On Page Optimization: What It Is and How to Do It?

What is On Page Optimization?

Basics In this chapter, we’ll explore why On-Page Optimization remains a crucial aspect of digital success in 2025. If you’re looking to enhance your website’s visibility and user experience, this chapter will provide clear answers to all your questions.

On-page SEO, also known as “on-site SEO,” involves optimizing individual webpage elements for both search engines and users. This includes optimizing title tags, content, internal links, URLs, and various ranking factors.

Unlike off-page SEO, which focuses on external signals such as backlinks, social media marketing, guest posting, and digital PR, on-page SEO directly addresses the elements on your own website.

Comparison of SEO On Page Optimization vs. Off-Page SEO:

Does On-Page SEO Still Matter in 2025? 

Absolutely! According to Google’s “How Search Works” report, the “most basic signal” that content is relevant is the presence of keywords that match the user’s search query.

Even though Google’s algorithms are now more advanced, traditional on-page SEO techniques like keyword placement in title tags and body content remain important. Top-ranking pages often include exact-match keywords in their titles and content.

Why Is On Page Optimization Important? 

On-page SEO is crucial for improving individual page rankings and driving targeted traffic to your website. Properly optimized pages are more likely to attract users who convert into subscribers or customers.

Beyond keywords, on-page SEO involves optimizing for:

• User experience
• Bounce rate and dwell time
• Search intent
• Page load speed
• Click-through rate
• Desktop and mobile performance

A Quick Way to Do On Page Optimization 

While this guide offers a step-by-step approach to on-page SEO, tools like Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker can provide instant insights and recommendations. This tool checks if your keyword appears in key areas such as the H1 and body content and suggests related keywords.

To streamline your efforts, use our on-page SEO checklist and tracker to ensure you’ve optimized all the essential elements. Track your progress and update your pages regularly.

The following sections will guide you through each optimization step. Keep the checklist handy as you proceed.

Optimize Title and Description Tags

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to optimize your title tags and meta descriptions for effective SEO. Google affirms that title tags still play a significant role in determining search rankings, making them essential for optimization. While meta descriptions may not directly influence rankings, they’re crucial in helping users decide which search result to click on.

This chapter will guide you through writing compelling, SEO-friendly title tags and meta descriptions.

Make Click-Worthy Titles

Your title tag provides search engines with a quick understanding of your page’s content, making it a critical on-page SEO factor. Placing your keyword closer to the start of the title tag can improve your chances of ranking higher. For instance, in my image SEO post, the keyword is effectively front-loaded.

Your keyword doesn’t always need to be at the very beginning—only where it makes sense. But typically, the closer it is to the front, the better for users and search engines. This approach quickly signals relevance to users, encouraging clicks.

Adding modifiers like “best,” “guide,” “checklist,” “fast,” and “review” can help you rank for long-tail versions of your target keyword. For example, our SEO tools post uses the modifiers “best” and “free,” allowing it to rank for variations like “best free SEO tools.”

Pro Tip: Tools like Semrush’s Site Audit can identify missing or duplicate title tags, helping you refine your on-page SEO. AI tools like ChatGPT can also generate creative title ideas, offering a strong starting point for brainstorming.

Use Unique, Relevant Meta Descriptions

Although Google may not use meta descriptions for direct ranking purposes and often generates its own, optimized descriptions can make your results stand out, boosting your click-through rate (CTR).

A recommended formula for effective meta descriptions includes your keyword, as Google highlights matching terms, increasing visibility. Here’s a template I use:

Meta Description Formula:

• Be concise: Keep it under 160 characters (120 for mobile)
• Use unique descriptions for each page to avoid duplication
• Highlight unique selling points or key information
• Clearly communicate the page’s content and purpose
• Front-load critical information to prevent truncation
• Avoid clickbait; ensure consistency between description and content

Following these steps can make your meta descriptions more enticing and impactful, leading to higher CTRs and better on-page performance.

Craft Captivating and Valuable SEO Content

Write SEO Content It’s time to create content that deserves the #1 ranking in search results. This process involves more than simply incorporating keywords—it requires crafting unique, valuable, and intent-optimized content. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to ensure your SEO content meets these criteria.

