On Page SEO Guide: How to Create SEO Content in 2022

On-page SEO is not just about sprinkling keywords and interlinking. It's about everything you do on a web page to add value to your readers. Also, this on-page SEO guide will help you create content that ranks well on search engines.

However, the best thing about on-page search engine optimization is that it's in your hand. It's a story of the past when the on-page optimization was pretty straightforward. But things are changing fast today and so is the SEO for beginners. 

You control a lot of things here, unlike in off-page SEO. And because I love adding value to my readers, on-page practices attract me more than anything. So without further ado, let's get started! 

On-Page SEO: The Ultimate Guide to Rank Higher Fast (2022)

In this guide to on-page SEO, you'll first learn the basics, then move on to creating and optimizing your content. Don’t want to read this detailed guide to on-page SEO? Watch this video I’ve made on my YouTube channel:

So let's get to know about this type of SEO and understand why it's important.

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO is optimizing individual web pages to rank high on search engines. This way, you earn more relevant traffic. And that's what I like about it! On-page factors are all the elements that you control as the website owner.

On-page optimization refers to everything on your web pages like

• Word count
• Content structure
• Relevance and clarity
• Detail and uniqueness
• Helpful links (inbound & outbound)
• Images, tables, and other such elements
• Headings, subheadings, bullets, and more

And the list goes on. These are all on-page elements that need optimization for search engines. However, keep in mind that today off-page factors like backlinks also play a crucial role in ranking high.

But the power of on-page optimization lies in adding value to the end-users. Let's get to know why it's really important. 

Why On-Page SEO Matters

On-page SEO is important because it's one of the easiest ways to improve your website's visibility. When you optimize your pages, you tell search engines exactly what your content is about. 

You make it easy for search engines like Google to rank your pages with on-page optimization.

What is the job of search engines like Google? It is to offer the most relevant information based on the user's query. 

And if you fulfill its users' intent, you will rank high. And thus you'll make substantial revenue. It happens because the advertisers can offer the relevant ads on your pages. 

Relevance is important in this business, and it's connected to on-page optimization. You'll not rank without relevance. That is the power of on-page SEO. 

Let's know how you can create and optimize your web pages for search engines like Google. 

How to Create SEO Content That Ranks

Before you get into technicalities like adding keywords, you must properly create SEO content. Because it's an on-page SEO guide, you'll deal with everything that is ‘on-page.' And the integral part is the content itself. So, let's get started!

Be Relevant and Choose the Right Content Type and Format

I have already focused on creating relevant content. But what does it mean? Well, it means that your content must be relevant to the search engine and its users. You must choose the right type and format of content.

For example, you're going to create a blog post about on-page SEO. And you want to choose the right type and format of content. Here's how you do it:

• Go to your favorite search engine (like Google)
• Type in the primary keyword (On-Page SEO guide in this case)
• Monitor the SERPs
• And ask yourself, “What content type and format is ranking well?”

And you'll have your answer. A blog post is the content type that ranks well for ‘on-page SEO.' But for ‘how to tie a tie, the correct type of content may be a video. It all depends on the intent, of course.

Here are a few content types you can go for:

• Blog post
• Video
• Infographic
• Table
• Product
• Landing page

And the list goes on. Just make sure that your content is high quality and relevant to the user.

For content format, you must focus on the SERPs again. If many ‘how to' articles are ranking for a keyword, you must create a better ‘how to' article. If listings appear on SERPs, you must create the best listicle you can create.

But remember that everything on the page is connected to the user's intent.

Keep the User's Intent on Mind While Writing

But what is the user intent? Well, it's what users seek when they type in a particular keyword. And it's important for on-page SEO. How can you find it out? You must get it with common sense and SERPs analysis.

For example, someone searching for a ‘sushi recipe' wants the goddamn recipe. The searcher doesn't want to know the history of sushi. That's just it! Be specific and write the recipe for sushi.

Type in the keyword you want to rank for in Google. And see the pages already ranking there. The idea is to satisfy the user's objective of typing a particular search query on the engines like Google.

