Have you ever visited the third or fourth page of Google’s search results? You might find some amazing gems hidden there. But they’re so buried that it’s difficult to find or need them—after all, you already have several other pages of tailored results shown first.
Think about that as you work on your brand’s website. Do you see a steady amount of traffic or just a trickle, and you hope it will grow exponentially in the weeks, months, and years to come? To turn that trickle into a steadily growing number of visitors is completely possible—as long as you use the right SEO strategy to get the link to your website in front of the right sets of eyes.
According to BrightEdge, 68% of users’ experiences begin by typing a keyword into a search engine. When interviewed, HubSpot reported that 60% of marketers agreed that inbound SEO content (blog posts, articles, landing pages, videos, etc.) was their highest-quality source of new business and brand leads.
For both of these reasons, on-site SEO is not only something you need to be aware of but also something you have to implement correctly as soon as possible to maintain a competitive edge.
What Is On-Site SEO?
On-site SEO is the same as on-page SEO and is best defined as optimizing a website’s content to rank on a search engine. It requires marketers to optimize the website’s content for search intent, internal links, URLs, and title tags.
On-site SEO covers everything you can alter internally to ensure a search engine sees your content. Generally, you’ll improve your site’s SEO by adding short- and long-form keywords and relevant, high-quality content.
Off-page SEO, another type of SEO, is different because it refers to things you don’t have as much control over, but they boost your site’s rankings. One of the greatest off-page SEO ranking factors is the number of backlinks you have to your website. Other types of external ranking factors include press releases and social media.
To make the most of your website, you should try to have both on- and off-site SEO elements.
Why Do We Need On-Site SEO?
You need on-site SEO to boost your rankings and get on the first page of Google’s (or any search engine’s) results. Why do you want to be on the first page? While being on the second or third page might get you visitors, the reality is that most people only look at the first few results when researching. So, if a user types “best dog shampoos” in the search bar, you will need to rank in one of the top spots on the first results page to be seen by them.
But on-site SEO isn’t just for rankings. You also need it to help make your content better for your audience. If your keyword is “dog shampoo with blueberry,” the likelihood of content lining up with what users want to see when they search for the same keyword is extremely high. Focusing on keywords that fit customers’ search intent will help you build well-rounded content that reflects your brand’s services or products.
Adam Audette says it best: “Today it’s not about ‘get the traffic,’ it’s about ‘get the targeted and relevant traffic.”
Using appropriate on-site SEO will do just that so you can reach the targeted, loyal audience members you’ve been looking for.
How To Do On-Site SEO
When you start working on your site’s SEO, remember that on-page SEO involves many different parts. There are 13 elements to keep in mind:
- Your site’s content
- Keywords
- Title tags
- Schema markup
- Featured snippets
- User engagement
- Images
- External linking
- Internal linking
- Headers
- URLs
- Meta descriptions
- Page speed
When each of these is optimized, your website will be set up for success. But how can you create content that helps your on-site SEO?
- Create relative, helpful content that contains the targeted keywords. Don’t keyword stuff (that means adding the keywords in bulk); just focus on adding a few keywords in the content where they make sense.
- Use keyword-rich headings, title tags, and meta descriptions.
- Create enticing meta descriptions. Why should someone want to click on your link in the search results? Tell them with your meta description.
- Opt for both internal and external links. External links help show your authority and encourage trust, while internal links keep users on your website and clicking through your content.
- Optimize your URLs. Make them easy to remember and ensure a keyword is included when possible.
- Add optimized images. Don’t pick just any old image; ensure its alt text matches what you’re looking at.
By taking these steps, you will boost your website’s appearance, quality, and SEO value.
If you are new to building a website or struggling to find time to create content, don’t worry. One of the advantages of on-site SEO is that you can turn to experts for help.
Whether you need copywriters, editors, or industry experts, we’ve got you covered. With WriterAccess, you can easily scale your content production.
Try the 14-day WriterAccess trial now and experience the difference a professional team can make.
