The Basics of Onpage SEO

Search engines do not rank whole web sites, but individual pages within the site. When doing some Page Rank research you may see that pages within a web site can have very different rankings. Therefore, with single web pages in mind, start small to build up your rankings within as many pages of your site as possible. You need to use what is known as onpage SEO to give your web page the best advantage, and if you have many highly optimized pages they will help you more than just a homepage with a good ranking.

The most base level onpage SEO techniques that you need to encompass within your web pages are as follows:

1. Page title
   This is what appears in the blue bar at the very top of your browser window. This 'title tag' must list your keywords. If you leave your title out it will be listed by default as 'Untitled'. This is to be avoided as your title tag lets the search engines know what your page is about. So, 'untitled' doesn't tell them anything other than you omitted the title. In a search result the title tag is displayed so you want to keep it short and to the point using about 7 or 8 words. Make sure all the pages on your site have different title tags.
   
   
2. Metadata
   This is coding found before your 'head' tag. Search engines used to use metadata for page rank much more than they do these days, but don't overlook your meta tags - Google differentiates between your pages by using your metadata. List your keywords in your meta tags, do not list words that you don't have in your content.
   
   
3. Web page content
   Use a light peppering of keywords throughout your web page content but don't overdo it and 'stuff' your pages. The search engines will regard that as a negative. As long as your web copy is relevant to your title tags and keywords you are OK. Think big picture and 'theme' your web page. And try using synonyms as well as your keywords so that your text reads properly.
   
   
4. Links
   Link to pages within your web site using your chosen keywords. This internal linking will inform search engines that the keyword has importance. Refrain from linking all over the place within your web copy as your theme will 'bleed'. Keep things tight by controlling where your links go out to, and remember this means content links here, not your menu links.
   
   
5. Your domain name
   If you want to improve in the search engine rankings it helps to have your keywords in your url. If your keyword is "weightloss tips" you should chose weightlosstips.com which will rank much higher for your keyword term than, say, healthyeating101.com. Of course you have to make sure each page is fully optimized too.

Remember as you optimize your web page content to make sure that it reads well. Naturally flowing text will make your visitors feel like sticking around, and later returning; and by using these few, easy to follow pointers, your onpage SEO will be a success.