Be Unique, Clear, and Thorough 

Uniqueness, clarity, and details are the three most important things to fulfill the searcher's intent. If you want to rank for a keyword, be sure to satisfy these three factors. How can you do it? It's simple!

Just write clear, unique content and provide the user's details.

• Think from different angles when creating content.
• Try out different titles and headings
• Look for common yet unique headings
• Go through the sub-topics
• Fill in the content gaps
• Use bullets, images, tables, and more

And try to add everything that adds value to the reader. That is how you add detail, clarity, and uniqueness. But you need to include all the related keywords in your content for better on-page SEO.

Write Based on Related Keywords

No, I'm not saying you must stuff the keywords in your posts. But the reality is that you need to add keywords in your content for high rankings on search engines. It's important because search engines define a piece of content based on keywords.

This is how you find all the related keywords:

• Go to H-Supertools Keyword Research Tool
• Enter your primary keyword in the box
• And click on ‘Search.'

Start with free digital marketing tools like H-Supertools and go premium later. In seconds, you'll find tons of related keyword ideas. Of course, you can use these best keyword research tools like Ahrefs, SEMRush, and more. But then they charge a hefty price for that.

Ahrefs is also good enough, but I have succeeded in getting traffic with SEMRush. But it doesn't mean that keywords are the only ranking factors that exist. You need to closely monitor all the pages ranking on search engines for improving on-page SEO.

Read Already Ranked Pages on SERPs

If search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo rank some pages on the first page, they must be good. Why? It's because the algorithm works based on the users' behavior. 

Users coming to those pages must be satisfied with the content. So read the page ranking for the keywords you also want to rank for. And copy the strategies with your uniqueness. 

Let's get a little more technical now. 

How to Optimize Your Web Pages: Best On-Page SEO Practices

Writing SEO content is challenging, without a doubt. But optimizing it is not. So don't be scared just because I used the word ‘technical' in the previous paragraph. 

Include the Primary Keyword in the Title, First, and Last Paragraphs

The primary keyword is the word that represents the idea of your content. It refers to the keyword you want to rank for in search engines like Google. That's why adding it in the title, first, and last paragraphs are important. 

Adding the primary keyword in the title is a must. But not adding it in the first and last paragraphs will work only if it makes sense. But usually, it doesn't.

See, the first and last paragraphs are extremely important. They are the scum of your content. That's why it's important to add a primary keyword to them.

But don't try to push it hard. Make it feel natural for improved on-page SEO.

Use the Keywords Naturally Across Your Content But Be Consistent

Don't stuff the keywords and naturally add them across your content. That's why many marketers say it like, ‘sprinkle the keyword in your content.'

But what does it mean to be consistent with keywords? Well, it refers to sprinkling the keywords across the content consistently. For example, if you use the keyword after every 200 words, you should continue to do so for the entire post.

But again, do it only if it makes sense.

Go for Short Yet Descriptive URLs

Short URLs are friendly to users. And that's why you should use them as much as you can. But there's a catch if you want to improve your on-page SEO.

The only reason not to go for long URLs is that they're difficult to remember. And users won't be able to come back if they can't recall the name of your website.

So, choose short yet descriptive URLs for your web pages.

Create an Awesome Meta Description With CTA

Meta descriptions are dead, I agree. Search engines like Google have opted for AI-powered meta descriptions for their SERPs. But you should still tell the search engine what your content is about. Let me share the meta description for this post:

A perfectly crafted meta description may also bring in more traffic and conversions. Create a compelling meta using these practical tips

• Match the search intent always
• Use the active voice
• Be concise
• Add CTA

That's just it! It's because you have only 150 characters to write in a meta.

Optimize Your Images for Search Engines

Images can be extremely valuable to up your SEO game. Images alone can bring in a lot of traffic if optimized for search engines properly.

Here are a few things you can do to optimize images:

• Name your images using the primary keyword
• Include keywords in the file name as well
• Use descriptive file names
• Don't stuff keywords
• Compress them

Use tools like Tinypng and ShortPixel to compress the images. And convert them into the next-gen image formats like webP.

