The on-page SEO checklist of 2024

On-page SEO (search engine optimization) apply means optimizing individual web pages to rank higher in search engine results. This aims to generate more relevant traffic to a Web site. On-page SEO involves optimizing various on-page elements and content. Examples include titles, descriptions, headlines, images, videos, text, internal links and other technical aspects. With the latter, you can think about page speed, mobile-friendliness and schema markup.

On-page optimization is an important aspect of SEO. After all, search engines like Google and Bing use on-page factors to determine the relevance and quality of a Web page for a given search query. By optimizing on-page SEO elements, website owners can rank higher in search results. This also brings more traffic to your website. In this article, I will take you into the world of on-page SEO and tell you how to use it for SEO optimization.

The checklist for on-page SEO

I created a 30-point checklist for on-page SEO. These are the most important facets to consider:

1. Keyword research: identify the keywords relevant to your web page.

2. Title tag: use relevant keywords to optimize the title tag. It should be unique for each page.

3. Meta description: use relevant keywords to optimize the meta description. Make sure it is unique to each page(1).

4. Headers: use headers (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure page content. Include relevant keywords there as well.

5. Textual content: textual content on your website should be relevant and of high quality. The purpose is to inform the visitor. Make sure it contains the most important keywords.

6. Images: optimize the images on your website with relevant keywords. Give them a good file name and alt tag. It is important that the file size is not too large.

7. Videos: optimize videos with relevant keywords. Provide them with a good title and description. In addition, have them hosted on a fast and reliable platform.

8. Internal links: place relevant internal links on your page. With good anchor text, you improve the user experience even further(2).

9. Speed: You optimize the speed of your website in several ways. You achieve this by reducing file size, using browser caching and avoiding unused code.

10. Mobile friendliness: optimize your website for mobile devices. You do this through responsive web design, fast loading time and an easy-to-use interface.

11. Schema markup: use structured data and JSON-LD. This allows search engines to better understand the content of your pages.

12. Page URL: Optimize the page URL with relevant keywords.

13. Usability: make the page easy for the visitor to use. You ensure this by using a clear and uncluttered interface.

14. Avoid duplicate content: make sure there is no duplicate content on your website. In fact, this creates confusion for search engines.

15. Using meta robots: with the meta robots tag, you tell search engines which pages they should (and should not) index.

16. Canonical tags: tell search engines with canonical tags which pages contain the original content.

17. Page structure: provide a clear and uncluttered page structure.

18. Breadcrumbs: use breadcrumbs to help the user understand the website structure(3).

19. Google Analytics: using Google Analytics, you gain insight into visitor traffic and user experience.

20. Google Search Console: the Google Search Console shows how search engines are indexing your page. This service also allows you to detect any errors.

21. Page titles: give pages unique and relevant titles that describe the content of the page.

22. Meta keywords: meta keywords no longer play an important role in search engine optimization. However, you can still add them as additional supplements.

23. URL structure: optimize the URL structure to make it as simple and relevant to the user and search engines as possible.

24. Alt text for images: use a relevant alt text for images. This allows search engines to better understand and index them(4).

25. Page headers: use H1 headers for the main title of the page and use H2 and H3 headers for subtitles and other sections.

26. Call-to-action: use a clear and relevant call-to-action on the page. With this, you encourage visitors to take a certain action.

27. Social media share buttons: add social media share buttons to the page. Users can then share the page directly on social media.

28. SSL certificate: by installing an SSL certificate, you secure your website and increase its reliability.

29. Backlinks: with relevant and quality backlinks from other websites, you increase the authority of your website.

30. Content update: keep the content of the page up-to-date. You do this by regularly adding new and relevant information. This keeps your page relevant to search engines and users.

