On-page SEO · Beginner

On-page SEO

On-page SEO is optimizing the content and HTML of individual pages, such as titles, headings, text, images, internal links and structured data, so they match what searchers want and are easy for search engines to understand.

By Thryv StudioUpdated

Category
On-page SEO
Level
Beginner
Covers
Titles, descriptions, headings, content, links, images, schema
Different from
Technical SEO (site-wide) and off-page SEO (links, mentions)

What is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO is everything you control on a single page to help it rank for its target search: the title and meta description, the headings, the words on the page, images and their alt text, internal links, the URL and structured data.

The essentials

  1. Match the intent. The page type and content fit what the searcher wants.
  2. Title tag. Clear, unique, with the main keyword near the start.
  3. Headings. One H1 and a logical outline of H2s and H3s.
  4. Content. Answers the question fully, with specifics a competitor doesn't have.
  5. Internal links. To and from related pages, with descriptive anchor text.
  6. Images. Compressed, with descriptive alt text.
  7. Structured data. The schema type that fits the page.

Common mistakes

  • Optimizing words instead of answering the question.
  • Duplicate titles and descriptions across pages.
  • Stuffing the keyword into every heading.

Frequently asked questions

Is on-page SEO enough to rank?

For low-competition searches, sometimes. In competitive markets you also need technical health and authority from links and mentions.

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