On-Page SEO Checklist

In this post, we will be discussing the importance of on-page SEO and how to optimize your website using an on-page SEO checklist. If you’re looking to improve your website’s visibility and search engine rankings, then this post is for you. We’ll cover the essential elements of on-page SEO, from title tags to meta descriptions, and provide some practical tips to help you implement them effectively. So, let’s get started!

SEO Checklist

1. Target Keyword

For optimization purposes, you should have one, or at most, two target keywords or phrases in mind per page. If you are trying to rank well for three or four keywords on a single page, it’s time to step back and consider breaking up the content onto several different pages so you can create page focus.

If you need help with keyword research, you can use tools like Semrush or Ubersuggest. Both tools have free options that you can try out.

2. Content is High-Quality

Ensure your content is relevant, fresh, and has at least 500 words of unique content that can’t be found elsewhere on your site (or anywhere else on the Web).

You want your page’s URL to be short and keyword rich, for example, valeneashia.com/on-page-seo. Avoid ugly URLs, like valeneashia.com/p=123, or long URLs, like: valeneashia.com/on-page-seo-is-so-amazing-omg-its-the-best. Google has stated that the first 3-5 words in a URL are given more weight.

4. Start the Title with Keywords

Your title tag is the most important on-page SEO factor. You also want to pay attention to where you place your keywords in your title. In general, the closer the keyword is to the beginning of the title tag, the more weight it has with search engines.

5. Add Modifiers to Your Title

Adding modifiers like “2023”, “best,” “guide,” and “review” can help you rank for long tail versions of your target keyword.

6. Target Keyword in Subheadings

Ensure that your target keyword can be found at least once in your subheadings, especially H2 and H3 subheadings.

7. Keyword in First Paragraph/Introduction

Your keyword should appear in the first 100-150 words of your article.

8. Keyword Distribution

Target Keyword is repeated 3 to 10 times within the body copy. Don’t overdo it, or the page may get downgraded as spam. Keep the reader in mind as you work with the target search phrase. Copy should always be reader-friendly.

9. Images

Ensure your content includes relevant images and/or graphics that help illustrate the target search phrase. Captions & ALT tags for images and/or graphics include the target search phrase.

Outbound links to related pages are a relevancy signal that helps Google figure out your page’s topic. It also shows Google that your page is a hub of quality info.

Additionally, for on-page SEO, it is good to use internal links to relevant content on your site.

12. Encourage Social Sharing

It is essential to include social media share links and/or user discussions or reviews. Pages with active visitor interaction are scored higher than static pages. So ensure that you’re creating valuable content, tools, and resources that visitors will want to share your page with others.

13. Local On-Page SEO

If you are targeting a specific country, state, city, or region, be sure they are in your title and copy and perhaps in the page footer.

14. No Misspellings or Poor Grammar

Yes, the search engines downgrade for either. Grammarly is a great tool to use to check for misspellings, grammar, readability, and more.

Final Thoughts On-Page SEO

I hope this on-page SEO checklist helps to get you started with optimizing the content on your nonprofit website. If you’re new to SEO? Check out our article: What is SEO and Why Is It Important?

Google Search Engine