Also consider this (in a table)

Factor	Description
Titeltag	This is the title of the page as it appears in search engine results. It should contain the most important keyword and be attractive to users.
Meta description	This is the short description that appears in search engine results. It should outline the content of the page and include keywords.
URL structure	URLs should be short, descriptive and easy to understand. They should ideally contain the most important keyword.
Headers (H1, H2, etc.)	Headers structure your content and help search engines understand what it’s about. They should be relevant and include keywords where it makes sense.
Keyword Usage	The most important keyword should be included naturally in the content, without over-optimization (“keyword stuffing”).
Image Optimization	Images should have relevant alt texts and be optimized for loading speed.
Internal Linking	Internal links help search engines understand the structure of your site and can help spread the SEO value of your site.
Mobile Friendliness	The page must display and function properly on mobile devices.
Page speed	Slow load times can lead to a higher bounce rate and can negatively impact your ranking.
Content Quality	Page content should be useful, original and of high quality.
Schema Markup	This is structured data that helps search engines better understand your content. It can help generate rich snippets in search engine results.

What are the most important facets for on-page SEO optimization?

For on-page SEO optimization, as you have seen above, many facets are important. Below I have listed the most important ones. I then go into a little more detail for each facet.

1. Title tag: this is the text displayed at the top of the browser. You’ll also see these as the headline in search engine results. The title should be descriptive, unique and relevant as well as summarize the topic of the page.

2. Meta description: this is a brief summary of the content of the page. You’ll see the meta description below the headline in the search results. It should inform the reader about the content of the page and invite them to click on it.

3. Headers: the headers on a page (h1, h2, h3, etc.) provide the structure and organization of the content. It is important to use relevant keywords in the headers.

4. Content: the content of the page should be high quality and relevant to the search query. Use keywords and phrases in the text without affecting its content quality.

5. Images and videos: with images and videos you support the content of the page. Make sure file names, alt tags and captions contain relevant keywords.

6. Internal links: relevance, quality internal links help navigate the website. They provide more context and information about the topic, thus improving the user experience.

7. Page speed: a fast load time improves the user experience. This has a positive effect on the ranking of your website within the search engines.

8. Mobile-friendliness: the website should be easy to use on mobile devices, as more and more people are visiting websites from their mobile devices.

9. Schema markup: schema markup is a way to add structured data to the content of a Web page. Search engines can thus better understand what the page is about and can therefore better display it in search results.

Optimizing the title tag to improve your on-page SEO

When optimizing the title tag for on-page SEO, it is important to consider the following aspects:

Relevance: the title tag should be relevant to the content of the page. This means it should give the visitor an accurate description of what to expect on the page.

Uniqueness: every page on the website should have a unique title tag. This helps search engines identify each page and understand what it is about.

Length: a title tag ideally contains between 50 and 60 characters. Search engines usually show only the first 60 characters in search results.

Keywords: the title tag should contain keywords relevant to the content of the page. However, it is important that you avoid the overuse of keywords (also known as “keyword stuffing”). In fact, this can have a negative effect on search engine rankings.

Attractiveness: the title tag should attract the attention of potential visitors. It should appeal to the reader and encourage them to click on the link. For example, a title tag can contain a question, a number or a trigger word.

It is important to optimize the title tag for both search engines and users. A well-optimized title tag attracts more relevant visitors to the website and improves your page’s ranking in search results.

Optimize the meta description to improve your on-page SEO

Want to optimize the meta description for on-page SEO? Then it is important to consider the following:

Relevance: the meta description should be relevant to the content of the page. Therefore, it should be a concise description of what the visitor can find on the page in question.

Uniqueness: every page on the website should have a unique meta description. This makes it easier for search engines to identify each page and understand what it is about.

Length: the ideal length of a meta description is approximately between 120 and 155 characters. Search engines usually show only the first 155 characters in search results. Thus, these should include all relevant information.

Keywords: the meta description should contain keywords relevant to the content of the page. However, avoid overuse of keywords, which is also known as ”keyword stuffing.” In fact, this can actually have a negative effect on search engine rankings.

Attractiveness: the meta description should attract the attention of potential visitors. It should appeal to the reader and encourage them to click on the link. Ideally, therefore, a meta description should contain a promise, a solution to a problem or a trigger word.

You need to optimize the meta description for both search engines and users. That way, you can attract more relevant visitors to your website and improve your page’s position in search results.

