On-page search engine optimization focuses specifically on the aspects of the web page itself and how you can manipulate them to improve your search rankings on search engines like Google. Looking at Internet Live Stats, you can see that Google can get upwards of 4 billion search queries a day! Therefore, achieving consistent high-ranking pages is crucial to driving traffic to your website. A well-made website won’t just have sleek designs, but it will also incorporate best on-page SEO practices.
As an SEO services company, Snap Agency has a team of SEO experts who have extensive experience in creating and optimizing SEO strategies for our clients. We’ve compiled a beginner’s guide to on-page SEO to get you on the right track.
Four Pillars of On-Page SEO
Page content
Page content can be divided into two factors: site copy and keyword density. The copy of your page should include keyword phrases and synonyms that your consumers use to describe your offering. For example, if you sell wrist activity trackers, you would include “calorie counter,” “heart rate monitor,” and “step counter” throughout the product description page. Google’s search algorithm will reward pages that use keywords most efficiently.
Keyword density refers to the number of times a keyword is used on a page divided by the total number of words on that page. The higher the keyword density, the better search ranking your page will have. However, overloading your copy with keyword phrases will likely lead to your page being flagged as spam which will can lead to a low search ranking. Using keywords frequently but organically will increase the credibility of your page and will improve your local SEO rankings.
URL Structure
For your URLs, descriptive and relevance is key. Make sure you are implementing keywords into your website URLs. Instead of randomly generating your URLs with various letters and numbers, apply your keywords to the tail of the URL. For example, if you were an outdoor retailer, a URL for your hiking gear would look like this: www.companyname.com/hiking-gear. Not only does a clean URL make it easier for search engines to crawl through your URL, but they are also more likely to be clicked on by users.
Meta Data
Just like your URLs, your page titles and meta data descriptions should also descriptive and relevant. Your page title is what appears on Google searches above the URL. It should be detailed enough to grab the attention of the user, but simple enough where it doesn’t overwhelm them. The page title should be the attention-grabber. What will entice a user to click on your link will be the meta description. The page title should incorporate the main keyword that’s being targeted on your page. The meta description is what appears below your URL. This is what will ultimately trigger the user to click on your link. The description should be a brief summary of the content of the page.
Page Speed
When it comes to the load time of your pages, speed is everything. People are impatient. If a page takes too long to load, your users will hit the back button and try something else. In fact, a study conducted by Google found that 53% of people who shop on their phones claim that most of the sites are too slow. On top of this, it takes an average of 19 seconds for any given mobile web page to load! One way to ensure that your pages are running smoothly is to make sure your website is responsive. With so many search queries coming from mobile devices these days, it is essential to have a responsive web design.
Optimize your On-Page SEO with Snap
Here at Snap Agency, we love SEO. We understand the importance of search engine optimization and will work with you to make sure that you’re seeing the ROI you want. If you’re interested in upping your on-page SEO, then contact us now and utilize our professional SEO services and get your search position soaring to new heights.