What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to anything you can do on the page itself to improve rankings. It helps search engines like Google understand your content better.

Why is On-Page SEO Important?

This is important because Google looks at the page’s content to measure its relevance to the search phrase. If Google thinks your content is irrelevant, then competitors will outrank you.

How To Use the On-Page SEO Checklist Template?

It’s not easy remembering every on-page SEO task you need to do on your website, so we created this checklist to help you simplify your On-page optimization efforts and leave a positive impact on your rankings.

Before we begin, we recommend downloading the checklist so you can easily follow along.

{Download Now: Free On-Page SEO Template}

Let’s Get Started!

Identify Target Keyword

In order to optimize the content, we first need to identify the target keywords:

• Primary keyword: This is the main keyword that we want to rank for and usually has the highest search volume.
• Secondary keywords: Any other keyword that is a variation of the main keyword but has less search volume.
• LSI (latent semantic indexing) keywords: keywords that are conceptually and semantically related to your main keyword.

You can use tools like Keyword Finder or GSC to search for keywords before you start on-page optimization.

Title & Meta Tag Updates

Title tags are the blue links, and meta descriptions are the text just below the link displayed in search engine results pages. They play an important role in how your content is understood by search engines, how it ranks, and is a crucial factor in getting clicks.

Title Tags

Including your focus keyword or a close variation of it in the title tag is essential. Other than that, it’s important to make them compelling. Here are some tips:

• Keep them concise: Between 50 to 60 characters to make sure it doesn’t get truncated.
• Match the Search intent: It should be clearer to the searchers that you have what they are looking for.
• Don’t Click Bait: Be clear about the page’s content, and don’t overpromise.
• Include the year: This is helpful for topics that require content freshness.

Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions have detrimental effects on your CRT (click-through rate) but not much of an impact on your search engine rankings. That being said, Google re-writes meta descriptions about 60% of the time.

You can start your meta description by expanding on the title tag. Here are some tips to help:

• Integrate primary keywords: To tell users you have what they are looking for.
• Stay within character length: No more than 158 characters, or you risk getting truncated.

Content Optimization

It’s important to create high-quality content that’s helpful to the users, but it also needs to be optimized so the search engines can understand it and rank it for related search phrases. Here, we will dive deeper into how this optimization is done:

Search Intent

Search intent is the purpose of the search; what information is the searcher hoping to get by searching a given phrase? Search intent should be satisfied at the top of the content piece, adding fluff that does not really answer the question.

This will tell users that we have what they are looking for so they will continue engaging with the content. Search intent can be broken down into:

• Content-Type: refers to the type of the page. (blog post, page, video etc)
• Content Angle: Unique selling point of the content. For example, in “How to make vegan fried rice”, “vegan” is what searches might value in particular.
• Content format: How is this piece of content formatted or written? Some examples include listicles, pros and cons, table format or how-to guides.

For example, when reviewing SERP for the keyword “avocado seeds,” we can see most content is written in “how to format” with steps, along with videos, and there are “easy” and “simple” angles.
This tells me the searches are looking to search for “avocado seed” and aren’t looking to just read about it but also how to plant it. The best way to create this content is to format it with steps accompanied by videos, and most people are looking for a simple method to do it at home.

Note: if the content doesn’t satisfy the search intent, the user ends up leaving the page, resulting in negative consequences for your page rank.

Full Topic Coverage

When a topic is covered in full, it has a higher chance of meeting the searcher’s expectations. It can also open up the door to ranking for relevant keywords to the main topic. A good place to start is the top-ranking pages on SERP and looking for common themes, e.g. headings, faqs or how deep they dive into the content.

When searching for “how to deal with inflation?” we can see the top-ranking pages mention reviewing and reassessing your current budget.

Unique Content

It’s not easy to rank when your content is coming from a paraphrase of other content on Google. If you want to boost your chances of ranking, you should bring something new to the table (SERP). Some creative examples can include:

• Templates: Providing value by including a checklist that can be followed easily. (similar to this blog)
• Original research: new and original knowledge based on your own research. For example, a customer survey.
• Infographic: An easier way to understand and digest information. You could create your own infographics based on data publicly available.
• An Online Tool: brings visitors to your website to use the tool. A good example is the website text extractor from thruuu.

Content Updates

Regularly update declining or outdated content to keep it relevant and boost fresh life into it. This could be as simple as updating the information, adding FAQs and testimonials or adding related LSI keywords in the content. A good place to start is GSC. This will allow you to review the search queries ranking for this page and adjust your content accordingly based on what the users are searching for.

Keyword Integration

Page rank heavily depends on how well you integrate the right keywords into your content. Using primary, secondary and LSI keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing) can improve relevance and rankings for a wider range of search phrases.
Use the primary keyword in the title tag and H1, then sprinkle secondary keywords and LSI keywords in the content as they semantically make sense without over-optimizing.

Headings and Subheadings

Proper use of H1 tags for your main page title and H2/H3 tags for subheadings is crucial for both user experience and rankings. A well-structured content with clear headings makes it easier for search engines to understand and rank your page. Organize your content logically under these headings to keep readers engaged and navigate easily through your page.

Image Relevance and Alt Text

Select images that complement and add value to your content. Each image should have accurate and descriptive alt text, which not only aids SEO but also improves accessibility for users with screen readers. Alt text is a must for images to be properly indexed and understood by search engines.

URL Structure

Create SEO-friendly URLs by including primary keywords and keeping the slugs short and to the point. A well-crafted URL gives both search engines and users a clear idea of what the page is about, contributing to better ranking and user experience.

Link Building

Internal Links

Internal links signal page importance within the site structure. Web pages receiving more links get more attention from search engines. The anchor text also signals what the page is about and what it should be ranked for. Use internal links to connect your related content pieces and provide value.

External Links

Also, include outbound links to authoritative sources, which lends credibility to your content and provides additional value to your readers.

Schema and Rich Snippets

Implement schema markup to help search engines better understand the context of your content, leading to enhanced listings in SERPs. Rich snippets stand out in search results, potentially increasing click-through rates. Here is a list of schema markups that are recognized by Google.

You can use RankMath to easily add structured data to your pages if you are using WordPress.

Final Thoughts

This comprehensive On-Page SEO Checklist for 2024 is designed to guide you through optimizing your website effectively. By implementing these strategies, you can expect to see a notable improvement in your SEO performance.

If you need further assistance with SEO or are looking for additional resources, feel free to reach out for more in-depth guidance.