Google rolled out its broad core algorithm update this year on Sep 21. As a result, user intent and SEO become more and more critical in getting your content ranked.
SEO is crucial in taking your website forward, no matter how small or big your website is. Unless people notice your website, you cannot attract new customers. This is where on-page SEO comes into the picture.
What’s on-page SEO? On-page SEO is optimizing your website content for the search engine following a set of practices. There’s more to on-page SEO than just keywords.
Here is a list of on-page SEO practices that are relevant in 2023.
Shorten the URL
A proper URL structure is more important than ever. There’s nothing wrong in saying that URL structure is an underrated part of on-page SEO.
A recent analysis of 11.8 million Google search results by Backlinko revealed that short URLs performed better than longer URLs.
Ensure you have a short URL without any trailing slashes and minimal length. The URL length should be no more than 100 characters excluding stop words.
Use Keywords in the URL
Your URL is much more than an address. It's also where Google understands what your website is trying to do. So, it is essential that you add your keyword to your URL.
As per recent research by Backlinko, URLs with keywords have a 45% better clickthrough rate than those without a keyword.
Add Keyword to Your Title Tag
Placing keywords in your title tag is a well-known SEO practice. But did you know that placement also matters?
Your keyword should be in the front of your title tag, if possible. This helps increase your rankings and attract more customers to the listing.
Remember that the title tag should be conversational and not a bunch of keywords.
Embed Title Tag Modifiers
Title Tag modifiers are phrases or words that you add to title tags. When you add the modifiers to your title tags, your content will rank for many long tail keywords in addition to your primary keyword.
Add the Keyword to the H1, H2, or H3 Tags
Ensure that you use your keyword in the H1, H2, or H3 tags. This can help you rank higher for that keyword.
Will an h2 tag make or break your on-page SEO? Maybe not. But coming to SEO, every little thing helps.
Again, every heading should be related to the primary keyword somehow.
Include the keyword Once in the First 100-150 Words
Google places more value on the first 150 words of your content. Hence it is essential that you mention the keyword at least once within the first 100-150 words
Also, get straight to the point. After all, when people come here for answers, it's only fitting that we give them what they desire.
Optimize Images
Images say much more about the content than you could convey. And Google places much importance on images as well.
A report by BuzzSumo states that articles with an image every 100 words get double the shares than articles with fewer images.
Unfortunately, Google cannot comprehend images. So it is up to you to help it understand the photos with the help of image alt tags and filenames.
Use Synonyms and LSI Keywords
According to SEO Experts, a good keyword density is 1%-2%. Any more than that can be detrimental to the ranking.
Instead of using the same keyword throughout the content, you can use synonyms and LSI keywords.
LSI keywords are terms that go along with the main keyword. Keyword research is a must when it comes to increasing your SEO ranks. Read more about searching keywords on our blog, “Why Search Trending Keywords Before Starting Google Ads,” is loaded with information on how to perform keyword research.
External Linking
Ensure you have 3-4 websites of good authority in your article.
External linking to a high-quality website can help you rank higher and increase your website’s credibility.
Furthermore, linking to credible sites also increases the trustworthiness of the article.
Internal Linking
In addition to external linking, you also need 2-5 links to other web pages from your website. Ensure that you use keyword-rich anchor text for internal linking. That’s the actual value of internal links. They power your site architecture, convey meaning, funnel authority, and much more.