The Complete On-page SEO Checklist for 2023: Follow These 11 Steps

Search engine optimization (on-page SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) are important aspects of digital marketing.

They help businesses to increase their visibility and improve their rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).

On-page SEO and off-page SEO are two essential components of this effort and consist of several steps each to get the best outcome.

In this article we will discuss the on-page aspect of SEO and SEM and will cover the Off-page optimization in a different article.

On-page SEO Checklist for 2023

If you want to get the best out of your SERPs by doing the on-page SEO, you need to implement all of the following steps:

Domain Name Selection

The most important step in choosing a domain name for on-page SEO is to pick your business name.

An SEO-optimized business name should define what your business is all about in one or two words.

This way your audience will be able to remember you more easily.

Of course, if you have already done a good enough job at introducing your brand, it will automatically put your website on the map for people to find even if they are searching for it for the first time similar to big brands like Apple, BMW, Samsung, etc.

Source Code Optimization

The short explanation for this on-page SEO factor is that text to code ratio doesn’t directly affect the rank of your website.

Although, as too little coding can confuse crawlers with the context of your webpage, it can have a negative effect on your google ranking, so you need to make sure that there is enough information on your webpage for the crawlers to pick up the context of your post.

Avoid overcomplicating coding with heavy images, excessive tables, or unnecessary code like comments and white spaces. A high code to text ratio can slow down your website, negatively impacting your UI/UX and search rankings.

It is quite difficult to come up with a rule for the code to text ratio of all webpages considering their context, needs and purpose but a good rule of thumb would be to keep it between 25 to 70 percent of visible text compared to non-visible elements.

Speed Optimization

It takes up to 3 seconds for users to run out of patience and close the browser window.

Furthermore, Google prioritizes faster websites over sites that take longer to load when it comes to ranking search results, so it is pretty important to stay within users’ attention span to keep your customers and have better on-page SEO.

Now that you know the importance of speed optimization, let’s take a look at some of the most important practices to speed up your website:

1. Choose a better hosting service
2. Reduce image sizes
3. Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network)
4. Limit HTTP requests
5. Use website caching
6. Reduce redirects
7. Track 404 errors
8. Develop a mobile-native website
9. Reduce the number of plugins
10. Use a content management system (CMS)

Obviously, all of these practices have a considerable influence on the speed of your website, but one of the most important steps for speed optimization is to analyze your website after each change you makes.

GTmetrix, Google PageSpeed Insights and LightHouse are some of the best speed analytics tools for visual diagnosis, testing from multiple locations and devices, usability and history graphs.

Although if you want conclusive answers, it is needed to make sure you get the right results out of all these speed analytics tools collectively.

Content Optimization

Content optimization is one of the most important on-page SEO factors that affects how search engines react to your content or how SEO-friendly your content can be in terms of UI/UX and loading speed.

Here we will be going through 3 of the most important practices that can optimize your content and improve SEO:

– Keyword Density (Keyword Frequency)

Keyword density is the number of times a keyword appears on a page in relation to the total number of words.

Keywords are what makes it possible for people to find your content.

That is why cramming a webpage with keywords used to be a common technique to get ranked higher by search engines, but by today’s standards this ratio can’t be too high anymore since you can now get penalized for using keywords too much and if you don’t use it enough, search engines won’t be able to find and present your data, so where is the balance?

It is difficult to set a definitive standard for keyword density as the rules are constantly changing but a good rule of thumb would be a percentage between .5 and 2.5 to avoid extremes.

– Image Size and Alt Texts

Image alt text is a written description of the images on your webpage that helps search engines to crawl and rank your website.

A good image alt text is descriptive and should follow the context of your webpage, so make sure to keep your alt text to the point instead of stuffing too many keywords in there.

Furthermore, since images take up to 30% of the total page weight, it is crucial to ideally keep the image sizes less than 100 KB. Please also bear in mind that you can reduce the size of an image by 70% with the right compression tool.

– Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks can act like a double-edged sword. Links on credible websites pointing to your page can boost your on-page SEO as much as bad anchor texts and links to irrelevant websites can damage it.

You should, therefore, double-check websites you are linking your webpage to and make sure to maintain a well-organized structure to transfer SEO authority more effectively.

WordPress SEO

Yoast and RankMath are two popular SEO plugins for WordPress websites. Both plugins offer a range of features that can help optimize your site’s on-page and technical SEO. Here are some of the best configurations for each plugin:

Yoast SEO

• Configure your website’s general settings, including title separator, knowledge graph, and webmaster tools.
• Use the Content Analysis tool to optimize individual posts and pages for target keywords.
• Enable XML sitemaps and submit them to Google Search Console.
• Set up breadcrumbs for improved user navigation and search engine crawling.
• Optimize your site’s social media sharing by setting up Open Graph metadata.
• Use the Readability Analysis tool to ensure your content is easy to read and understand.
• Configure permalinks to include your target keywords for improved SEO.

