Glossary
seo
On-Page SEO
Definition
Optimising elements on your website that you control – content, titles, meta descriptions, headings, and internal links. Half of the SEO equation.
What is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO (or on-site SEO) refers to optimising elements directly on your website to improve search rankings. It's everything you control – content, HTML, and site architecture.
On-Page vs Off-Page SEO
On-Page
What you do on your site:
- Content quality
- Keywords and targeting
- Title tags and meta descriptions
- Header structure
- Internal linking
- URL structure
- Image optimisation
Off-Page
External factors:
- Backlinks from other sites
- Brand mentions
- Social signals
- Local citations
Key On-Page Elements
Content
- Relevant, valuable information
- Proper keyword targeting
- Sufficient depth and length
- Regular updates
Title Tags
- Include target keyword
- Under 60 characters
- Compelling for clicks
Meta Descriptions
- Summarise the page
- Include keyword naturally
- Encourage clicks
Headers (H1-H6)
- Clear hierarchy
- H1 for main topic
- H2s for sections
- Keywords where natural
URL Structure
- Clean, readable URLs
- Include keywords
- Avoid parameters when possible
Internal Links
- Connect related content
- Descriptive anchor text
- Logical site structure
Images
- Descriptive alt text
- Optimised file sizes
- Relevant file names
On-Page SEO Checklist
- One clear topic per page
- Target keyword in title, H1, and content
- Unique, compelling meta description
- Clean URL structure
- Internal links to and from page
- Optimised images
- Fast loading speed
- Mobile-friendly
Why On-Page Matters
On-page SEO is your foundation. You have full control over it, and without it, other SEO efforts are undermined. Start here before worrying about link building or advanced tactics.