On-page SEO tricks refers to all the techniques used to optimize individual pages to rank higher in search results.
Spoiler: it’s more than picking keywords and placing them strategically across your text.
On-page SEO starts with finding the most relevant keywords to your audience, but it also includes multiple on-page ranking factors that can improve your SERP position and bring relevant traffic from search engines.
Here are ten basic on-page SEO tricks you need to master to remain relevant in 2019.
1. Target the Right Keywords
Choosing the right keywords is a matter of balance. If you have a new website, with no backlinks and no history, you can’t compete for the popular keywords.
However, targeting words that no one uses online won’t bring you traffic either.
Make a list of possible keywords based on the topics you want to write about and use a keyword tool to evaluate their effectiveness in your geographical location.
You’ll see the average monthly searches for each keyword and whether the competition is high or not, as well as statistics and traffic forecasts.
If you’re new in the SEO game, pick keywords with medium or low competition that could still bring you a decent amount of traffic.
2. Optimize Title Tag and Meta Description
Title tags and meta descriptions are the first things people see from your page–since it’s the part that search engines show in search results.
They’re essential when you’re looking to capture attention.
Title tags should be descriptive and concise, according to Google. It’s important for titles to include the focus keyword — the closer to the beginning of the title, the better.
Numbers and words such as “2019,” “best,” “guide,” or ”top“ (modifiers) can also add weight to the title because they can help you target long-tail keywords.
The meta description should contain the keyword too. Moreover, the description should have a limited number of words.
Otherwise, search engines won’t be able to list it–160 characters for meta descriptions in the desktop version and 130 for mobile.
Luckily, you can test and optimize your meta info with free online tools, to get more value without wasting too much time writing and rewriting your descriptions.
3. Place the Focus Keyword in the URL
Short and descriptive URLs are important on-page SEO factors.
For example, “https://i-seo.works/seo-for-yandex-7-things-you-need-to-know/” is an excellent URL structure, as it contains the primary keyword and tells exactly what the page is about.
It’s useful information for the search engines, as well as for potential readers.
The first three-five words of the URL are the most important, so make sure you put your keyword there.
4. Set ALT Attributes for All Images
When you optimize images for the search engines, you give more clues on what your page is about.
So, you need to include the main keyword in the image alt text as well. If you use multiple images to illustrate your content, you can incorporate more long-tail keywords (one for each visual).
As part of your SEO strategy, make sure that all images are relevant to the topic and add value to your website visitors.
This small detail improves the user experience and can influence the time that your visitors spend on your page.
5. Use LSI Keywords
Latent semantic index (LSI) keywords are variations of your focus keyword or synonyms that allow you not to repeat yourself in your content.
Even if some marketers don’t see a correlation between LSI keywords and SERPs, the fact is they help you to keep the text flow and write naturally.
Repeating the same construction too often in your content increases the keyword density and makes the text hard to read.
On the other side, synonyms make your content sound more natural, which is better for your readers. And what’s good for the public helps SEO as well.
6. On-Page SEO Tricks: Write Long-Form Content
Studies show that articles over 2,000 words are more likely to rank high in search results than short pieces.
Now, it doesn’t mean you need to write down thousands of fluff words just to impress Google.
Depending on your topic and the industry trends, you may as well improve SEO with 1,000-word articles.
The ideal word count is the one that allows you to provide in-depth information about your topic in an exciting manner.
When it comes to word count, your public should have the final word. Some people like reading long articles, while many still prefer 500 words well written.
So, test your audience to see how they engage with long-form content before ordering a dozen 2,000-word articles.
7. Reduce Bounce Rates with Quality Content
The quality of your content should be your main focus. No matter how well you implement the other on-page SEO techniques, you’ll fail without excellent content.
This is because no search engine promotes a website with worthless content.
Two major components define the quality of your content:
- The information you provide should come from reliable sources or your own research.
- Your texts should be impeccable concerning grammar, punctuation, and style.
High-quality content helps people. It answers questions, provides solutions that are easy to implement, or creates positive emotions.
Anything else, and your website visitors will go back to search results for another website.
Time on site, pages per session, and bounce rates are essential ranking factors, and they all depend on the quality of your content.
There’s no doubt; on-page SEO starts with delivering excellent materials to your website visitors.
8. Structure Your Content to Increase Readability
55 percent of internet users spend less than 15 seconds on a site. You have less time to impress your readers than you think.
Whether it’s your blog or a landing page, you need to format all your content to increase readability and allow people to scan the information they have access to.
When you structure content with subheadings, bullet points, and bold text, you guide your readers towards the information they’re looking for.
At the same time, the architecture of your articles can help search engines identify the topics you discuss better and send more relevant traffic to your site.
9. Keep Your Content Up-to-Date
Nobody likes reading content written two years ago. As technology speeds up all industries, people are continuously looking for fresh information online. And search engines deliver just that.
So, if you haven’t updated your website lately, maybe it’s the right time to refresh your content.
Start with the pages that already generate some traffic. This way, you improve your website performance right away.
10. Encourage Engagement
People interacting with your content are a strong signal that your website is trustworthy and relevant in your niche.
The more website visitors you convince to comment, share and click on your CTAs, the better for your on-page SEO strategy.
Use active verbs and trigger words to encourage people to share their opinions with you, or to send your article to a friend.
Tell people what you expect from them, and they’ll answer, helping you to improve your SERPs.
Final Thoughts on On-Page SEO
On-page SEO isn’t an exact science. The above on-page SEO tricks work now, but as Google keeps updating its algorithms to provide better services, new techniques will substitute the old strategies.
The things that won’t lose weight in this scheme are the keywords and the quality of your content.
As long as people will keep using words to search for information online, keyword research and placement will be necessary for ranking high in search results.
Once people find you online, it’s your content that can make them stay on your page, learn about you and do business with you.
