On-Page Optimisation

Class 3: On-page optimization.

Prepare yourself - this is a long class and contains a lot of important information. Feel free to re-watch this class and refer to it when needed. Remember, this course is permanently in your learning library and is a good resource to keep close by.

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Let’s get started!

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The topic of on-page optimisation is a large and evolving part of SEO. Strategies continue to grow as search engines update how they analyse websites. This class introduces you to the best practices for optimising a website and provides a step-by-step checklist to follow and refer to at any time.

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On-page optimization refers to the adjustments made to the content and structure of a website to improve its ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). It includes the elements that are within the website's control, such as the website's HTML source code, meta tags, images, title tags, keyword density, and internal linking structure. These elements work together to ensure that the website is easily crawlable, readable, and relevant to the targeted keywords.

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On-page optimization is an important part of SEO and helps search engines understand the relevance and authority of a website for a specific set of keywords. By optimizing the website's on-page elements, you can improve the website's visibility on search engines, and ultimately drive more traffic to the website. It is important to keep in mind that On-page optimization is not a one-time task but an ongoing process that needs to be refined and updated regularly.

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Title tags and meta descriptions.

• Title tags and meta descriptions are elements of your website's HTML code that describe the content of the page. The title tag appears in the browser tab and is also used as the title of the search result snippet.

• The meta description appears below the title in the search result snippet and is used to give users an idea of what the page is about.

• Both the title tag and meta description should be concise and should contain the target keyword for the page. They are important for SEO because they are used by search engines to understand what the page is about and to generate the snippet of text that appears in the search results. They are also important for attracting clicks from the search results, as they give users an idea of what to expect when they click through to the page.

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Headings and subheadings.

• Headings and subheadings help to structure the content on your website and make it easier for users to scan and read. They are also important for SEO because they give search engines additional context about the content of the page. There are six levels of headings in HTML, with H1 being the most important and H6 being the least. It is important to use headings and subheadings appropriately and to include the target keyword where appropriate.

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Image optimization.

• Image optimization involves compressing images to reduce their file size, using descriptive keyword-rich file names and alt text to make it easier for search engines to understand what the images are about. Optimized images can help to improve the user experience by reducing the loading time of the page and can also help to improve the website's visibility in the search engine results pages (SERPs) by providing context for the images to the search engines.

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• Compressing images is an important step in image optimization as it reduces the file size of the images, which in turn reduces the loading time of the page. This improves the user experience by making the page load faster, which can have a positive impact on the website's bounce rate and overall performance. There are several tools available for compressing images such as Adobe Photoshop, TinyPNG, and Kraken.io.

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• Using descriptive keyword-rich file names and alt text is also important for image optimization. File names should be descriptive and relevant to the image and should contain keywords that are relevant to the image and the page it is on. For example, instead of using a generic file name like "image1.jpg" a more descriptive file name would be "red-roses-flower-delivery.jpg". Alt text is the text that is displayed when an image fails to load and it is also used by screen readers for people with visual impairments. Alt text should be descriptive and relevant to the image and should contain keywords that are relevant to the image and the page it is on.

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Internal linking.

• Internal linking refers to the practice of linking to other pages within the same website. It helps search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of a website, and it also helps users navigate the website more easily.

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• One of the main benefits of internal linking is that it helps search engines crawl and index your website more efficiently. By linking to other pages on your website, you are providing a clear hierarchy of information and guiding the search engines to the most important pages on your website. This can help to improve the visibility of your website in the search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase the chances of your website being found by your target audience.

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• Furthermore, internal linking can also help to improve the user experience by making it easier for users to navigate your website. By linking to other pages within your website, you are providing users with additional information and resources that are relevant to their search query. This can help to keep users on your website for longer and reduce the bounce rate, which can have a positive impact on the overall performance of your website.

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URL structure.

• The URL structure of your website is the way that the pages are organized and linked together. A clean, descriptive URL structure can help search engines understand the content of your website and can also make it easier for users to navigate.

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Content optimization.

• Content optimization involves creating high-quality, relevant, and unique content that is targeted to the right audience. It is an important aspect of SEO because it helps to improve the user experience and can also help to attract links from other websites.

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• Creating high-quality content is important for SEO because it helps to establish the website as an authority in its industry and provides value to the users.

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• High-quality content is:

o Informative,

o well-researched,

o and well-written.

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It is also optimized for search engines. This means that it includes relevant keywords, meta tags, and internal links.

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So, the real question is, how do you perform on-page optimisation? Let’s break it down step-by-step:

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Step 1: Choose your focus keyword or phrase.

• Before you start optimizing your website or webpage, you need to decide what term you want it to rank for in search results. This is called your "focus keyword." When choosing a focus keyword, consider the following:

• Relevance: The focus keyword should be relevant to the content of your website or page.