Create Unique Content 

When we say “unique,” we don’t just mean avoiding duplicate content. It’s about offering something fresh and original—content that stands out from the existing information on the web. This is often referred to as adding “information gain.”

Your content can be unique by including:

• A new tip or strategy
• A better list of curated resources
• Strong design and user experience
• New case studies
• Downloadable resources
• A streamlined step-by-step process

For example, our SEO checklist ranks #1 for the keyword “SEO checklist.” It’s not just keyword usage that drives this success—it’s the unique value we provide. The post features exclusive tips, examples, and a downloadable checklist that readers find immensely valuable.

Provide Value 

Creating unique content is crucial, but it’s not enough. With millions of blog posts published daily, your content must deliver exceptional value to stand out. Here’s how to make your content incredibly valuable:

• Go into detail: Use images, screenshots, and clear steps to make your content actionable.
• Use crisp writing: Strong, engaging copy keeps readers hooked.
• Stay current: Share new strategies, steps, and relevant examples.
• Consult experts: First-hand experience makes content authoritative and trustworthy.
• Ensure accuracy: Provide precise, up-to-date information.

In our SEO checklist, we start with beginner-friendly guidance and gradually introduce more advanced techniques, providing actionable details, up-to-date examples, and expert insights throughout.

Satisfy Search Intent

Unique and valuable content can earn a spot on the first page of Google, but to maintain your ranking, your page must meet search intent precisely. Otherwise, your content risks being buried in search results.

Search intent means delivering exactly what users expect when they search for a specific term. For example, when we aimed to rank for “backlink checker,” we initially published a comparison of tools. However, we noticed the entire first page of search results was populated by tools—not articles. So, we pivoted to offer a comparison article alongside a free interactive backlink checker tool. This adjustment helped us achieve Page 1 rankings.

Using original Images 

Using stock images can negatively impact your SEO or at least provide minimal benefit. Shai Aharony’s experiment demonstrated this by testing multiple brand-new websites: those using unique images consistently outperformed sites with generic stock images.

Optimize Your Content for Key SEO Factors

Include Your Target Keyword Within the First 100 Words

This classic on-page SEO technique continues to be effective.

Simply ensure your primary keyword appears once within the first 100-150 words of your content.

For instance, in my article focused on the keyword “email marketing,” I make sure to mention it right from the start.

Why Is This Important?  

Google places greater emphasis on keywords that appear early in your content.  

It makes sense—if you’ve just published an article about “The Keto Diet,” it would be odd if the term “keto diet” first appeared halfway down the page. A genuinely relevant article would naturally mention the keyword early on.  

This is why incorporating your target keyword within the first 100 words of your content is crucial.  

This simple step helps Google quickly understand the main topic of your page, which can ultimately improve your chances of ranking higher.

Wrap Your Keywords into Headings

Google has mentioned that using an H1 tag “helps Google understand the structure of the page.”  

As a best practice, it’s ideal to include a single H1 tag per page.  

To ensure your page title is wrapped in an H1, check your site’s code and confirm that your target keyword is included within that H1 tag. You can use tools like the Semrush Site Audit Tool to identify pages missing H1 tags and create new ones with relevant keywords.  

Utilizing your target keyword and related terms in heading tags (H1 to H6) signals topical relevance to search engines. It also improves user experience by providing a clear content hierarchy.  

Will heading tags make or break your On Page Optimization?  

No, but they can make a difference.  

My SEO tests have shown that placing your target keyword in an H2 tag can positively impact rankings.  

Here’s an example of this strategy in action (target keyword = “content marketing tools”):

Think About Keyword Frequency

Keyword frequency refers to how often your primary keyword appears in your content.  

Although Google may claim that repeating the same keyword multiple times doesn’t boost rankings, experienced SEO professionals know it can make a difference.  

Consider this scenario:  

If Google suspects your page is about a specific keyword but that keyword only appears once, it’s difficult for the search engine to be confident in your page’s relevance.  

On the other hand, if your keyword shows up 10 times, Google can be more certain that your content aligns with the topic.  

To be clear, this isn’t about keyword stuffing or aiming for a specific “keyword density.”  

