target keywords to optimize your page for better results.
2. Optimize The Title Tag
The title tag is one of the most important elements for on-page SEO. It’s the page title that appears in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) and tells both Google and users what the page is about. Additionally, the title tag serves as the first impression of your page, which is why it should also encourage users to click through.
In the HTML code, it appears as:
<title>What Is a Title Tag & How to Optimize Your Title Tags for SEO</title>
To ensure proper optimization:
- Primary Keyword: Include the main search term you want to rank for in the title tag, ideally at the beginning.
- Secondary Keywords: You can include secondary keywords, but avoid keyword stuffing. Using too many keywords can appear spammy to both Google and your users.
Use tools like Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker to assess the optimization of your title tags. You can identify whether your title tags contain target keywords without keyword stuffing.
Title Tag Length: Aim for a length of 50–60 characters, as Google often truncates titles longer than that. If your title tag is too long, it could appear like this:
- Truncated Title Tag in SERP
Tip: Use the On-Page SEO Checker to verify that your title tags are optimized, ensuring they don’t exceed the recommended character count.
3. Write H1 Headline That Resonates
Every page should have a single H1 tag that mirrors the on-page title (or headline). It tells both Google and users what the page is about and is essential for effective on-page SEO.
The H1 tag should be visually prominent on your page and appear as the headline. It differs from the title tag, as it is visible on your page, not just in the SERP.
Here’s an example in HTML and how it looks on the page:
<h1>What Is a Title Tag & How to Optimize It for SEO</h1>
- Include the Primary Keyword: Your H1 should contain the primary keyword, at least.
- Focus on User Intent: While there is rarely a character limit for H1 tags, ensure the content makes sense on the page and encourages users to stay longer.
Tools like On-Page SEO Checker can help confirm that your H1 tag includes target keywords without overstuffing.
4. Craft a Compelling Meta Description
The meta description appears in the SERP under the title tag and provides a brief overview of what the page offers. While it’s not a direct ranking factor, a well-written meta description can significantly boost your click-through rate (CTR).
Here’s how it appears in the HTML code:<meta name=”description” content=”Meta description here.”>
Tips for optimizing your meta description:
- Incorporate Your Primary Keyword: Google often bolds search queries in the meta description, which helps your listing stand out.
- Compelling Call-to-Action: Use the meta description to explain the value users will get from your page and encourage them to click.
- Keep It Short: Aim for a maximum of 120 characters (including spaces) to prevent Google from truncating it in both desktop and mobile search results.
Again, On-Page SEO Checker can help verify if your meta description includes target keywords without keyword stuffing.
5. Ensure the URL Slug is SEO-friendly
The URL slug is the part of the URL that identifies the specific page. A clean and SEO-friendly URL makes it easier for both Google and users to understand what the page is about.
Example: https://example.com/what-is-a-url-slug
Tips for an SEO-friendly URL slug:
- Use Primary Keywords: Include the page’s primary keyword in the URL slug.
- Separate Words with Hyphens: Use hyphens (“-“) to separate words (e.g., “what-is-a-url-slug”).
- Avoid Dynamic URLs: Avoid unnecessary characters or numbers that could make your URL appear spammy.
- Redirect Old Slugs: If you ever change the URL slug, remember to set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.
By ensuring your URL slugs are concise, clear, and descriptive, you can improve SEO and make your page easier to find.
6. Integrate Target Keywords in Your Content
Google uses both keywords and context to determine a page’s relevance for specific search terms. If your body content doesn’t include the target keywords, Google may conclude that your page isn’t relevant to those terms.
For effective on-page optimization, aim to incorporate your primary keyword within the first paragraph. Then, strategically place secondary keywords or variations throughout the content. However, it’s crucial to avoid keyword stuffing, which is the unnatural overuse of keywords.
Remember, you’re writing for users, not just search engines. To see what works well, review top-ranking pages in your niche and analyze how they incorporate keywords.
7. Review Content Quality for Relevance
Content quality is crucial for meeting search intent and engaging users. Whether you’re offering a quick product description or an in-depth guide, your content must meet high standards to perform well on the SERP and retain visitors.
Key content quality indicators include:
- Accuracy: Your content should be factually correct, up-to-date, and free of spelling and grammatical errors.
- Originality: Avoid duplicating large sections of content across your site, and make sure there’s no plagiarism.
