A Comprehensive Guide to On-Page SEO

Table of Contents

• What is On-Page SEO?
• Core Elements of On-Page SEO
• On-Page SEO Techniques – How To Do It?
• Advanced On-Page SEO Factors
• Tracking On-Page SEO Performance
• On-Page SEO vs Off-Page
• What On-Page Strategy Do We Use?
• How Can WP Creative Help You?

On-page SEO is the cornerstone of effective digital marketing, playing a crucial role in how search engines interpret and rank your website. In a world where online visibility can make or break a business, mastering on-page techniques is essential for any brand looking to thrive.

Unlike off-page SEO, on-page optimisation is within your direct control, allowing website owners to refine their content, meta tags, and site structure to meet search engine requirements.

This guide covers insights and our proven techniques to elevate your on-page SEO efforts based on our years of experience in what works and what doesn’t.

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO, also sometimes called on-site SEO, is the technique of optimising the elements within your website in order to help Google and other search engines understand and rank your content. And it is also exactly where you need to think for users as well. 

Why is on-page SEO important? Search engines look for relevance in your content through on-page SEO factors. So, it’s crucial to make our website optimised for these factors if we are to rank on the organic search results.

You can see an example of how well-optimised pages rank much higher on SERPs below:

By optimising individual web pages, you can also increase your chances of ranking higher in search engines and attracting more qualified leads.

While on-page SEO starts by finding out keywords your users use to search for your services in search engines, it is more than just about the keywords and headings. On-page SEO focuses on all aspects of the webpage including the overall content, user experience and also the technical implementations. These all combined form an on-page strategy.

Read More: Digital Marketing Strategy for Australian Marketers in 2025

Core Elements of On-Page SEO

Understanding the core elements of on-page SEO is essential for building a strong foundation in digital marketing. Each element contributes to how search engines interpret and rank your content, as well as how users interact with your site.

The following sections represent an on-page SEO checklist with some critical on-page SEO elements and how to leverage them effectively.

1. Content

The first thing to consider is the content.

• Content should be original, well-researched, and highly relevant to your target audience.
• Engaging and informative writing develops trust, encourages sharing, and keeps users on your site longer.
• But writing it once is not the only thing you can do. Regularly updating content ensures it remains useful and accurate over time.
• In addition to being up-to-date and original, your content should also be keyword-optimised.

Keywords play a vital role in signalling to search engines what your content is about, but the keyword usage must be balanced. Overloading content with keywords, known as keyword stuffing, can harm readability and may even lead to search engine penalties.

2. Keywords

Keywords make up the next important component of on-page SEO. By identifying the terms and phrases your target audience uses to search for information, you can align your content with their needs and expectations.

Start by using SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find high-traffic, low-competition keywords. Focus on a mix of primary keywords, long-tail phrases, and related terms that reflect the intent behind user searches.

Once you have a solid list, strategically incorporate these keywords into your titles, headers, meta descriptions, body text and even anchor text.

Also Read: How To Do Keyword Research for Your WordPress Website?

3. Title Tags

Title tags are critical for both search engine optimisation and user engagement. They provide search engines and users with a clear idea of what a particular page is about.

4. URL Structure

A clean, descriptive URL structure is an important way of optimising individual pages for search engines. Including relevant keywords in the URL helps search engines understand the page’s content and makes it easier for users to anticipate what they’ll find.

Avoiding complex parameters and excessive characters ensures a more user-friendly experience. Clear URLs improve navigation, make links easier to share, and enhance your site’s crawlability.

5. Meta Descriptions

While meta descriptions don’t directly affect rankings, they play a crucial role in driving clicks by enticing users to visit your target page. A good meta description is typically 150–160 characters long, includes relevant keywords, and offers a clear call to action.

Prioritising this element can lead to improved user engagement and higher traffic, making meta descriptions an important part of your on-page SEO strategy.

6. Header Tags

Header tags (H1, H2, H3, and beyond) structure your content, making it easier for both users and search engines to navigate.

The H1 tag highlights the main topic, while the H2 and H3 tags break the content into smaller, organised sections. The proper use of header tags improves readability and also signals the hierarchy and relevance of your content in terms of search intent.

Similarly, search engine robots generally place the most weight on an H1 tag, followed by H2, H3 and so on.