It’s about naturally mentioning your target keyword enough times to reinforce the topic. For instance, one of our posts ranks in the top three on Google for the keyword “YouTube SEO.”  

How many times did we use the exact term “YouTube SEO” in that 3,200-word post?  

Eight times, including once in the H1.  

So, there’s no need to overdo it—using your keyword naturally a few times throughout the content is enough.  

Plus, when you thoroughly cover a topic, you’ll naturally include related keywords.  

To optimize your content, make sure your keywords are in key areas such as:  

– Title tags and meta descriptions  

– Alt text for images  

– URLs  

– Headings  

– The first paragraph  

The Semrush On Page Optimization Checker can provide a detailed list of recommendations to ensure your keywords are placed effectively.  

Additionally, using long-tail keywords—specific, longer phrases—can help target niche or detailed searches.  

To confirm you’re covering a topic comprehensively, search your keyword in Google and scroll to the “Searches Related to…” section at the bottom of the page.

Internal linking plays a significant role in SEO.

It’s essential to create internal links from high-authority pages on your site to those that could benefit from a ranking boost. That said, internal linking should be a consistent practice across your entire website.

When adding internal links, use keyword-rich anchor text, but ensure it flows naturally within the content. Avoid over-optimization, as forced or spammy links can harm your SEO efforts.

Use External (Outbound) Links

External links to relevant pages can help Google understand your page’s topic and demonstrate that your content is a reliable source of high-quality information. These links also provide users with additional valuable insights, which can help establish trust and credibility.  

This isn’t just a theory—it’s backed by evidence. Reboot Online conducted an experiment where they created 10 new websites. Half of these sites included outbound links to authoritative sources like Oxford University, while the other half had no outgoing links.  

The results were clear: the websites with outbound links outperformed those without them in search rankings.  

To make the most of external links, ensure you’re linking to reputable, high-quality sites that are relevant to your content. Avoid linking to low-quality or spammy websites. Also, don’t add external links just for the sake of it—make sure they genuinely enhance the reader’s experience.

Optimize Your URLs for SEO

Google treats the words in a URL as a “very, very lightweight ranking factor.” However, including relevant keywords in your URL can still send a helpful signal to Google about your page’s topic. Plus, optimized URLs can appear in search results, providing users with a clear idea of what your page covers.

Here’s how to create SEO-friendly URLs:

Keep Your URLs Short: Shorter URLs are easier to read and share.

Include a Keyword in Every URL: Incorporate your primary keyword naturally to reinforce the page’s focus.

That’s all it takes!

For instance, my guide on link building is optimized for the keyword “link building,” so the URL reflects that focus:

www.example.com/link-building

Simple, effective, and SEO-friendly!

Optimize Your Images

Image optimization plays a crucial role in SEO for several reasons:

• Helps Search Engines Understand Visual Content: Search engine crawlers can’t interpret images as effectively as humans, so providing context helps them understand your page’s content.
• Increases Visibility in Image Search: Properly optimized images can appear in image search results, boosting your overall visibility.
• Improves Page Loading Times: Correctly formatting and compressing image files can significantly enhance your page’s loading speed.

To fully optimize your images:

Use descriptive filenames that include your target keyword (e.g., on-page-seo-chart.png).

Add relevant, keyword-rich alt text that accurately describes the image.

This approach not only benefits your SEO but also improves accessibility for users relying on screen readers. Proper image optimization can drive more organic traffic to your site!

Optimize for CTR

Fill in Missing Meta Descriptions

I emphasized the importance of writing compelling meta descriptions.

While crafting an engaging meta description can be beneficial, you don’t need to create a perfect one every single time. In fact, simply having a meta description can be enough in many cases.

Google often generates its own descriptions to display in search results, but this doesn’t always happen. When your custom meta description does show up, it can significantly impact your click-through rate (CTR) by attracting more users.

To make the most of this, I recommend running an SEO audit on your site. Identify pages that lack a meta description and add informative, keyword-rich descriptions to those that need them. This small step can make a big difference in your overall SEO performance!

Optimize Your Content for Featured Snippets

Ranking in a featured snippet can dramatically boost your click-through rate (CTR).