RankMath

• Set up the SEO analysis tool to scan your site for any SEO issues and offer recommendations for improvements.
• Configure your website’s general settings, including title separator, default social sharing image, and webmaster tools.
• Use the Focus Keyword tool to optimize individual posts and pages for target keywords.
• Enable XML sitemaps and submit them to Google Search Console.
• Set up breadcrumbs for improved user navigation and search engine crawling.
• Optimize your site’s social media sharing by setting up Open Graph metadata.
• Use the 404 monitor to identify any broken links and redirect them to relevant pages.
• Configure permalinks to include your target keywords for improved SEO.

Website Cache

Caching can reduce the number of steps taken when generating web pages and speed up the amount of time taken for user requests to be processed, which can significantly increase UX and reduce bounce rates.

However, caching can get very tricky when it comes to dynamic website as content frequently updates.

This is where the role of caching plugins shine by generating dynamic web pages. Here we will cover two of the most popular and effective caching plugins in 2023.

WP Rocket

WP Rocket is the most beginner-friendly caching plugin on the market and works with 80% efficiency right after activation with no technical knowledge required.

WP Rocket enables caching for logged-in users and mobile devices and allows you to set the time for when the cache will be cleared automatically.

WP Rocket offers browser caching, supports lots of third-party plugins and web fonts on Apache and ensure superfast loading speed to improve conversion and SEO rankings.

W3 Total Cache

W3 Total Cache operates on a relatively more advanced interface that offers complete control over your site’s caching configuration which makes it an ideal plugin for advanced users to gain full control over their WordPress sites.

W3 Total Cache reduces website loading time by offering the latest features like content delivery network integration and can improve your overall user experience with a toolbox jam-packed with multiple features and settings like page caching, Cloudflare integration and asset minification.

With this plugin you will be ensured that there won’t be any stones unturned to get the optimal performance out of your website.

Internal Link Building

Internal link building is an important aspect of on-page SEO that involves linking pages within your website.

It helps search engines understand the hierarchy of your website and improves user experience by allowing them to easily navigate your site.

Here are some of the best internal link building techniques for WordPress SEO:

– Create a site structure

Before you start linking pages, it’s important to have a clear site structure. Your site structure should be logical and organized in a way that makes sense to both users and search engines.

– Use descriptive anchor text

Anchor text is the clickable text that appears as a hyperlink. Using descriptive anchor text that accurately describes the linked page’s content helps search engines understand the context of the link and improves user experience.

– Link to relevant pages

When linking internally, make sure the linked pages are relevant to each other. This helps search engines understand the topic of your website and improves user experience by providing them with related content.

– Use a plugin

WordPress offers many plugins that can help you with internal link building. Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math have built-in features that suggest internal linking opportunities and make it easy to add internal links.

– Update old content

Periodically update old content and add new internal links to it. This keeps your website fresh and relevant, and helps search engines understand the current state of your website.

Page Builders & Their Pros and Cons for SEO

Elementor, Divi, and Gutenberg are popular tools for building websites with WordPress. Each of these tools has its own pros and cons, which are discussed below:

Elementor

Elementor Pros for on-page SEO

• Elementor is a powerful page builder with a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to create complex layouts quickly and easily.
• It offers a wide range of widgets and templates that can help you create almost any type of website design you can imagine.
• Elementor has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for beginners to use.

Elementor Cons for on-page SEO

• The free version of Elementor has limited features compared to the premium version, which can be expensive.
• It can slow down your website if you use too many widgets and heavy graphics.
• Some users may find the learning curve steep if they are not familiar with using page builders.

Divi

Divi Pros for on-page SEO

• Divi is a versatile and flexible page builder that comes with a powerful set of features.
• It offers a large selection of pre-built templates and modules that can help you create professional-looking websites quickly.
• Divi allows you to customize almost every aspect of your website design, giving you complete control over the look and feel of your site.

Divi Cons for on-page SEO

• Divi can be quite expensive, especially if you need to use it on multiple websites.
• It can be overwhelming for beginners to use due to the sheer number of options and features available.
• Divi has a steep learning curve, and it may take some time to master all of its features and capabilities.

Gutenberg

Gutenberg Pros for on-page SEO

• Gutenberg is a built-in WordPress editor that allows you to create content in blocks, making it easy to customize the look and feel of your website.
• Gutenberg is free and open-source, which means it is constantly updated with new features and improvements.
• It integrates seamlessly with other WordPress plugins and themes.

