On-page SEO is all about making your website easy to find on search engines like Google. In WordPress, it’s important to know how to set things up so that search engines understand your content and rank it higher. Let’s go step-by-step and learn how to do on page SEO WordPress.
What is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO means optimizing (improving) parts of your website, like:
- Content: What your page says.
- HTML tags: What you tell search engines about your content.
- Images: How pictures on your page help your content.
These things help search engines know what your website is about and how it can help people.
learn more about On-Page SEO at (What is On-Page SEO?)
Why is On-Page SEO Important?
On-page SEO helps your website:
- Rank higher: Shows up higher in search results.
- Be more visible: More people can find you.
- Get more traffic: More visitors to your site.
How to Do On-Page SEO in WordPress
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you optimize your WordPress on page SEO.
1. Choose a Focus Keyword
Every page on your website should have one focus keyword. This is the main word or phrase that describes your page. For example, if your page is about “How to Bake Cookies,” your focus keyword could be “bake cookies.”
How to Choose a Focus Keyword:
- Use words people search for.
- Make sure it’s related to your page content.
- Avoid very broad keywords (like “cookies”) that are hard to rank for.
learn more about keyword research at (What is Keyword Research?)
2. Use SEO-Friendly URLs
Your URL should be simple and easy to read. It should include your focus keyword.
Example:
Bad URL: https://www.mysite.com/p123 Good URL: https://www.mysite.com/bake-cookies
To change URLs in WordPress:
- Go to your post or page.
- Edit the Permalink.
3. Write a Great Title
Your page title is one of the first things people and search engines see. It should be:
- Clear: People should understand what your page is about.
- Include the keyword: Put the focus keyword near the beginning.
- Not too long: Keep it under 60 characters.
Example:
Bad Title: “All About Cookies” Good Title: “How to Bake Cookies Easily at Home”
4. Write a Good Meta Description
A meta description is a short summary of your page that shows up in search results. It should:
- Be around 150-160 characters long.
- Include your focus keyword.
- Entice people to click your page.
Example:
Meta Description: “Learn how to bake delicious cookies at home with our simple step-by-step guide. Perfect for beginners!”
5. Use Header Tags (H1, H2, H3)
Headers (like H1, H2, H3) help organize your content. They make it easier to read and help search engines understand what’s important.
How to Use Header Tags:
- Use H1 for your page title (WordPress usually does this automatically).
- Use H2 for main sections.
- Use H3 for sub-sections under H2.
Example:
look at this blog post.
6. Optimize Images
Images make your page more attractive, but they also need to be optimized for SEO. Here’s how:
- Add Alt Text: This is a short description of the image. Use your keyword when it makes sense.
- Use Proper Image File Names: Name your images something descriptive, like “bake-cookies.jpg” instead of “IMG123.jpg.”
- Compress Images: Make sure your images load fast by compressing them (use tools like TinyPNG).
Example:
7. Use Internal and External Links
Internal links point to other pages on your site, and external links point to other websites. Both are important for SEO.
- Internal links: Help users find more content on your site.
- External links: Show search engines that your content is connected to other helpful resources.
Internal link: [Check out our cake recipes](https://www.mysite.com/cake-recipes)
External link: [Read more about baking on Food Network](https://www.foodnetwork.com)
8. Create Quality Content
Content is king! If your content isn’t helpful or interesting, people won’t stay on your site. Here’s how to create content that works:
- Write for people first: Make it easy to read and understand.
- Use the focus keyword naturally: Don’t stuff it everywhere. It should flow naturally.
- Make it valuable: Answer questions people are searching for.
9. Install an SEO Plugin
WordPress has plugins that can help you do SEO without needing to code. The most popular ones are:
- Yoast SEO
- Rank Math
These plugins help by giving you tips and scores on how well you’re doing SEO on your pages.
How to Install Yoast SEO:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Click on Plugins > Add New.
- Search for Yoast SEO and install it.
- Follow the setup wizard to configure it.
How to Install Rank math:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Click on Plugins > Add New.
- Search for Rank Math and install it.
- Follow the setup wizard to configure it.
10. Mobile Optimization
Most people browse websites on their phones. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll lose visitors and rank lower.
Make sure:
- Your theme is responsive (works on all screen sizes).
- Your content is easy to read on smaller devices.
Summary Table for Quick Reference
| Task | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Focus Keyword | Choose one for each page |
| URL | Keep it short and include the keyword |
| Title | Write a clear, keyword-rich title |
| Meta Description | Write a short summary with the keyword |
| Header Tags | Use H1, H2, H3 to organize content |
| Images | Add alt text and compress images |
| Links | Add internal and external links |
| Content | Write valuable, easy-to-read content |
| SEO Plugin | Install and use Yoast SEO or Rank Math |
| Mobile Optimization | Make sure your site looks good on mobile devices |
Final THoughts
That’s it! These steps will help you improve the on-page SEO of your WordPress site. By following these simple steps, you’ll make your website more attractive to search engines, rank higher in search results, and attract more visitors.