Optimize headers to improve your on-page SEO

Headers is the English name for headers. Want to optimize it for on-page SEO? Then keep in mind the following:

Relevance: the purpose of using headers is to summarize and structure the page content. Therefore, headers must be relevant to the content of that page.

Use of keywords: search engines use headers to understand what a page is about. Therefore, relevant keywords should be reflected in the headlines. In doing so, make sure you do so naturally.

Use of H1, H2, H3, etc.: H1 is the main header of the page. H2, H3 etc. are used for subheads. Proper header tags allow search engines to understand the structure of your page. This also contributes to on-page SEO.

Length: keep headers short and to the point. Headers that are too long can be confusing to the reader. In addition, they may slow down your page load time, which also negatively affects your on-page SEO.

Attractiveness: headers should attract the attention of potential visitors. They should appeal to the reader and encourage him to read on. This can be done, for example, with a question or a trigger word.

When you optimize headers for search engines and users, they can more easily read and understand the page content. This provides a higher ranking in search results and a better user experience for your website visitors.

Optimize textual content to improve your on-page SEO

When optimizing textual content for on-page SEO, it is important to consider the following:

Relevance: the page content should match the user’s search query. This means it must provide all the relevant information the user is looking for.

Keywords: The keywords and phrases you use should be relevant to the page content. This allows search engines to better understand what that page is about. Use keywords naturally. Failure to do so degrades the quality of your on-page SEO.

Quality: page content should be of high quality and useful to the reader. Write clear, easy-to-understand sentences and provide the visitor with relevant information.

Length: the length of page content can affect its position in search results. In general, pages with more content have higher rankings. A prerequisite is that the information is useful and that there is a good balance between quality and quantity.

Internal links: internal links to other relevant pages on the website support the page content and enhance the user experience.

Use of images and videos: images and videos make the page even more attractive to the visitor. They also support their content. Images and videos have a positive effect only when they are relevant to the content of the page. Also, use alt tags and captions with relevant keywords.

Readability: page content should be easy to read and well structured. Make use of white space, headings and bullet points. This allows the reader of your text to scan its content more easily.

Optimizing textual content for search engines and users improves your ranking in search results. You also inform your website visitors more efficiently.

Optimize images to improve your on-page SEO

When improving your on-page SEO by optimizing images, you should consider the following points:

Relevance: images should be relevant to the content of the page. This means they should support the content and be relevant to the topic you are discussing.

File name: give the image a relevant file name before uploading it to the website. The file name should properly describe the content of the image. Use relevant keywords to do so.

Alt tag: the alt tag is a short description of the image. Search engines can read these to understand the content of the image. Again, use relevant keywords that fit the content.

File size: the file size of the image should not be too large. In fact, this can slow down the page load time and negatively affect the user experience.

Use of captions: the use of captions can support the content of the page and help the reader better understand the content.

Using schema markup: with schema markup, you add information about the image to the HTML code of the page. This allows search engines to better understand the image and improves your ranking in search results.

Optimizing images for search engines and users provides two benefits. You improve your ranking in search results and website visitors are better informed.

Optimize videos to improve your on-page SEO

Are you going to optimize your videos for on-page SEO? Then it is important to consider the following aspects:

Relevance: the video should be relevant to the content of the page. In other words, the video should support the content of the page and be relevant to the topic of the page.

Hosting platform: host the video on a reliable and fast hosting platform, such as YouTube or Vimeo. This reduces page load time and improves the user experience.

Title: give the video a relevant title that describes the content of the video and contains the right keywords.

Description: the description of the video should contain keywords that reflect the content of the video. This helps search engines better understand the content of the video.

Thumbnail: use an attractive thumbnail that grabs the visitor’s attention and displays the content of the video.

Captions: add captions to the video to better understand its content. This will also make the video more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing.

Using schema markup: use schema markup to add information about the video to the HTML code of the page. This allows search engines to better understand the video.

By optimizing the videos for search engines and users, website visitors are even better informed. It also improves your ranking in the organic search results of search engines such as Google and Bing.

Optimize internal links to improve your on-page SEO

Internal links are also essential for on-page SEO. Are you going to work on this? Then keep in mind the following:

Relevance: internal links should be relevant to the content of the page. In other words, they should support the page content and be relevant to the topic.

