The Ultimate On Page SEO Checklist For 2025 To Increase Rankings

URLs are a minor ranking factor search engines use when determining a particular page or resource’s relevance to a search query.Keyword use in a URL can also act as a ranking factor. There are several online tools you can use to check your rankings, e.g. the Seobility Ranking Checker. The tool will immediately display your domain’s ranking as well as the top 100 URLs ranking for this keyword. You’ll also want to incorporate your keyword into the alternative text. This ensures that people know what your image is and how it relates to your page. Incorporating the target keyword in the alt-text of the image will help your site rank better for that keyword.

The good news is, learning how to find orphan pages (and fix them) is easier than you think. And doing so can improve your website structure, visibility, and overall performance in search results, ensuring that it performs at its best. The specter looming over most SEO-related conversations in 2025 is AI. When ChatGPT and other generative AI tools burst on the scene in late 2023, many predicted that the death of SEO was imminent. Search engines would wither away, with people turning to AI answer engines like Perplexity and Gemini to answer all their queries. Lucky for all the SEO pros out there, that prediction has not yet proved correct.

How does keyword research impact on-page SEO?

Key elements of on-page SEO include optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, content (including keyword usage), internal links, URLs, images, and ensuring a positive user SEO Anomaly experience. These elements collectively contribute to improved search engine rankings and user engagement. High-quality content properly optimized for your target keywords is more likely to attract links and to rank in Google. Aside from your site content, technical SEO factors such as site speed and title tag placement are also ranking factors. By taking a holistic approach, you are “checking” as many boxes as you can for Google, giving your site the best shot at ranking and increasing overall organic traffic.

Research and Select Your Keywords

People want what you promised them in your title and meta description, so don’t kick things off with a load of fluff. Get straight to the point and give the reader what they came for in the first sentence. If you’re not sure what words or phrases to use, the main keyword you’re targeting is usually a good bet. This search engine optimization (SEO) guide explains how to do on-page SEO.

SEO Content Assistant

Specifically, you want to put your keyword at the front of your title tag whenever possible. Now it’s time to optimize your content using a handful of tested on-page SEO techniques. You can also use the Keyword Magic Tool from Semrush to find question keywords. Tracking your rankings in search results can help you understand if the rest of your SEO efforts are working. The most comprehensive website for teaching the fundamentals of search engine optimization. The comparison table below shows the key differences between on-page SEO and technical SEO in an easy-to-understand format.

Search engines can’t read pages like humans can, so we incorporate structure and clues as to what our content means. This helps provide the relevance element of search engine optimization that matches queries to useful results. Technical SEO ensures search engines can efficiently crawl, index, and rank your site. Off-page SEO refers to actions taken outside your website to improve search engine rankings. It builds authority and credibility by showing search engines that others value your content.

In 2014, Google announced that HTTPS has become a (lightweight) ranking signal. Every time someone visits your website, all of the elements are loaded. These elements are stored in temporary storage in their browser called cache. If they visit your website again, the website can be loaded from the cache. You don’t have to worry about milliseconds, but don’t expect awesome performance from providers that offer hosting for $0.10/month. To implement all the technical stuff perfectly, you may need a developer (unless you know something about HTML/CSS minifying or DOM elements).

When someone performs a search, the clickable link in the search results is pulled from the title tag you set for the page. On-page SEO refers to optimizing content and web pages to gain better visibility in search engines while improving the experience for users who visit your site. The best practice for adding image alt tags is to create alt text that describes the image and that includes your target keyword or phrase.

• It also allows you to target high-competition keywords that you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to rank for.
• You can see your options and decide which keywords will work best for your business.
• Media queries also allow you to tailor button sizes and styles for various screen dimensions.
• With keyword research, you identify the words and phrases (keywords) that people type into Google to help them find the answers to their questions or to solve a problem they’re facing.

Probably the most logical choice of meta description for such a recognizable product. Apple just highlights what has changed in the latest generation of its product. Organic traffic to one of our pages before matching search intent and after. In our example, that can be definitions of guest blogging and guest post. First, find a site that’s ranking for a keyword you want to rank for.

It’s important to include relevant keywords naturally without overstuffing, as excessive use can lead to penalties from search engines and diminish the readability of your content. The qualities that make an effective title tag also apply to effective meta descriptions. Although Google says that meta descriptions are not a ranking factor, like title tags, they are incredibly important for click-through rate.