Typically, websites that secure a featured snippet are already on the first page of search results for that query. To maximize your chances of ranking for a featured snippet, you need to identify search terms where:

You already rank on page 1 of Google.

A featured snippet is already present.

Here’s a step-by-step approach using tools like Semrush’s Organic Research:

First, identify the pages on your site that rank on the first page of Google.

Then, filter your keywords to show only those with an existing featured snippet.

Analyze the featured snippet in Google for each of those keywords.

Finally, optimize your content to align with the snippet format.

For example:

If the featured snippet is a definition, include a concise and accurate definition in your content.

If it’s a list of steps or tips, structure your content as a clear, ordered list.

Adapting your content to match the snippet format increases your chances of winning that prime position and driving more organic traffic!

Add Some (Positive) Emotion to Your Title Tags

Our CTR study revealed that emotional titles attract more clicks compared to titles lacking a strong emotional tone.

In fact, titles with a positive sentiment achieved a 4.1% higher absolute CTR than those with a negative tone.

However, be careful not to overdo it—titles that come across as clickbait often drive users away, leading them to choose a more trustworthy-looking result.

Bottom Line: Craft title tags that evoke genuine emotion to engage readers. But steer clear of exaggerated terms like “insane” or “powerful” that can make your title seem spammy.

Add the Current Year to Your Title and Description

Including the year in your title and description might not drastically impact your CTR, but it can definitely make a difference—especially for time-sensitive content.

For instance, someone searching for “Seneca philosophy” likely isn’t concerned with when the content was published. However, for keywords like “best smartphones,” users want the most current information.

By adding the year to your title and description, you immediately signal to readers that your content is up-to-date and relevant. This simple tweak can help attract more clicks from users seeking fresh, accurate information.

On-Page UX Optimization

In this chapter, I’ll walk you through optimizing your content for an exceptional user experience (UX).

By enhancing UX, you’ll keep users engaged on your pages longer—increasing the chances they’ll become loyal readers, subscribers, or even customers.

With that goal in mind, let’s dive into proven strategies to ensure your content keeps Google searchers on your page and coming back for more.

Push Important Content Above the Fold

When a user visits your site from Google, they’re looking for answers immediately.

That’s why it’s crucial to avoid large images above the fold that push your content out of view. Instead, put your headline and introduction front and center to engage readers right away.

To be clear, having an image at the top of your post is fine—as long as it doesn’t disrupt the flow or delay access to your content. A clean, user-friendly layout ensures visitors find what they need quickly, leading to a better overall experience.

Break Up Your Content for Easy Reading

In an ideal world, every visitor would read your entire page word for word.

But the reality is different. Most people skim content, searching for quick answers.

That’s why it’s essential to make your content easy to scan.

Here at TSI, I focus heavily on using plenty of H2 subheadings. This structure lets readers quickly find the information they’re looking for, improves readability, and keeps users engaged.

Effective formatting keeps your audience on the page longer, which is a win-win for both UX and SEO.

Continuously Monitor and Refine Your On Page Optimization Strategy

On-page SEO isn’t a one-and-done task—it requires ongoing attention.

Search engine algorithms evolve, user behavior changes, and industry trends shift. To stay ahead, you need to regularly monitor your content’s performance and make adjustments as needed.

Here are the key metrics to track for consistent SEO success:

• Traffic Trends: Keep a close eye on your website traffic. A sudden drop may indicate issues with your content or SEO strategy.
  
• Bounce Rate: A high bounce rate can signal that visitors aren’t finding what they expected. Regularly refine your content to boost engagement.
  
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Analyze your CTR to see how well your title tags and meta descriptions are performing. Make adjustments if necessary.
  
• Keyword Rankings: Track the performance of your target keywords. If rankings slip, revisit and optimize your content to regain visibility.
  

For a detailed breakdown of the essential SEO metrics to track, check out our comprehensive guide.

And to keep your on-page SEO efforts organized, use our free on-page SEO progress tracker and checklist for seamless optimization.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully equipped yourself with the essential knowledge and actionable strategies to optimize your content like a pro.

But your journey to SEO excellence doesn’t stop here!

FAQ: On Page Optimization