- Length: While concise content is engaging, it must also be comprehensive enough to provide all the information the searcher needs.
- Readability: Content should be easy to read and engaging. Ensure the writing level is appropriate for your target audience.
- Formatting: Use paragraph breaks, subheadings, lists, and tables to improve readability.
- Tone of Voice: Adapt the tone based on your subject matter and audience.
8. Use Header Tags for Subheadings
According to Semrush’s State of Content Marketing Report 2023, 29% of high-performing articles use H2, H3, and H4 tags. These subheadings improve the content’s readability by breaking it up into digestible sections, making it easier for users to scan. Properly marked-up subheadings also help Google understand the structure of your page.
While you should only have one H1 tag on each page, you can use multiple H2-H6 tags to structure the content. These tags work in a nested hierarchy, with each level representing a section or sub-section of your page.
Here’s an example of proper header tag usage:
- H1: Page Title
- H2: Main Section Title
- H3: Subsection Title
- H4: Sub-subsection Title
Tip: Where appropriate, include secondary keywords in your header tags for additional SEO benefits.
9. Improve Navigation with Internal Links
Internal links are hyperlinks that connect different pages on your website. They help both Google and users navigate your site more easily.
For example, Soak&Sleep uses internal links within its “single bedding” page to direct users to related categories, such as “single duvets” and “single mattresses”.
The key to effective internal linking is using descriptive anchor text. This gives both Google and users a clear understanding of what the linked page is about.
Tip: If you’re optimizing informational pages, consider adding external links as well. Linking to high-quality external resources demonstrates that you’ve conducted thorough research and are providing valuable information to your audience.
10. Add Engaging Visuals to Enhance User Experience
Incorporating images and videos into your content is a great way to enhance user experience and increase engagement. Visuals like photos, illustrations, and how-to videos can make your pages more appealing and informative.
According to Semrush research, articles with more images tend to receive more unique page views, shares, and backlinks. The same applies to articles that feature videos, which can significantly boost engagement metrics.
To make the most out of your visual content, use images and videos to break up text, especially in sections that could benefit from additional context or explanation.
Tips for adding images:
- Ensure each image has descriptive alt text, which provides a written description of the image in the page’s code.
- Resize and compress images using tools like BIRME to avoid slowing down your page loading time.
Tips for using videos:
- Create videos that align with search intent. For example, if your page is a how-to guide, make a video tutorial that complements the written content.
- Host your videos on platforms like YouTube, one of the largest search engines in itself, and embed them on your site.
For more details, explore our comprehensive guides on image SEO and video SEO.
11. Implement Schema Markup for Structured Data
Schema markup or structured data is a type of code that helps Google understand the context of the data on your page. The more Google understands your content, the better it can rank it. Schema markup also enables rich results (or rich snippets) to appear in search results, which can improve visibility.
For example, the Recipe Schema helps King Arthur Baking get detailed snippets in the search results, providing users with ratings, preparation time, and ingredients.
Google supports 32 types of schemas, including Article, Event, FAQ, How-to, Product, and Local Business schema.
This step is more technical, but tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper can assist you in adding the appropriate schema to your pages.
Learn more about schema and structured data in our in-depth guide.
Although technical SEO differs from on-page SEO, both are necessary for strong rankings. Here’s a quick overview of some important technical SEO tasks:
12. Ensure Your Page is Indexed
For your page to appear in Google search results, it must first be added to the Google index. Use Google Search Console to check if your page is indexed. If it’s not, follow our guide to help get your page indexed.
Alternatively, Semrush’s Site Audit tool can identify crawlability issues and provide solutions.
13. Improve Page Speed
Google prioritizes pages that load quickly. Even small delays can cause visitors to leave your page. Common culprits that slow down page speed include large HTML files, redirect chains, and large JavaScript or CSS files.
Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to test your page speed and assess your Core Web Vitals:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): How long it takes for the main content to load
- First Input Delay (FID): The time taken for the page to respond to a user’s first interaction
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): A measure of unexpected layout shifts during loading
Semrush’s Site Audit tool also includes a Core Web Vitals report to analyze page speed issues.
14. Make Your Page Mobile-friendly for All Users
Since over 60% of Google searches are performed on mobile devices, it’s essential that your pages are optimized for mobile. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your page provides a good mobile experience. If your page fails the test, review the “Why it’s not usable” section for recommendations.