7. Internal Links

Internal linking connects various pages within your website, streamlining site navigation. By guiding visitors to related content, you can improve engagement, reduce bounce rates, and keep users on your site longer.

These also help distribute link equity. It is also a tactic to signal to search engine crawlers that your page is an authoritative source on a specific topic. A thoughtful internal linking strategy ensures that users and search engines can easily discover your most valuable pages.

This element is important for boosting the overall SEO performance of your website.

On-Page SEO Techniques – How To Do It?

Once you’re familiar with the components of on-page SEO, it’s time to understand the techniques that help us optimise these components for particular web pages.

Each component requires a specific approach to ensure that your site ranks well and provides an excellent user experience. The following is an on-page SEO checklist that you can use to start:

1. Optimisation of Meta Tags and URL
2. Structuring Content with Headers
3. Optimising the Content Body
4. Enhancing Content with Images and Graphics
5. Adding Alt Text for Images
6. Adding Links for Enhanced SEO

1. Optimisation of Meta Tags and URL

We begin with the optimisation of meta tags and URLs for the first step in our on-page strategy.

• Start by crafting a compelling keyword-rich title tag at the beginning,g and remain under 60 characters.
• For a good meta description, summarise the page’s content in 150–160 characters, incorporating keywords naturally. This short, concise description often determines whether a user chooses to visit your page, so make it count.

• Ensure your URL structure is short and descriptive, containing the primary keyword. Clean URLs are more memorable and shareable, making them friendlier for both users and search engines.

Pro Tip:

• Naturally include the primary keyword and a call-to-action to encourage clicks in the meta description tag.
• In the page URL, use hyphens to separate words and avoid special characters.

2. Structuring Content with Headers

Since headers are where crawlers focus, our next step would be to keep them optimised and clear.

• Add an H1 tag for the page title consisting of the primary keyword.
• Follow this with H2 tags for major sections and H3 tags for subsections, creating a clear hierarchy.

Your page should only have a single H1 tag. One way I ensure that my SEO strategy remains effective is by incorporating the primary keyword in the H1 or H2 tag. Since search engines prioritise these heading structures, there will be a higher chance that the search engine crawlers will find the subject of your content.

Additionally, using keyword-rich headers improves the chances of your content being displayed in search snippets or featured results.

3. Optimising the Content Body

Next up is the content itself. In addition to keeping the content relevant and rich in information, you should also manage keywords that are relevant and match search intent to improve your ranking.

• Organise your content in a way that the primary keyword falls within the first 100 words to signal relevance to search engines. This early placement helps search engines quickly determine the page’s relevance to the search queries.

• As you develop the body text, use variations, synonyms and related keywords of your primary keyword to maintain a natural, conversational tone.

I often go for a keyword density of around 1-2% to prevent keyword stuffing that can lead to penalties. Keyword stuffing can lead to negative SEO effects on the webpage as well as the entire website.

Instead, focus on the quality and context of the content. Ensure that every instance of a keyword adds value and serves the user’s needs. Content often takes most of your time during on-page SEO, so make sure it is rich and fills the information gap on the search results.

4. Enhancing Content with Images and Graphics

Adding images to your content increases readability. It makes the page exciting to look a,t which will eventually improve user behavior.

• Incorporate high-quality images or graphics that are relevant to your topic to engage users and break up text-heavy content.
• When adding images, ensure they are appropriately sized for fast loading times.
• To keep the web pages optimised for mobile devices, we use a specific image format and size for all images. This improves page speed and ensures that the images remain consistent throughout.
• Use descriptive file names that include keywords, as this can improve visibility in image searches. Engaging visuals not only enhance user experience but also contribute positively to SEO efforts.

5. Adding Alt Text for Images

Alt text or “alternate text” is a text you use to describe the content of the images. To optimise your alt text:

• Write concise alt-text that describes the image’s content accurately while incorporating relevant keywords where appropriate.
• For example, rather than writing “Image of a tool,” try “Blue power drill on a wooden table.” This not only helps users understand the image content but also provides search engines with valuable information that can improve image search rankings.

Pro tips:

• Aim for a sentence or two that clearly conveys the image’s content. Do not exceed 125 characters on the image alt text.
• Start directly with what the image shows rather than stating it’s an image.

