On-page SEO fundamentals

What is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO is every optimization made directly on a webpage to improve its visibility in search results — the things you control directly on your own site or blog page.¹

Meta tags

• Meta title — the clickable headline in Google search. Limit: 50–60 characters, and it must include the main keyword. Example: "How to Install App on Pixel 6 — Beginner's Guide".
• Meta description — the short summary under the title in results. Limit: 150–160 characters, keyword included naturally.
• index/noindex — allows or disallows search-engine indexing.
• follow/nofollow — tells Google whether to follow the page's links.
• canonical — prevents duplicate-content issues by naming the preferred URL.
• Breadcrumbs — page-navigation structure. Schema — extra code helping Google understand content better (FAQs, recipes, reviews).

Image optimization

• File name — descriptive and keyword-based, e.g. install-app-pixel6.jpg.
• Alt text — describes the image for Google, e.g. "Steps to install app on Pixel 6".
• Size — keep images light with a tool like TinyPNG, or use WebP format.

Keyword optimization

• Density — 1–2% is a safe natural range.
• Placement — title (H1), first 100 words, subheadings (H2/H3), image alt tags, and the last paragraph.
• Avoid keyword stuffing; use synonyms and related terms to keep it natural.

Semantic HTML

• H1 once, for the page title; H2 for main sections; H3 for sub-sections under an H2.
• Use semantic HTML5 tags — <article>, <section>, <aside>, <nav>, <footer> — to give the layout real structural meaning.

Breadcrumbs and table of contents

Breadcrumbs help both users and Google understand where a page sits in the site. A table of contents (via a plugin such as Easy Table of Contents) structures long articles and improves both UX and SEO.

URL optimization

Keep URLs short, clean, and keyword-rich (example.com/install-app-pixel6 rather than example.com/?p=123), and use hyphens, not underscores.

Applying this in WordPress

1. Create the post — WordPress → Posts → Add New, paste the content.
2. Install an SEO plugin — Rank Math SEO or Yoast SEO. After activation a dedicated SEO box appears on the post editor for the SEO title, meta description, and focus keyword.
3. Optimize the content:
   • Use multiple related keywords naturally: main title in H1, feature comparisons in H2, specifics like price/benefits/selection tips in H3.
   • Don't overuse the primary keyword — mix in synonyms across H2/H3.
   • Build keyword clusters around the main topic (e.g. for "garment steamer vs iron": "better for ironing", "is steamer better than iron", "best device for pressing clothes").

On-page SEO checklist

• Meta title + description set
• URL optimized
• Headings structured H1 → H2 → H3
• Keyword placement covered
• Images optimized (alt text + size)
• TOC and breadcrumbs added
• Semantic tags used
• Rank Math (or equivalent) plugin configured

Footnotes

1. iSkills SEO course notes, compiled 2025. ↩