Titles, meta descriptions, headings, internal links and schema — the exact on-page steps that move pages up the results.
On-page SEO is the part of ranking you fully control. No backlinks needed, no waiting on anyone else. Here is the checklist I run through before any site goes live.
One page, one main keyword
Decide the single search phrase each page should win. If two pages target the same phrase, they compete with each other and both lose. Write that keyword down next to the page in a simple sheet before you write a word of content.
Title tag and meta description
- Keep the title under 60 characters and put the keyword near the start.
- Write the meta description for a human, in about 155 characters, and include a reason to click.
- Never repeat the same title on two pages.
- Add your brand name at the end of the title, not the beginning.
Headings that follow a real structure
One H1 per page that matches what the page is about. H2s for the main sections, H3s only inside those sections. Do not pick a heading level because of how big the text looks — that is what CSS is for.
Content that answers the question
Search the keyword yourself and read the top three results. If they all answer five specific questions and your page answers two, you are not ready to compete. Cover the same ground, then add something they missed — a price, a local detail, a real example.
Internal links
Every new page should link to two or three relevant existing pages, and at least one older page should link back to it. Use descriptive anchor text. "Our WooCommerce store setup service" works. "Click here" does nothing.
Images and technical basics
- Descriptive file names and alt text on every meaningful image.
- Short, readable URLs with hyphens and no dates or numbers.
- A canonical tag on every page.
- Schema markup — Organization, Breadcrumb, FAQ and Article where relevant.
Then check it in Search Console
Submit the URL, confirm it is indexed, and come back after two weeks to see which queries it is showing up for. Those queries tell you exactly what to add next.