On-Page SEO... The Forgotten Art.

If you're like most people, then there's a good chance that the thought of doing SEO gives you an immediate stress migraine. Where to start? What to focus on? What are my keywords? How much do i spend on PPC? ... the list goes on.
Any SEO expert could write a 50 page blog on each one of the individual components of SEO but today I want to talk about the often undervalued "On-Page optimization."

Its true that Google now puts about 65% weight on off-page factors, as they are harder to manipulate, but that still leaves 35% to on-page factors that cannot be ignored. Ignoring on-page SEO is kind of like ordering an ice cream sundae without fudge or peanuts....."I'll just have a scoop of vanilla, please." And yet, many SEO's are quick to dismiss the necessity of on-page content, i will fight that claim to the death.... or at least as close to death as I see fit.

Here is a list of a few basic important things to remember about On-page SEO when you are optimizing your website.

1. Keywords are Key
Take some time to really focus on what your keywords are and how you can fit them into your content. Many people make the mistake of thinking that keywords are simple words thaty relates to their product or service, when in reality your best keywords are 2 to 5 word sentences that DESCRIBE your product or service. It makes no sense to try to optimize your page for a word like "gifts" as it is such a competitive word that the odds of you ranking highly for it are very slim. Instead, you should make your keyword "Toronto specialty gift boutique" so that you can more effectively corner your market and rank higher.
When deciding on your keywords think about what types of problems your company solves, and what people will be searching when looking for your type of company.
Keep in mind that "short keywords attract shoppers, but long keywords attract buyers"

2. Titles
Some of the most important elements of On-Page SEO are the Titles and Tags of your pages. Be sure that the titles (what you see come up at the top of your browser, NOT your page) are descriptive, succinct and contain your most important keyword.
Google shows the first 65 ot 70 characters in your Title, so you should try to keep it within those boundaries... keep in my that words earlier in the title are weighted heavier.

3. Meta-Tags
Meta tags are also an integral part when optimizing your on page content. Meta tags are basic descriptors of what your page is about. There are a couple types of meta tags, but the most important to SEO is the Descriptor Meta-Tag. The easiest way to see an example of descriptor meta tags is to perform a search in google; in your search results each link will have the bolded and underlined webpage and underneath it will be a short blurb about the page.... the blurb is the descriptor meta-tag.
Descriptor meta tags are limited to 150 characters... so get to the point with your keywords.
You should also try to be unique, say something catchy or interesting.... what elements of a description would make you click a link? If you can put your finger on the answer to that question, then you are proably a great meta tag copywriter!

4. Keyword spamming is so 2003!
Google has out smarted the oldest SEO trick in the book, Keyword spamming. This was done by SEO's who simply overloaded pages with keywords to rank higher in searches. Google crawlers can now identity if you are overloading keywords into your content. If Google catches you doing this, you will be marked as spam and taken off all search results. So make sure you mix up your keyword phrasing and structure. For example if you have "Carribean travel agency" a few times in your content, you may want to say "Travel agent servicing the Carribean" a little bit further down the page. This way you are still getting quality keywords into your content, without becoming a spammer.
Simple changes can make a big difference.

5. Break It Up
Be sure to break up your pages (especially text heavy pages) into headings and subheadings. Althought bolding or italicizing words makes little to no difference to search engines, once people get to your site it makes a huge difference. I recommend using plenty of subheadings and clear calls to action in your on-page set up. Always remember that web surfers dont have time to read, they scan, and read headings... anything else is filler.

6. Dont Be A Quitter
A common mistake when optimizing on-page factors is to optimize solely on the homepage. This is a HUGE mistake. Each page on your website should be optimized for specific reasons with specific keywords. Most pages on a website serve different purposes (to contact, t0 read services, to read a blog) so optimize them accordingly. If you are an Internet Makreting company, you may try to optimize for "Internet Marketing Firm" on your homepage but on the blog page of your site you may want to optimize for "SEO Blog" or "SEO Tips".... the more pages you optimize the more chance you have to be found.
So be sure to take the time to optimize each page on your site using unique keywords... it simply gives you that much more exposure.


Follow these steps and you should be on your way to putting the fudge and peanuts on your sundae!


Alex Arnold
Founder,
2AM Marketing
2amCanada@gmail.com