The main on-page factors
- Content that matches search intent: the page answers what the searcher actually wants, better than the alternatives.
- Title tag and meta description: clear, unique and written to earn the click.
- Headings: one H1 and a logical structure of H2s and H3s.
- Keywords and topics: the main keyword in the right places, plus the related subtopics searchers expect.
- Internal links: links to and from related pages, with descriptive anchor text.
- Images: compressed files with descriptive alt text.
- URL: short, readable and descriptive.
- Structured data: schema markup that describes the page.
- Experience: fast loading, a mobile-friendly layout and no intrusive pop-ups.
- Trust signals: a named author, sources, dates and clear contact details.
On-page vs technical and off-page SEO
Technical SEO makes sure the site can be crawled and indexed, on-page SEO makes each page relevant and useful, and off-page SEO builds the site’s reputation through links and mentions. A page needs all three to rank well for competitive searches.
On-page SEO checklist
- Match the page to the search intent, and answer the main question in the first paragraph.
- Write a unique title tag of about 60 characters or fewer.
- Write a meta description that says what the visitor gets.
- Use one H1 and clear H2 and H3 headings.
- Use the main keyword and related terms naturally.
- Add descriptive alt text to images.
- Link to related pages with descriptive anchor text. See anchor text.
- Keep the URL short and readable.
- Show the author, sources and date where they matter.
- Check that the page loads fast on a phone.
On-page SEO example
This example is illustrative. A page called “Wedding cakes in Malmö” uses that phrase in its title and H1, opens with a short answer about prices and ordering time, lists flavors under clear subheadings, shows real photos with alt text, links to a related “cake tasting” page and has a booking form. Each element serves the visitor and helps search engines understand the page.
Common on-page mistakes
- Several pages with the same title or the same target keyword.
- Keyword stuffing: Google’s guidance lists it as a problem. See keyword stuffing.
- Thin pages that add nothing beyond what ranks already.
- Missing or generic link text such as “click here”.
- Large uncompressed images that slow the page.
On-page SEO FAQs
How long should a page be?
As long as the topic needs. Google does not set a word count and lists word-count targets among SEO myths.
How often should I update on-page SEO?
Review key pages every few months in Search Console: improve pages with many impressions but few clicks, and fix outdated facts.