The best way to grow your website is with organic traffic from the big search engines out there. The only way to garner the necessary clicks, however, is to rank high enough in the first place. Unfortunately, finding a balance between the two is where too many websites spin out of control. The surest search engine optimization (SEO) strategies incorporate both on-site and off-site planning. While the building blocks of your off-site efforts are all about honing your backlink portfolio, which you likely have a fairly solid handle on, your on-site or on-page plans involve SEO elements that are more content-driven, including meta tags and keywords. This is the stuff that speaks both to your target audience and to the search engines, and it deserves closer attention.

Your On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO Need to Play Well Together

Focusing solely on either on-page or off-page SEO is not going to do you any favors. You’re building a digital marketing world, and the goal is to strike a fine balance. When you ensure that both branches of your SEO are working in smooth tandem with one another, you strengthen your site and make connecting with your prospective clientele that much more elegant and likely.

Off-Page SEO

Your off-page SEO includes all those outside tactics you employ to keep your site more visible across the web. Search engines are looking for reassurance that the webpages they shoot out to users are reliable, to begin with. Toward this end, there’s something of a popularity contest going on within the World-Wide Web. Backlinks are a prime example; they tell those search engines in no uncertain terms that other websites like you, they really like you.

On-Page SEO

To put things in perspective, it’s important to note that there are more than a billion websites out there, and this leaves those search engine algorithms all aflutter – attempting to organize the ocean of data in a manner that brings users and the content that is most valuable to them together at last. When your on-page content is optimized, you tighten your relevance to those target queries and keywords. Google’s always looking for ways to make a stronger love connection between user intent and online offerings, and they tweak their algorithms accordingly. Wise webmasters pay attention.

Optimize that On-Site SEO

You know that optimizing your on-site SEO is the goal, but getting there can feel out of reach. Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true steps that can help you along, including:

Get a grip on Google’s criteria
Slide that target keyword into your first paragraph
Put those H1 and H2 tags to good use
Optimize those outbound and internal linking opportunities
Make your URLs pop

Get a Grip on Google’s Criteria

To keep up with Google, you have to know what they’re looking for, and while this is ever-evolving, the following consistently hold true:

First Impressions – Google is looking at the overall experience here, including how quickly users are able to get down to business with the page at hand.
Content – Google isn’t all about the trappings; they’re also looking for legit content that organically incorporates those important keywords and phrases. Without high-quality content that hits all of its authoritative marks, you’re not going to keep up with Google’s evolving trajectory.
Quality Time – Google wants to see users interacting with the site in a meaningful way (and not simply hopping on and off).

Slide that Target Keyword into Your First Paragraph

Using that all-important target keyword in your first paragraph is the online version of a grand entrance. Your job is to set the stage for what is to come, and being coy isn’t going to get you very far. Your topic and purpose should be clear from the outset, and from here, you can build upon your theme – in lockstep with what Google is looking for (additional terms that partner with your original keyword). By using those keywords that actually matter to your industry, you help Google see the bigger picture, and by incorporating them into quality content, you give the people what they need.

Put Those H1 and H2 Tags to Good Use

Even if your content is a thing of beauty that offers users exactly what they’re looking for, you can’t improve your delivery system if you’re not organizing your efforts according to the powers that be (Google & co). Further, these headers provide your readers with the structure they need to effectively and efficiently get to the bottom of the matter. Remember, there are a billion other websites out there, and you need a way to make your point as elegantly as possible. That, in a nutshell, is what your H1 and H2 tags can do for you.

Optimize Those Outbound and Internal Linking Opportunities

You want your website to be your own and your content to be compelling and original, but you also need them to exude authority. This is where outbound links hit their stride. If your content is on point, that’s great, but if you anchor your efforts with authoritative outbound links, it adds a layer of gravitas that should not be underestimated. Conversely, internal links give your visitors more to love right there within your own site, which helps reduce your bounce rate and bolster your brand.

Make Your URLs Pop

When your pages’ URLs aren’t simply a random jumble of letters and words but actually touch base with your keywords, it lends credence to the topic covered therein. When Google and your visitors are all confident about what’s on that page, it can help your site move to the front of the line.

We’re on Board to Help You Update Your On-Page SEO

At The Web Guys, we’re all over your on-page SEO goals, and we have the digital chops to help you get there. Your website is not something you finish and put away for safekeeping – but is, instead, an online entity with a digital heartbeat that needs your tender, loving care. Never fear; we’re here to help, so go ahead and contact us at (317) 805-4933 today.