On-page SEO is the process of optimising the content of every page of a website for better organic search rankings. This includes the user-facing content of the site, as well as the way search engine bots ‘read’ the information on the back-end. There are a number of ways to do this, but ultimately it comes down to making sure your site and its content answers the search intent of the target user. And there’s no way to cheat this – you have to add value through your content and your user experience.
Why we and
our solutions are
different
Understanding search optimisation
On-page SEO starts with developing a deep understanding of the types of keywords and search phrases your target market use. In the past, once you’d identified the relevant search phrases and keywords, it was simply a matter of placing them repeatedly throughout your content to tick the boxes for ‘relevance’ for Google’s algorithm. That may have worked before, but Google’s gotten a lot smarter – and so have users.
Search algorithms have become more sensitive to the fact that keywords littered throughout site content isn’t the best or only marker of relevance. In fact, high keyword density in otherwise thin content is more likely to be low quality click-bait. And that’s not where you want to be.
Smarter semantics
To overcome the challenge of scammers trying to game the system, Google’s algorithms have evolved to have a far more nuanced understanding of semantics – including related keywords and synonyms that form part of natural language.
That means that if you search for a particular phrase, Google is able to serve you highly relevant results that may not even use the exact words you typed in, but which certainly answers what you were looking for. This has changed the game when it comes to online SEO.
Now, rather than a simple formula of dumping keywords into every second line, it’s about first and foremost creating the highest quality content from a user perspective, and then working to make sure that content is easily scanned and indexed by search engines.
The organic search team at Mickey Llew love the process of on-page SEO because it’s all about putting the user first and developing a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses, their target audiences and the search behaviour of those audiences. Here are some of the things we look at when tackling on-page SEO improvements:
Understanding search intent, identifying opportunities
By understanding the different types of searches the target audience is conducting, we’re able to build an on-page content strategy that best answers those search queries. We study the top ranking pages for the keywords and phrases the audience is using, and we use that to inform our approach to put your site ahead.
Smart placement of target keywords
Based on your objectives, budget, and target audience behaviour, the Mickey Lllew experts compile a keyword strategy (including exact-match and related keywords) that will help to move your business up the search rankings. These keywords are then applied in smart ways throughout your website content and target landing pages where it makes sense to do so.
The priority in this process is keeping content user-friendly and natural. We focus on the quality of the content above all else. We give Google credit for being able to recognise relevance without jamming copy with keywords, while also understanding where specific keywords are still important.
Implement short, clear URLs
URLs need to be concise and descriptive. This is important for how the page appears in search results, and how likely it is for a user to click the link. Through a URL, you’re able to tell both users and search engines exactly what to expect from the link – whether it’s a product listing, an article, or a contact page.
Accurate image tags
Just as copy is searchable and indexed by Google, so too are images – when they’re correctly tagged. Tagging of imagery also means those images can be indexed on Google Images – enabling another avenue for potential site traffic and improving the discoverability of your site content.
Keep it simple
There’s a lot of information on the Internet and users want to be able to quickly and effectively engage with a site to get the information they need, or complete the transaction they came to perform. So site content needs to be written in clear, concise language, with short paragraphs and sub-headings make it easy to skim read. Usability and readability count for a lot in the eyes of Google – and the average user.
Let’s set up a chat
To get results
As with everything we do, we ultimately want our activities to give you results that prove ROI. In this case, sending a piece of content out to 200 sites and getting 2 pieces of coverage is not a success. Neither is getting a low quality backlink from a site that scrapes content from around the web without adding any value. We help you understand what outreach wins you want and give you a transparent view of what’s working, what isn’t and how to keep refining it.
