On-Page SEO Optimization: What Affects Google Rankings
On-page SEO essentials: titles, meta tags, headings, content, and technical elements that directly affect Google rankings.
Titles, meta, and headings
The title tag is your top relevance signal: lead with the keyword, add the brand, stay near 60 characters. Meta descriptions drive CTR even though they are not a direct ranking factor.
One H1 per page; H2s expand subtopics. Do not copy title and H1 verbatim — vary phrasing naturally.
- Unique titles on every URL
- Meta description with an offer
- H1 → H2 → H3 hierarchy
Content and keywords
Place the primary query in the first 100 words, add LSI terms without stuffing. Cover questions from People Also Ask.
- Match SERP subtopics
- On-page FAQ block
- Uniqueness vs competitors
- Refresh outdated sections
Images and media
Compress files, use WebP, write descriptive alt text. Video helps engagement but must not block load time.
Local businesses should add office, team, and project photos for trust and uniqueness.
Schema and internal links
Service, FAQ, and Breadcrumb schema can enhance snippets. Internal links pass authority to money pages and speed indexing.
- Canonicals on duplicates
- Breadcrumb navigation
- Contextual anchors
- Broken link checks
Helpful links
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