What Is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to all the strategies and optimizations you apply within your website’s pages to improve their search visibility. Unlike off-page SEO (like backlinks), these factors are under your direct control.

It’s about making your content understandable for both humans and search engines.

1. Structure Your Content with Semantic HTML

Your website’s content should be structured like a well-organized document. Headings aren’t just visual tools—they convey hierarchy and meaning.

Best Practices:

  • Use one <h1> tag per page, clearly reflecting the page’s primary topic.
  • Use <h2> for major sections, <h3> for subsections, and so on.
  • Avoid skipping heading levels (don’t jump from <h1> to <h4>).
  • Don’t use headings just for styling—use CSS for that.

Example:

<h1>About Our Company</h1>
<h2>Our History</h2>
<h3>Founded in 1989</h3>
<h2>Our Team</h2>
<h3>Rupesh Anand - Founder</h3>

This clear structure helps screen readers, search engines, and users understand your content effortlessly.

2. Craft Compelling Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Your page’s <title> and <meta description> are often the first things a user sees in search results.

Title Tag Tips:

  • Keep under 60 characters.
  • Include the primary keyword at the start.
  • Make it relevant and click-worthy.

Meta Description Tips:

  • Summarize the page in 150–160 characters.
  • Include the target keyword naturally.
  • Make it engaging — treat it like an ad for your page.

Example:

<title>Our Story | Gourmet Delights Restaurant</title>
<meta name="description" content="Explore the journey of Gourmet Delights since 1989. Meet our team, our founder, and discover our culinary legacy.">

3. Use Clean, SEO-Friendly URLs

URLs should be short, descriptive, and human-readable.

Best Practices:

  • Use hyphens, not underscores.
  • Avoid numbers, symbols, or random characters.
  • Include your focus keyword.

Good Examples:

  • /about-us
  • /meet-the-founder
  • /best-vegan-dishes

4. Optimize Your Headings and Keyword Placement

Search engines still rely heavily on keywords, but the goal is not stuffing — it’s smart usage.

Where to place keywords:

  • In the <h1> tag
  • Within the first 100 words of the content
  • In <h2> or <h3> if relevant
  • In image alt text (when natural)
  • In internal links and anchor text

Focus on search intent—what is the user really looking for?

5. Optimize Images for SEO and Speed

Images enhance user experience—but unoptimized images can kill your page speed.

Image Optimization Tips:

  • Use descriptive file names: rupesh-anand.jpg not IMG_9923.jpg.
  • Use alt text that describes the image for screen readers.
  • Compress images without quality loss (use WebP or tools like TinyPNG).
  • Lazy-load images to improve speed.

6. Build a Strong Internal Linking Structure

Internal links help search engines crawl your site and help users discover related content.

Internal Linking Rules:

  • Use anchor text that reflects the page being linked to.
  • Link naturally—don’t force it.
  • Ensure important pages are not orphaned (have no links pointing to them).

Example:

“Learn more about our journey on the About Us page.”

7. Prioritize Mobile-Friendly Design

With the majority of searches now coming from mobile, responsive design is a must.

Mobile Optimization Tips:

  • Use a mobile-first layout.
  • Make fonts large and readable.
  • Ensure buttons and links are tappable.
  • Avoid content that overflows or requires horizontal scrolling.

Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your site.

8. Improve Page Load Speed

Google considers site speed a ranking factor, and users expect fast pages.

Speed Tips:

  • Minimize CSS and JS files.
  • Use caching and a CDN (Content Delivery Network).
  • Optimize images and use modern formats.
  • Avoid unnecessary third-party scripts.

Tools to test:

9. Create Quality, Useful Content

The best SEO strategy? Be genuinely helpful.

Content Tips:

  • Target a clear search intent for every page.
  • Break content into sections with headings, bullet points, and images.
  • Update content regularly to keep it fresh.
  • Add FAQs, summaries, and CTAs.

Google’s Helpful Content System rewards pages that are written for people, not search engines.

10. Use Schema Markup for Rich Results

Schema.org markup helps Google understand your content and display rich snippets like:

  • FAQs
  • Star ratings
  • Recipes
  • Local business info

Tools: