If you’re looking to improve your website’s search engine rankings, then you need to make sure that your on-page SEO is up to par. On-page SEO refers to the various techniques that you can use to optimize your website’s individual pages for search engines.
To help you get started with on-page SEO, we’ve put together a basic checklist that you can use for your website in 2024.
Start with keyword research
Before you can optimize your website for search engines, you need to know which keywords you want to rank for. Use a keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to identify relevant keywords that your target audience is searching for.
It’s important to consider the intent behind the keywords you’re targeting. Are people searching for information, or are they looking to buy something? Are they looking for a specific product or service, or are they looking for a solution to a problem? Understanding search intent can help you create content that meets the needs of your target audience.
Optimize your page titles and meta descriptions
Once you’ve identified your target keywords, make sure to use them in your page titles and meta descriptions. These are the snippets of text that appear in the search engine results pages (SERPs), so they need to be compelling and relevant to encourage users to click through to your website.
Create high-quality, unique content
Search engines love fresh, high-quality content that provides value to users. Make sure that your website’s content is unique, well-written, and provides helpful information to your audience. Use your target keywords naturally throughout your content, but don’t overdo it.
Use descriptive URLs
Your website’s URLs should be descriptive and easy to read. Use hyphens to separate words and avoid using numbers or special characters in your URLs. This will make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website’s pages.
Optimize your images
Images can help to enhance your website’s user experience, but they can also slow down your page load times if they’re not optimized properly. Make sure to compress your images before uploading them to your website, and use descriptive alt text to help search engines understand what the image is about.
Add internal links
Internal linking is an important on-page SEO technique that can help to improve your website’s navigation and user experience. Make sure to link to relevant pages on your website from within your content, and use descriptive anchor text to help users understand what they’ll find when they click on the link.
Make sure your website is mobile-friendly
More and more people are using their mobile devices to browse the internet, so it’s essential that your website is optimized for mobile devices. Use a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes, and make sure that your website’s content is easy to read and navigate on a mobile device.
By following this basic on-page SEO checklist, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings and attract more targeted traffic to your website. Remember to keep your content fresh, unique, and relevant to your audience, and always focus on providing value to your users.