On-Page SEO Checklist: 12 Things to Fix on Every Page

On-page SEO is everything you control directly on a page. Use this checklist on any page you want to rank.

1. One clear target keyword. Decide what the page is about before writing. One primary topic per page avoids competing with yourself.
2. Title tag. Put the main keyword near the start, keep it readable, and make it something a person wants to click.
3. Meta description. It does not directly rank, but a good one lifts clicks. Describe the benefit and add a reason to click.
4. One H1, logical H2s. Use headings to structure the page for both readers and search engines.
5. Answer the search intent. Look at what already ranks. If they are guides, publish a guide. If they are product pages, do not write an essay.
6. Write for people first. Use the keyword and related terms naturally. Stuffing hurts.
7. Internal links. Link to related pages using descriptive anchor text so authority and visitors flow through the site.
8. Image optimisation. Compress images, use descriptive file names and write useful alt text.
9. Clean URL. Short, readable and lowercase, for example /services/local-seo/.
10. Schema markup. Add structured data such as FAQ, Article, Product or LocalBusiness where it fits.
11. Page speed and mobile layout. Slow or broken mobile pages lose visitors before they read a word.
12. A clear next step. Every page should tell the visitor what to do next: call, enquire or read the next article.

Want this applied across your whole site by specialists? See our on-page SEO process or request a free audit.