6. Adding Links for Enhanced SEO

As mentioned, internal and external links are extremely important for the user journey. They add content and ensure that you are linking relevant topics to one another.

• Add internal links to other relevant pages on your site; this helps users discover related content while distributing page authority across your website.
• Another way I like to use internal links is to create a content pillar that is supported by relevant articles to create a content hub. This creates a structured flow which increases readability for your users.
• Additionally, incorporate external links to other websites and authoritative sources that provide additional value or context to your content.
• Use descriptive anchor text for clarity. You can even add keywords as anchor text where relevant.

Continue Reading: Technical SEO Guide [2025]

Advanced On-Page SEO Factors

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so must your on-page SEO strategies. While foundational practices like keyword optimisation and meta tags remain important, incorporating advanced techniques can significantly boost your site’s visibility and user engagement.

This section outlines key advanced on-page factors, highlighting their value and how to optimise your content for each.

Featured Snippets

Featured snippets occupy prime real estate at the top of Google’s search results, delivering direct answers to user queries. Securing a snippet position can dramatically improve visibility and click-through rates. To increase your chances:

• Identify common questions your target audience is asking and address them clearly in your content.
• Use structured formats such as bullet points, numbered lists, or tables for quick, easy-to-read answers.
• Place the most concise and direct response in the first paragraph of the headings so that it is well-aligned with the query.

Creating Content Hubs

Content hubs are centralised resources built around a core topic to enhance SEO and user experience. Develop a pillar page offering an in-depth overview, and create supporting articles targeting specific subtopics.

An example of this would be a pillar page on “on-page SEO” which can then be supported by articles focusing on specific topics like “how to create effective internal linking” or “ways to avoid keyword stuffing”.

Use strategic internal linking to connect all pieces, helping search engines and users navigate seamlessly. To create content clusters:

• Write high-quality supporting articles answering specific questions related to the pillar topic.
• Link supporting content back to the pillar page with keyword-rich anchor text.
• Regularly update and optimise content to keep it relevant and engaging.

Optimise for E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is a critical framework for improving your on-page SEO and building credibility with search engines. It ensures your content meets quality standards and earns user trust. To optimise for E-E-A-T:

• Focus on demonstrating expertise, sharing real-world experience, and building trust through transparency and authoritative signals.
• Highlight author credentials and include an author bio to showcase expertise.

• Use credible sources and cite data to enhance trust and authority.

Voice Search Optimisation

Optimising for voice search is increasingly becoming an important aspect of on-page SEO as voice search is transforming how users find information. Voice queries are often conversational and question-based, so optimising for them improves your chances of appearing in voice search results.

To optimise for voice search:

• Target long-tail, conversational keywords that match natural speech patterns.
• Optimise for featured snippets by structuring content with clear headings and FAQ sections.
• Improve page load times and ensure your website is mobile-friendly for seamless voice search accessibility.

Are you looking to improve the off-page SEO of your website? Here are the top link building methods for you to try.

Tracking On-Page SEO Performance

In order to navigate the dynamic world of on-page SEO, tracking the performance of your website is an essential step.

By monitoring a set of well-defined SEO KPIs, you can identify which strategies give positive outcomes, pinpoint areas needing improvement, and remain active in responding to evolving search algorithms or shifts in user behaviour.

Some factors you can track to monitor on-page SEO performance are:

1. Organic Traffic Trends

Monitor the flow of organic traffic to your site. By keeping a close eye on traffic volume, you can identify patterns, such as increases or declines, which may be tied to recent changes in your content or to larger search algorithm updates.

Understanding these trends helps you pinpoint which optimisation efforts are successful and where you might need to focus more attention.

2. Keyword Rankings and Performance

The positions of your target keywords in search results are a direct indicator of how well your content aligns with search intent and algorithm requirements. Tracking these rankings allows you to see if your efforts are pushing your pages higher in the search results or if they’re losing visibility.

An effective technique I use to keep up with keyword ranking is monitoring the ranking weekly and documenting the results. This way, I can assess the performance of my SEO strategy with updated data every week.

Additionally, analysing how much traffic those keywords generate helps you determine which terms deliver the most value, enabling you to refine your keyword strategy and maintain strong performance over time.

3. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Your CTR from search results reflects how compelling your titles and meta descriptions are in enticing users to click. A declining CTR might indicate that your meta tags aren’t resonating with users or that the competition’s listings have become more appealing.

Regularly evaluating CTR helps you recognise when to rewrite titles or adjust meta descriptions to maintain a high level of engagement from the search engine results page (SERP).

4. Bounce Rate and Dwell Time

When users quickly leave a page (high bounce rate) or spend very little time on it (low dwell time), it can signal that the content isn’t meeting their expectations. This feedback is invaluable for identifying pages that need improvement.

By addressing these issues, such as by improving content quality, reorganising information, or enhancing visual appeal, you can keep visitors engaged longer and signal to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant.

5. Internal Link Performance

A well-structured internal linking strategy guides visitors to related high-quality content, keeping them on your site longer and increasing the likelihood of conversions.

By regularly evaluating which internal links are used most frequently, which existing linked pages are visited next, and where users tend to drop off, you can adjust your linking approach to improve your site’s overall SEO impact.

Read More: How long does SEO take?

On-Page SEO vs Off-Page

On-page SEO focuses on elements within your site, such as content quality and meta tags, to improve search engine rankings. In contrast, off-page SEO involves external strategies like backlink building and social media engagement to enhance your site’s authority and credibility.

Both are crucial for a successful SEO strategy, but they operate in different realms. Below is a table highlighting their key differences.

Factors	On-Page SEO	Off-Page SEO
Definition	Optimisation of elements within a webpage.	Strategies conducted outside the website to boost visibility.
Focus Location	Changes made directly on the website itself.	Activities performed externally, not on the site.
Key Techniques	Content quality, meta tags, internal linking.	Backlink building, social media engagement, brand mentions.
Impact on Rankings	Directly improves relevance and visibility.	Enhances credibility and authority from external sources
Control	Fully controlled by website owners and developers.	Partially controlled; influenced by external entities.

What On-Page Strategy Do We Use?

Our on-page strategy is tailored based on the needs of the business and our clients. Even though on-page SEO has some elements that remain the same for everyone, it is important to adopt a customised approach based on the condition of the website and the demands of the business.

At WP Creative, we prepare a thorough checklist for on-page SEO, which provides us a roadmap to begin this process.

The on-page SEO strategy at WP Creative begins with a thorough review of the existing content to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. We then perform keyword research and competitor analysis to determine primary and secondary keywords, ensuring the content targets relevant queries effectively.

Next, we prepare a comprehensive content outline with well-structured header tags for improved readability and SEO. We focus on creating rich, informative content that fills information gaps in the SERPs to ensure that our content offers value beyond what competitors provide.

To optimise for E-E-A-T, we highlight our real-world experience, expertise, and transparency throughout the content. We look to gain insights from personal experiences to better modify our strategy. We then add visual elements like images, graphics, and videos to enhance user engagement.

Finally, we focus on optimising meta tags, URLs, and the internal linking structure while integrating authoritative external links. To measure the impact of these efforts, we consistently track SEO performance using Google Analytics and key KPIs such as organic traffic and ranking.

Based on these results, we modify our SEO strategy where needed. We believe that on-page SEO is a continuous process where modifications need to be made based on regular monitoring.

How Can WP Creative Help You?

Choosing the right SEO agency can make all the difference in your online success. If you’re unsure what to look for, check out our detailed guide on How to Choose an SEO Agency. It’s packed with practical tips to help you make a confident decision. We’ve also gathered insights from industry leaders in our expert roundup, “Frustrating Challenges When Choosing an SEO Agency,” a must-read if you want to avoid common pitfalls.

At WP Creative, we understand that effective on-page SEO is the foundation of long-term digital success. From fine-tuning your content to optimising technical elements behind the scenes, every detail plays a role in improving your site’s visibility and performance. Our team combines proven strategies with up-to-date SEO practices to ensure your website not only meets search engine requirements but also delivers real value to your users. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your existing SEO strategy or start fresh with a tailored approach, we’re here to help you grow online with clarity, confidence, and measurable results.

And if you’re working with Webflow, we’ve got you covered there, too. WP Creative offers specialised Webflow SEO services to make sure your site performs just as well in search as it does in design.

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