To make sure that we are collectively on the same page as it pertains to SEO on-page optimization, I wanted to post this blog. For some, this is not new information and will serve as a refresher. For others, this guide will help you better understand PaperStreet’s stance on on-page optimization.
Goal – Write Better Copy and Pages
The goal is that we, collectively, write enough traditional content and, in doing so, gain the opportunity to weave in any targeted keyword into that content. We all need to change our previous mindset of how on-page SEO works, meaning we should not limit ourselves to focusing on a keyword and forcefully fitting THAT keyword into a webpage or a website when it does not naturally belong. Those days are long gone.
To this same point, the vice versa is true too: we don’t want to write a page so overly conservative that it is not optimized at all; that defeats the intent. Instead, the focus should be on writing a TON of content and amongst that content, find opportunities to weave in keywords and all their variances.
Don’t Force It
When it comes to producing optimized copy, nothing should seem forced. We all need to read the content of that page and make sure it is optimized for what that page is about. If your firm has enough content on your website, from a traditional marketing standing point, then we can work with what we have. But, in our Content Analysis of all SEO campaigns, if we find that the firm’s content needs bolstering simply from a traditional marketing level, then we should recognize all the fresh, new page opportunities and suggestions within that content – particularly compared to the relevant content that competitors may already have online. We can then naturally weave in the keywords that we are targeting.
Natural Opportunities
When it comes to on-page SEO, we are all looking for natural opportunities to match everything up – content, keywords, links and more. This should not be a burden; if anything, it should be the opposite. The beauty of this is that we all have the power to create those natural opportunities in generating more and more content as necessary.
What to Optimize
Of course, the basics still apply: we still need to optimize Title Tags, Meta Descriptions, H1s, H2s, H3s, internal anchor links and the copy itself. This principle applies, starting from the top down, with the Title Tags. If it naturally fits, go with the proper Title Tag.
Summary and Links
Overall, the home page and core content practice area pages remain key, but all other additional content should not be ignored. All pages should definitely (yet naturally) have keyword phrases that match to the page intent. With the rise of long form content too (2000+ word pages), we should all collectively find even greater opportunities to become relevant and rank.
Lastly, Rand Fishkin of Moz.com’s Whiteboard Friday’s coverage of this information remains relevantly important:
https://moz.com/blog/on-page-seo-8-principles-whiteboard-friday
https://moz.com/blog/8-old-school-seo-practices-not-effective-whiteboard-friday
