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On-page SEO Basics

26 December 2024

What Is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to the practice of optimising individual web pages so they rank higher in search engine results and offer a better user experience. It includes editing elements like content, headings, meta tags, links, and more, all of which live on your site (Google, 2024a).

Why On-Page SEO Matters

Strong on-page SEO not only helps your site rank but also enhances user experience. For example, optimising for mobile usability and page speed ensures visitors don’t bounce due to frustration (Google, 2024b). In Australia, where over 68% of searches occur on mobile, these factors are essential (iGenerate Digital, 2024).

Core On-Page SEO Elements to Know

Title Tags

Title tags are displayed in browser tabs and search results. They should include your main keyword, remain under 60 characters, and be unique to each page (Google, 2024a). For example:
“Custom T-Shirts Brisbane | Aussie Tees” is more effective than “Home Page.”

Title Links (What Google Shows in Search)

Google doesn’t always use your <title> tag verbatim when displaying title links in search. Instead, it may choose from a range of sources, including:

  • <title> tag content
  • The main visual title (e.g. prominently styled page headings)
  • <h1> or other heading elements
  • og:title from Open Graph metadata
  • Prominent, styled on-page text
  • Anchor text pointing to the page
  • Internal and external link text
  • Website structured data like WebSite.name (Google, 2024e)

To influence your title link, make sure your title tag, headings, and structured data all reinforce the same clear message.

Meta Descriptions

While not a direct ranking factor, meta descriptions can increase your click-through rate. Keep them around 150–160 characters, summarise the content clearly, and include a call to action. Example:
“Explore our range of eco-friendly skincare made in Australia. Free delivery on all orders!” (Moz, n.d.)

Header Tags (H1-H3)

Use one <h1> per page to define the main topic. Structure the rest with <h2> and <h3> tags to improve readability and SEO. Headings help users scan the content and signal its hierarchy to search engines (Semrush, 2024b).

Keyword Usage

Integrate your primary and secondary keywords naturally. Focus on where they appear: in titles, headers, and within the first paragraph. Avoid keyword stuffing, which violates Google’s spam policies (Google, 2024c). Instead, aim to satisfy the user’s intent with clear, helpful content.

URL Structure

A clean, keyword-friendly URL is easier to understand for both users and search engines. Compare:
yourbusiness.com.au/brisbane-catering vs
yourbusiness.com.au/page?id=123
Keep URLs short, lowercase, and use hyphens instead of underscores (Ahrefs, 2023).

Internal & External Linking (And Link Attributes)

Internal links connect different pages of your website. For instance, linking a blog post about “DIY bathroom renovations” to your “Plumbing Services” page helps distribute authority and guide users. External links point to credible sources, building trust and SEO context.

Follow these linking tips:

  • Write good anchor text: Use descriptive text that tells readers what they’ll find (e.g. “view our solar panel installation guide”).
  • Make links crawlable: Ensure links use proper <a href> tags. Avoid JavaScript-only links that Google can’t follow.
  • Use rel attributes appropriately:
    • rel="nofollow" tells search engines not to pass authority to the linked page.
    • rel="noopener" improves security on external links.
    • rel="sponsored" marks paid or affiliate links (Google, 2024d).
  • Cross-reference your own content: If you mention related topics, link to relevant internal pages to keep visitors engaged.
  • Link to trusted sources: Citing authoritative sites (e.g. Australian Government resources, credible news, Google documentation) enhances credibility.

Image Optimisation

Always include:

  • Descriptive file names (e.g. sydney-florist-bouquet.jpg)
  • Alt text explaining the image’s content (e.g. “Bouquet of native Australian flowers”)
  • Compressed images for faster load times

Also consider lazy-loading and using next-gen formats like WebP (Google, 2024b).

Mobile-Friendliness

With mobile-first indexing, Google prioritises the mobile version of your site. A mobile-friendly website features responsive design, large touch targets, and fast loading times. You can test yours using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test (Google, 2024b).

Page Speed

Slow-loading pages frustrate users and lower rankings. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to identify bottlenecks and follow its recommendations, such as enabling browser caching, compressing files using GZIP compression, or eliminating render-blocking scripts (Google, 2024b).

On-Page SEO Best Practices

  • Write unique, compelling titles and descriptions for each page.
  • Use proper heading structures (one H1 per page).
  • Optimise for mobile and fast loading times.
  • Include internal and external links with useful anchor text.
  • Avoid keyword stuffing or duplicate content.
  • Use alt text on all images and compress them.
  • Structure URLs to be clean and meaningful.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Missing or duplicate title tags/meta descriptions
  • Using vague anchor text like “click here”
  • Not linking related content internally
  • Stuffing pages with keywords
  • Failing to update outdated or broken content (Semrush, 2023)

Helpful Tools for On-Page SEO

  • Google Search Console – Tracks performance, detects crawl issues, and alerts you to errors.
  • Screaming Frog SEO Spider – Crawls your site to detect issues like missing tags or duplicate content.
  • Ahrefs – Offers keyword research and on-page audits.
  • Semrush – Includes an SEO content assistant and on-page checker with suggestions.
  • PageSpeed Insights – Helps you improve loading times on mobile and desktop.

Learn more about SEO tools by visiting our article titled “Our Most Used SEO Tools and Technologies”.

References

Ahrefs. (2023). SEO best practices: How to optimize your site. https://ahrefs.com/blog/seo-best-practices/

Google. (2024a). SEO Starter Guide. Google Search Central. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide

Google. (2024b). Page experience & core web vitals. Google Search Central. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/page-experience

Google. (2024c). Spam policies for Google web search. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies

Google. (2024d). Link best practices for Google. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable

Google. (2024e). How Google generates title links for search results. https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/08/update-to-generating-page-titles

iGenerate Digital. (2024). SEO Statistics. https://igeneratedigital.com.au/seo/statistics/

Moz. (n.d.). Meta descriptions: How to write them well. https://moz.com/learn/seo/meta-description

Semrush. (2024). SEO Mistakes: Common SEO Issues & How to Fix Them. https://www.semrush.com/blog/biggest-seo-mistakes/