Improving mobile-friendliness may take time, but it’s a crucial part of SEO that will pay off in the long run.
Create Your Own On-Page SEO Checklist
Creating a personalized On-Page SEO Checklist is a powerful way to ensure that you stay on top of all the important elements that influence your website’s ranking and performance. A checklist helps you methodically track your progress, ensuring you don’t miss any essential tasks during the optimization process.
Here’s how to build your own On-Page SEO Checklist:
1. Define Your SEO Goals
Before diving into on-page optimization, clarify your primary goals. These could range from improving search rankings to increasing organic traffic or improving user engagement. Having clear goals helps guide your SEO efforts and prioritize which actions will have the biggest impact.
2. Research and Select Target Keywords
Perform comprehensive keyword research to identify the most relevant search terms for your page. Choose keywords that match the search intent of your target audience, and aim for a combination of primary and secondary keywords. Ensure that your keyword choices are realistic in terms of search volume and keyword difficulty. Tools like Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool can be invaluable here.
3. Optimize Title Tags
Your title tag is one of the most important on-page SEO elements. Make sure to:
- Include your primary keyword within the title.
- Keep it between 50-60 characters to avoid truncation in search results.
- Craft a compelling, click-worthy title to attract user attention.
4. Optimize Meta Descriptions
Although meta descriptions don’t directly impact rankings, they play a significant role in click-through rates. A well-written meta description can encourage users to click on your link in search results. Remember to:
- Include your primary keyword.
- Limit the description to 120 characters.
- Make it informative and enticing to potential visitors.
5. Structure Your Content with Header Tags
Use header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize your content and make it easy to read. This helps both users and search engines understand the structure of your page. Keep these tips in mind:
- Use only one H1 tag for the main heading.
- Use H2 and H3 tags for subheadings and to break up content logically.
- Include relevant keywords in your header tags, where natural.
6. Ensure SEO-Friendly URL Structure
Your URL slug should be short, descriptive, and easy to understand. Follow these guidelines:
- Include the primary keyword in the URL.
- Avoid long or complex URLs with unnecessary words or parameters.
- Use hyphens to separate words (e.g., your-site.com/keyword-rich-title).
7. Create High-Quality, Keyword-Rich Content
Content is king, so ensure that your page provides valuable, high-quality content that aligns with the user’s search intent. Keep these in mind:
- Include your primary and secondary keywords throughout the content naturally.
- Avoid keyword stuffing, which can hurt readability and rankings.
- Write for your audience, not just search engines. Make sure the content answers the user’s query comprehensively.
8. Add Internal Links
Internal linking is crucial for helping users and search engines navigate your website. Link to other relevant pages on your site with descriptive anchor text. This improves user experience and helps distribute link equity across your site.
9. Use Engaging Visuals
Incorporate images, videos, and other multimedia elements to enhance user experience and increase engagement. Always include:
- Descriptive alt text for each image.
- Properly compressed and resized images to improve page load times.
- Videos that match search intent, such as tutorial or product demo videos.
10. Optimize for Mobile
More than 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Ensure your page is fully optimized for mobile by:
- Using responsive design.
- Testing your page on mobile devices to ensure a smooth experience.
- Checking your mobile page’s performance with tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
11. Implement Schema Markup
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content more clearly and can result in rich snippets in search results. Add schema types such as Product, Article, FAQ, and Review to your pages. Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper for assistance in adding structured data.
12. Review and Improve Content Quality
Focus on creating accurate, original, and engaging content. Ensure the following:
- Readability: Write in a way that is easy to understand, and consider your audience’s level.
- Accuracy: Provide up-to-date and factually correct information.
- Originality: Avoid content duplication or plagiarism.
13. Monitor Performance and Make Adjustments
After implementing all the optimization techniques, track your progress using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Semrush. Look for improvements in rankings, traffic, and user behavior. Adjust your strategy based on data and continuously optimize your pages for better results.
BONUS: Use SEO Tools to Streamline the Process
To make the process easier and more efficient, use SEO tools like Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker, SEO Writing Assistant, and Site Audit to get actionable insights and track your progress.
By using this checklist and continuously refining your on-page SEO, you can ensure that your content ranks well in search results and provides the best possible user experience.