What is On-Page SEO?

Simply put:

"On Page SEO" refers to finding the best combination of code and text for the search engine to understand the page. 

Elaborate please...

The keywords you choose, where you place them and the code around them are just a few of the areas that require attention in order to rank on Google. Additionally, schema markup and accessibility refinements area code based areas that also play a role with creating an effective on page seo strategy.

While choosing the right words to put on your page may seem easy, perhaps even silly, at first, once you begin to understand all the elements it takes to talk to the search engine efficiently you will quickly realize why On Page SEO requires a lot of effort. 

Why do I need On Page SEO?

Perhaps the most important part of your SEO strategy will be how you optimize your on page elements. The search engines will rank your website based on how much effort you put into making sure they know what you are about.

Understanding the basics of On Page SEO is an important step in improving your rankings. With that said, it doesn't end there. You must also understand how to keep up with Google's constant changes and algorithm updates.

There are many things that will affect your rankings; however there are some basic elements that search engines look for when ranking webpages:

• How relevant/useful is the content? 
• Is this information or service something people would consider valuable? 
• Does this page answer a question searchers may be asking? 
• Can users easily find what they're looking for? 
• Do all pages on your site follow on page SEO best practices?

One way to look at on page optimization is to think about the on page elements as puzzle pieces. To make it easy for Google, you want to make sure each on-page element on your webpage matches up with other on-page elements of similar context.

What are Some Common On Page SEO Optimizations?

If you Google Search on "how to rank #1 in Google Search" the results are abundant.

While it is impossible to rank #1 for every keyword you want, there are some common factors that will help your page rank better than others. 

Some of the more important factors include:

Relevant Keywords in Titles, URLs and Headers - Make sure you use keywords throughout all elements on the page. Try to place them in the title and URL of the page. Don't forget to sprinkle them into your headers as well!

Linking - Search engines want websites that offer value and link to relevant sites that offer complementary content. Anchor text is also an important part of linking with On Page SEO. Be sure to use descriptive keywords so users know where they are being linked to.

Accessibility - Depending on the size of your business having an accessible site for people with disabilities may be a requirement and even if it is not mandated by law, it is a good feature to implement for customer satisfaction and planning for the future. Accessibility updates include adding suffienct contrast with text, text size adjustments, and reader optimizations such aria labels and alt/title tags.

Schema - Search engines parse structured data to use in maps and other listings as well as update how their voice assistants interact with your business. Having the correct schema along with the correct implementation can be done statically or dynamically. When working with large catalogs, directories etc...,  dynamic schema creation is essential in capturing top positions.

How Often do I Need to Update My On Page SEO?

It is important that your website is continuously updated with fresh content. This will keep users coming back and gives the search engines new information to rank your site for different keywords.

While you may not need to update a ranking page very many times once you have the position you need, you will need to update outbound and inbound links with relevant content to maintain your keyword positions.

As you can see, On Page SEO is an important factor in ranking. It takes time and effort to consistently keep your website optimized for search engines, but the payoff will be worth it.