Anchor text: use a relevant anchor text for the internal link. This should describe the content of the target page, i.e., the page being referenced. Keywords should appear naturally in the anchor text.

Number of links: too many internal links negatively affect the user experience. Ideally, use a maximum of 5-7 per page.

Position of links: place the most important internal links in a prominent position on the page. For example, in the header or footer.

Use of breadcrumbs: breadcrumbs help visitors better understand the page structure of the website. This also makes it easier to go back to previously visited pages.

Page structure: make sure the internal links reflect the page structure of the website. That way, the visitor can better understand the content.

Optimizing internal links positively affects your on-page SEO. Visitors can navigate your website more easily, which improves the user experience. Because this also makes the website structure clearer, your ranking in search results improves.

Optimize website speed to improve your on-page SEO

Are you going to optimize your website speed to improve your on-page SEO? Then consider the following:

Image size: keep the size of images on the website limited. This promotes fast loading time.

Browser caching: browser caching helps to reduce website loading time. This means that the website is temporarily stored on the user’s computer. On the next visit, it can then load faster.

File minification: minify CSS, HTML and JavaScript files to reduce website load time.

Hosting: get a fast and reliable hosting provider.

File compression: compress files to reduce website loading time.

Remove unused codes: unused codes slow down your website. You should therefore remove these.

Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN): make use of a CDN to reduce Web site load time.

A fast website is important for search engine optimization and for user experience. Visitors have no patience for slow websites. They soon leave these when they find the loading time too long. A fast website keeps visitors on the site longer and increases the likelihood that they will return.

Optimize mobile friendliness to improve your on-page SEO

More and more people are performing searches from their mobile devices. Mobile friendliness optimization is therefore essential for your on-page SEO. Keep in mind the following:

Responsive web design: take advantage of responsive web design. This is a design that adapts to different screen sizes. This allows any device to display your website properly.

Usability: make sure the website is easy to use on mobile devices. Buttons and links should be large enough to click on and content should be easy to read(5).

Load time: make sure the loading time of the website on mobile devices is fast enough. Mobile device users have little patience for slow websites.

Avoid pop-ups: pop-ups can negatively affect the user experience on mobile devices. It is therefore better to remove these.

Test on different devices: test the website on different mobile devices. This way you can be sure that it works properly and that every device displays it correctly.

Using AMP: Make use of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) to reduce website load time on mobile devices(6).

A mobile-friendly website is important not only for search engine optimization, but also for user experience. More and more people are using mobile devices to visit websites. It is therefore important that websites work well on these devices. A mobile-friendly website keeps visitors on the site longer and increases the likelihood that they will return.

Optimize the schema markup to improve your on-page SEO

When optimizing schema markup to improve your on-page SEO, it is important to consider the following aspects:

Relevance: the schema markup should be relevant to the content of the page. It should support the content of the page and be relevant to the topic of the page.

Accuracy: make sure the schedule markup is accurate. It should display appropriate information about the page content.

Using structured data: with structured data you highlight the content of the page. Search engines can thus better understand the content.

Rich snippets: use rich snippets to make the content of the page more attractive to the user. This increases the likelihood that people will click on the page(7).

Using JSON-LD: Use JSON-LD to add the schema markup to the HTML code of the page. This reduces page load time and improves search engine optimization.

Testing: test the schema markup to make sure it displays correctly in search results. This ensures that search engines understand the content of the page correctly.

Optimizing schema markup for search engines can improve search result rankings. You also better inform your website visitors this way. In addition, it makes the content of the page more attractive to the user. This increases the likelihood that people will click on the page.

Conclusion

On-page SEO is a crucial part of search engine optimization. It determines your website’s visibility and performance in search engines. By optimizing various aspects of on-page SEO, you improve your website’s ranking in organic search results. It also significantly improves the user experience of your website visitors. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to on-page SEO and apply and optimize these techniques regularly. This keeps you in compliance with the constantly changing requirements and guidelines of search engines. With the 30 points from this checklist, you’ll lay a strong foundation for on-page SEO. This is how you can improve your website’s performance in search engines.