Gutenberg Cons for on-page SEO

• Gutenberg is a content editor, and it is not as powerful as a dedicated page builder like Elementor or Divi.
• It can be time-consuming to create complex layouts using Gutenberg, as it requires you to use multiple blocks to achieve the desired effect.
• Some users may find the block-based editing system too restrictive, particularly if they are used to traditional WYSIWYG editors.

Keyword Research

Keyword research is an essential aspect of Search Engine Optimization (on-page SEO) that helps to identify the most relevant and popular search terms used by people to find specific products or services.

Here are the steps to perform keyword research for focus and secondary keywords:

– Identify your topic or niche

Start by identifying the main topic or theme of your website or blog. For example, if you have a blog on fitness, your topic would be “fitness.”

– Use keyword research tools

There are many free and paid keyword research tools available, including Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz.

These tools can help you identify the most popular keywords related to your topic, as well as their search volume and competition level.

– Focus on long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases that are less competitive than broader terms.

For example, “yoga for beginners” is a long-tail keyword that is more targeted and less competitive than the broader term “yoga.”

– Organize your keywords:

Once you have a list of potential keywords, organize them into focus and secondary keywords based on their relevance and search volume. Your focus keywords should be the most important and relevant terms for your website, while secondary keywords can support your content and provide additional context.

– Use your keywords strategically

Use your focus keywords in your page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and throughout your content.

Use your secondary keywords to provide additional context and support for your focus keywords.

Remember, the goal of keyword research is to identify the most relevant and popular keywords for your topic, but it’s also important to create high-quality content that meets the needs of your audience.

Use your keywords strategically, but don’t overdo it or sacrifice the quality of your content.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a powerful tool that helps website owners and marketers understand their audience and optimize their online presence.

Here is a brief guide on how to use Google Analytics to embed, configure, and create custom reports:

–  Embed Google Analytics on your website

To embed Google Analytics on your website, you need to create a Google Analytics account and add the tracking code to your website.

The tracking code allows you to collect data on your website visitors, such as their location, demographics, behavior, and more.

You can find the tracking code in the Admin section of your Google Analytics account, under the Tracking Info > Tracking Code tab.

Copy the tracking code and paste it into the HTML code of your website, just before the closing </head> tag.

– Configure Google Analytics settings

After you’ve embedded Google Analytics on your website, configure the settings to ensure that you’re collecting the right data and tracking the right metrics.

You can configure settings such as goals, filters, segments, events, and more.

For example, set up goals to track specific actions on your website, such as form submissions, purchases, or newsletter sign-ups.

Filters exclude internal traffic or spam referrals, or include only certain pages or regions.

– Create custom reports

Once you’ve configured the settings, create custom reports to analyze and visualize the data.

Custom reports allow you to customize the dimensions, metrics, and segments that you want to analyze, and to create custom charts, tables, or graphs to visualize the data.

To create a custom report, go to the Customization section of your Google Analytics account and click on the New Custom Report button.

Then, choose the dimensions, metrics, and segments that you want to include in your report and customize the appearance and layout of your report.

You can also save your report for future use or export it to a PDF or CSV file.

Content Strategy

Topic research is an essential part of content strategy as it helps you identify the trending niche-related keywords that your target audience is searching for.

Here’s a guide on how to do topic research based on trending niche-related keywords for your content strategy:

– Identify your target audience

The first step in topic research is to identify your target audience. Who are they? What are their interests? What are their pain points? By understanding your target audience, you can create content that resonates with them and addresses their needs.

– Use keyword research tools

Once you’ve identified your target audience, use keyword research tools to find the trending niche-related keywords that they’re searching for.

There are several keyword research tools available, such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and more. These tools help you find the search volume, competition, and trends of the keywords that you’re interested in.

– Analyze the competition

After finding the trending niche-related keywords, analyze the competition to see what topics they’re covering, how they’re presenting the content, and how you can differentiate your content.

Use tools like Buzzsumo, Google Trends, or SimilarWeb to find the top-performing content in your niche and analyze the engagement metrics.

– Brainstorm content ideas

Once you’ve analyzed the competition, brainstorm content ideas based on the trending niche-related keywords and the topics that your target audience is interested in.

Create a content calendar to organize the topics, the format, and the publishing schedule.

– Create and optimize your content

Finally, create and optimize your content for search engines and your target audience.

Make sure that your content is well-researched, informative, engaging, and optimized for the trending niche-related keywords. Use headers, meta tags, and alt tags to make your content more discoverable and readable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering on-page SEO in 2023 requires a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends and techniques.

It is essential to focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that is optimized for both users and search engines.

Implementing structured data, optimizing for voice search, and prioritizing site speed and mobile responsiveness are also crucial for on-page SEO success in 2023.

By following these tips and staying up-to-date with the latest SEO best practices, website owners can improve their search engine rankings, drive more traffic to their sites, and ultimately increase conversions and revenue.