• Search volume: Choose a keyword that has a good search volume, meaning a lot of people are searching for it. You can use a tool like Google's Keyword Planner to see how many people are searching for a particular keyword.

• Competition: Consider the level of competition for the keyword. If there are already many well-established websites ranking for the keyword, it may be difficult for your website to rank well for it.

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Step 2: Optimize your page title and meta description.

• The page title and meta description are the elements that appear in the search results and should include your focus keyword. The page title should be no more than 60 characters, and the meta description should be no more than 160 characters. These elements should be descriptive and compelling, as they are the first thing that users see in the search results and can influence whether they click through to your website.

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Step 3: Add your focus keyword to the page's URL.

• If possible, try to include your focus keyword in the URL of the page. This helps search engines understand the content of the page and can improve its ranking. For example, if your focus keyword is "dog training," a good URL for a page on your website might be "www.example.com/dog-training."

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Step 4: Use header tags to structure your content.

• Header tags (H1, H2, etc.) help break up your content into sections and give search engines an idea of the hierarchy of your content. Use your focus keyword in at least one of the header tags and try to use variations of your focus keyword in other header tags as well. For example, if your focus keyword is "dog training," you might use "Dog Training Tips" as your H1 tag and "Effective Dog Training Techniques" as your H2 tag. Remember – use only one H1 tag per page, as Google may become confused about what the primary subject is for the page.

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Step 5: Use alt text for images.

• Alt text is a description of an image that is displayed when the image can't be shown. Including alt text with your focus keyword can help search engines understand the content of the page and improve its ranking. If you have an image of a dog on your webpage, you might use alt text like "dog training tips."

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Step 6: Use internal linking.

• By linking to other pages within your website, you are providing a clear hierarchy of information and guiding the search engines to the most important pages on your website. This can help to improve the visibility of your website in the search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase the chances of your website being found by your target audience.

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o When creating internal links, it's important to use descriptive and relevant anchor text, which is the visible clickable text of the link. This helps to provide context for both the user and the search engine, and it makes it easier for the user to understand where the link will take them.

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Step 7: Optimize your page loading speed.

• Page loading speed is a ranking factor for search engines. If your website takes too long to load, users may become frustrated and leave, which can hurt your search ranking. You can use tools like Page Speed Insights to identify issues with your website's loading speed and get recommendations for improving it.

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Step 8: Use social sharing buttons.

• Social sharing buttons can help your content get shared on social media platforms, which can help drive traffic to your website. For example, if you have a blog post about dog training tips and someone shares it on Twitter, their followers will see the post and may click through to your website to read it.

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Step 9: Check for broken links.

• Checking for broken links is an important aspect of SEO as it helps to improve the user experience and can also affect your search ranking. Broken links are links that lead to non-existent pages or pages that no longer exist. They can be frustrating for users as they often result in a 404 error page and can also affect your search ranking as they can create a poor user experience.

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• Broken links can occur for a variety of reasons, such as a page being removed or renamed, a website being moved to a new domain, or a typo in the link. They can also be caused by external websites linking to your website using outdated links.

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Step 10: Monitor and track your results.

• Use a tool like Google Analytics to track your traffic and see how your on-page optimization efforts are paying off. You can see how many people are visiting your website, how they found it (for example, through a search engine or a social media platform), and what pages they are viewing. This can help you understand what is working well and what areas you may need to improve.

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Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind when performing on-page optimization:

• Write high-quality, unique content: Search engines value websites that provide useful, informative content that is not found elsewhere on the web. Make sure your website or webpage has original, well-written content that is relevant to your focus keyword.

• Use keywords naturally: Don't stuff your content with your focus keyword or use it unnaturally. Search engines can penalize websites that engage in "keyword stuffing." Instead, use your focus keyword naturally throughout your content, and include related terms and phrases as well.

• Make your website mobile-friendly: One way to make your website mobile-friendly is by using a responsive design. A responsive design is a design that adapts to the screen size of the device it is being viewed on. This means that the layout and elements of the website will adjust to the size of the screen, making it easy to read and navigate on a small screen. By using a responsive design, you can ensure that users have a good experience on their devices, regardless of the device they are using.

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Another way to make your website mobile-friendly is by using a separate mobile version of your website. A separate mobile version of your website is a version of your website that is specifically designed for mobile devices. This version of the website is optimized for a small screen and is designed to provide a better user experience on mobile devices.

Both options have their own benefits, using a responsive design can be more cost-efficient and easier to maintain, whereas using a separate mobile version allows for more customization and control over the mobile experience. It is important to note that Google also uses mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor, so a mobile-friendly website is more likely to rank higher in mobile search results.

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