Add Relevant Outbound and Inbound Links

Links are the 2nd most important ranking factor after the content itself. And it has a direct link with on-page content. Add relevant external and internal links to make your content valuable to your readers.

External or outbound links are the ones that take your reader to another site. While the internal or inbound links take your user to another page of your site.

But you should not add tons and tons of links to your web pages. That's just it! Do it subtly to add value to your readers only.

Hunt for Featured Snippet Opportunities in Google

Featured snippets have taken over the SERPs in recent years. And it's showing no signs of slowing down. That's why you must start optimizing your content for featured snippets.

It's not in your hand to appear in the featured snippet, but you can do these things:

• Target long-tail keywords
• Use the question-based queries
• Make your content easy to scan
• Include data and stats
• Optimize for voice search
• Target long-tail keywords first
• Include data and stats to make it more compelling
• Optimize for voice search by adding FAQs and questions at the bottom

But before hunting down the opportunities for featured snippets in Google, ensure that you:

• Already ranked in the top 10
• Provide the better answer
• Use the correct format
• See the snippets already on SERPs

If Google is not showing the snippets, it will not show yours either.

Monitor Your Competitor's Anchor Text

Anchor texts are the texts with links. Analyze them on the pages that rank well on SERPs. Check out who is using anchor texts for linking and where. Let me share Neil Patel's blog post where he uses a few anchor texts:

Then see your competitor's pages that link to yours and use similar or modified keywords in the anchor text. You can then create content based on this data. This way, you'll be able to get more traffic from high-ranking sites by improving your anchor texts.

Enjoy the Rich Snippets With Schema Markup

Rich snippets are search results with some extra information like ratings, reviews, and more. Schema markup is the kind of code that informs a search engine about the information. For example, there is a markup for

• How to 
• Product
• Review
• FAQs
• Software

You can find all the markup here. Snippets make it easy for search engines to understand the page. It improves targeting and ranking as well. And more.  

Top On-Page SEO Tools (2022)

There are a lot of on-page SEO tools out there in the market. These tools help you optimize your content on the go. If you're on WordPress, use these on-page SEO plugins:

• Rank Math
• Yoast SEO
• All in One SEO Pack

All these three plugins do the same thing; help you optimize your content on the fly. For example, they remind you to add your primary keyword in your title if you haven't already. I use Yoast SEO, but you can use Rank Math as well. 

I have heard awesome reviews for all these three plugins marketers use for on-page SEO. Check out these WordPress tools to add functionality to your site. You can also use Ginger or Grammarly to improve the grammar of your content on the go. 

FAQs on On-Page SEO

Now is the time to answer some of the frequently asked questions about on-page search engine optimization. On

1. What are some of the most important on-page SEO factors?

The most important on-page SEO factors are the title tag, the meta description, header tags, image alt text, and internal links.

2. How can I improve my title tag?

Your title tag should accurately reflect the content of your page. It should also be around 50-60 characters long. You can improve your title tag by including your target keyword and making sure it's included in a way that accurately reflects the content of your page.

3. How can I improve my meta description?

Your meta description should accurately reflect the content of your page, and it should be around 150-160 characters long. You can improve your meta description by including your target keyword and making sure it accurately reflects the content of your page.

4. What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO is the process of optimizing your website's content, structure, and On-Page SEO elements to improve your rank in search engine results pages.

5. Why is On-Page SEO important?

On-page SEO is important because it helps you improve your rank in search engine results pages, which means more people will see your website when they search for relevant keywords. On-page SEO also helps you improve click-through rates, resulting in more website visitors and conversions.

6. Is On-Page SEO necessary for my website?

On-page SEO is not necessary for all websites, but it can be helpful for those who want to improve their rank in search engine results pages. If you're not sure whether On-Page SEO is right for you, consult with an SEO specialist.

7. What are some of the best On-Page SEO tools?

Some of the best On-Page SEO tools include Yoast SEO, SEMrush, and Google Search Console. These tools can help you improve your website's content, structure, and more. Furthermore, you can use Surfer SEO and PrettyLinks to optimize your on-page opportunities.

I hope this on-page SEO guide will help you to up your rankings on SERPs. Have questions? Let me know in the comments below.