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For those of you taking a crash course on SEO, we’re sure the phrase “keyword density” has been seared into your temples by now. Especially for on-page SEO. However, creating an effective, optimized page requires more than just some smart meta tags.
If you’re looking for some practical techniques to boost your page’s performance, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn 10 essential SEO tips to improve your on-page SEO – everything you need to bring quality attention to your content.
Now, before you yawn and wander off to find a more complex SEO topic, consider this: title tags are one of the cornerstones of on-page SEO. They always have been. They inform the reader of your page content, and they offer a first impression of yo ur page before they even click the link.
Title tags (when used correctly) are a critical part of any successful SEO strategy. However, the tricky part – is coming up with an enticing headline that not only attracts readers but helps search engines rank your content.
For example, if you were to Google “SEO solutions 2018,” you’ll see that one of the top results is from IMPROZ Marketing.
Our title tag “Top 10 SEO Solutions You Need to Know About in 2018,” meets both criteria for a successful on-page SEO strategy. It provides search engines with correct keyword usage, and it attracts anyone searching for ” SEO solutions in 2018.”
What better way to ward off potential customers than a long, convoluted URL? They’re tough on the eyes, and they don’t exactly help communicate what’s on your page.
What you need is a search-engine-friendly URL. One that includes targeted keywords and doesn’t drag on for miles. The more concise the URL, the easier it will be for your search engine to crawl and rank your content.
Additionally, you want your targeted keywords located near the beginning of your URL. For example, improzinternetmarketing.com/seo-web-hosting-company/ would perform better than. Make your URL short, sweet, and to the point.
For more info on URL structures, the Search Engine Journal has got you covered.
There’s that phrase again. Keyword density. The two most essential words for an on-page SEO.
It’s important to include a healthy amount of relevant keywords throughout your writings. This simple and effective technique makes it easy for search engines to categorize and identify your content. So the next time your potential ‘client’ is looking up one of your keywords, you’ll be right there on the first page.
Though it should be noted, using an excessive amount of keywords hinders your on-page SEO. Plugging keywords into your writing just to satisfy the search engine Gods will NOT work. On average, your keyword density only needs to be around 2-5%. Enough to give the search engines what they want, but not too much whereas you’re diluting your content.
Though meta descriptions and meta keywords don’t factor into Google’s algorithms, coming up with short, attractive meta descriptions can significantly impact y our page’s CTR (click through rate.) This, of course, translates into a positive impact on your ranking and puts your content on the map.
The meta description serves as a subheader below your headline (title tag.) A compelling ad copy of sorts. It’s a perfect space for you to draw your reader into your website and entice them with an overview of your page.
For example:
For on-page SEO, your meta description does not need to exceed 300 characters. Keep it simple and only include the keywords and details that are necessary to get your page’s point across.
When you sit down to write your page’s content, remember this: Heading tags play a vital role in on-page SEO. As the name suggests, the tags create headings throughout your content – breaking up your page and making it easier for people to read.
Body tags have a top-down hierarchy from <H1> to <H6>. With <H1> being your title or main header. Search engines use these tags to determine what is most important on your page. This is why using keyword rich headlines are extremely powerful.
Here’s a good example of proper SEO headings:
All words and no pictures don’t make for a fun read. In our increasingly visual world, it’s important to add some imagery to your content. They make your page more appealing, and (if optimized correctly) they can become a valuable part of your on-page SEO strategy.
The lesson: “Always use images.”
In addition to using high-quality images, it’s best to use keyword-rich captions. They further help search engines identify your content and more importantly help readers understand what they’re looking at.
Another SEO tactic would be to create a descriptive, keyword-rich file name. This alerts Google and search engine crawlers the subject matter of the image.
For example, if you select an image you snatched from your camera, you’ll typically see a file name like “IMG_623423” or something similar. It’s best to change that file name from the default to something more useful. Something that will help your readers and the search engines understand your image.
What better way to connect related content to your website and increase your ranking?
Links. Obviously!
More specifically, outbound links. Simply put, they’re links from your site to another website. They’re external links that provide a spiderweb of connections from site to site – helping search engines identify related content and stream them together.
Ultimately, a search engine’s primary job is to find the exact information the user is searching for. So, when you include outbound links to other helpful content, you’re providing great content all around.
Bounce rate refers to the percentage of site visitors that open your page and leave before spending a certain amount of time. (That time is whatever the search engines deem as ‘enough’.)
We don’t need visitors spending three seconds on your page and bouncing! We need to lower that bounce rate, and we do this by creating compelling content. On-page SEO won’t mean a thing if your site visitors aren’t staying long enough to engage with your brand.
Here are a few ways to lower your bounce rate from Neil Patel:
Giant blocks of text don’t make for an enjoyable reading experience. Try breaking up your text with subheaders and bullet points. Don’t make it so hard on the eyes.
Let’s be honest; nobody likes pop-ups. Especially readers who just started getting into one of your blogs. According to statistics, less than 15% of consumers actually respond to a pop-up ad anyway!
Therefore, it’s best to keep pop-ups to a minimum – or take them out altogether. The overall goal is to keep your readers engaged.
A great headline and strong content won’t mean a thing if you have a weak call-to-action, or worse – no CTA at all! To have an effective on-page SEO strategy, you’re going to need at least one call-to-action per web page. (Though many pages may have multiple CTAs.)
Create a CTA worthy of attention – one that compels your readers to the take the next step.
Search engines are beginning to understand that we are moving toward a mobile-first era. Here’s a fun fact: Google in 2015 started boosting mobile-friendly sites, and penalizing those that didn’t have a responsive design.
To sum it up, Google is built for users. Therefore, it’s going to favor websites that are optimized for users. It’s a subtle adjustment, but this tactic should most definitely be apart of your on-page SEO strategy.
Now, for those who don’t know, LSI or Latent Semantic Indexing words, are words or phrases that are semantically related to each other. Google uses these as synonyms to decipher your content.
For example:
For best SEO practices, you should sprinkle some of these words throughout your page; it creates a clearer picture for search engines and gets you ranking for similar terms. However, don’t go keyword-crazy and cram a textbook worth of terms into your writing. You’ll find it hurts your on-page SEO more than it helps.
(Keyword density should be around 2-3%. Any more and you could be in violation of keyword stuffing.)
Now that you have some essential tips, some gold nuggets of information, you can go out and execute a successful SEO strategy. Whether you have a blog or a full business site, these strategies will help you improve your brand and get you ranking much sooner than you expected.
Furthermore, if you’re in need of SEO specialists, we here at IMPROZ Marketing have the chops to coordinate all your SEO and web strategies – making sure you’re at the top of the hill.
To learn more about SEO and our SEO services visit us here.
