Introduction
In today’s competitive digital landscape, mastering on-page SEO factors is key if you want to rank higher and attract organic traffic that converts. While off-page SEO focuses on creating backlinks and enhancing brand authority, on-page SEO involves establishing a strong technical foundation, delivering a seamless user experience, and providing rich content, all of which Google values.
Let’s get into the aspects of the 12 top-performing on-page SEO factors (as of now) you should be focusing on to increase visibility, engagement, and ranking performance:
1. Crawlable Website
A crawlable website is the basis of all SEO success. If search engines are unable to crawl or index your site, no matter how great your content is, it will never show within search results.
Here is how to make your website crawlable:
- Ensure you do not have broken links or redirect loops.
- Utilize an XML sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console.
- Make sure you’re not blocking important pages in your site with robots.txt.
You should also regularly complete a crawl audit of the website using a tool like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to make sure all your pages can be found by Google’s crawlers.
2. Site Architecture
Your site’s architecture determines how users and search engines navigate it internally. A clear structure improves the user experience and helps Google determine which pages on your site are most important.
Best Practices:
- Keep navigation simple and easy to navigate.
- Keep a shallow structure (no page should be more than three clicks away from the homepage).
- Utilize internal linking to guide users through related content.
A well-organised site also supports better indexing, a vital factor for ranking growth.
3. Quality Outbound Links
People rarely consider this factor, but simply having a quality link to a relevant and reputable site demonstrates credibility for your content. It signals to Google that you are pointing readers to reliable, relevant content and adding contextual value.
Our recommendations for useful outbound links:
- Link only to reputable and relevant sites in your niche.
- Use descriptive anchor text (not just “click here.”)
- Use limited external links to support readability and credibility.
Links show evidence you’re committed to providing honest, truthful, and useful perspectives.
4. Website Speed
The speed of a page has an effect on SEO rankings and user experience. Studies show that a one-second delay can reduce conversions by up to 7%.
Here are a few suggestions to improve speed:
- Compress images and enable browser caching.
- Utilize a fast, reliable hosting provider.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
A fast-loading website keeps users engaged and creates trust with search engines.
5. Mobile Friendliness
With over half of global web traffic coming from mobile devices, mobile friendliness is not optional. In fact, Google’s mobile-first indexing means your website’s mobile-first version is going to be the basis of ranking.
Keep these optimisations in mind:
- Choose a responsive design option.
- Test it out using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
- Avoid intrusive pop-ups and ensure text is “readable” on smaller screens.
At Rank With Mahnoor, we always recommend that you audit for mobile UX regularly: Seamless mobile experiences create happy users and happy algorithms.
6. Use of HTTPS
Security builds trust. Because they protect user data and provide a secure browsing experience, Google favours HTTPS websites. Even worse, sites without SSL certificates may display a “Not Secure” warning, which may deter visitors.
What to do:
- Install an SSL certificate on your domain.
- Redirect all HTTP URLs to HTTPS.
- Check for mixed content issues regularly.
Secure websites build both user confidence and a slight ranking benefit.
7. User-Friendly URLs
A simple and easy-to-read URL structure, i.e., a URL structure that facilitates more clicks and more crawlability. If a URL is clean, you should be able to understand what a page is about once you first see it, to help facilitate clicking.
Examples:
✅ rankwithmahnoor.com/on-page-seo-factors
❌ rankwithmahnoor.com/page?id=12345
Tips:
- Try to keep URLs short, descriptive, and rich in keywords.
- Use hyphens, not underscores, to separate words.
- Avoid using special characters and unnecessary numbers.
Simple URLs are easier to send, remember, and rank.
8. Well-Targeted Content
High-quality, relevant content is still the number one on-page ranking factor. Your content needs to appeal directly to the searcher’s intent while providing real value in terms of depth, accuracy, and originality.
To produce content that ranks:
- Have a good understanding of search intent (i.e., informational, navigational, or transactional).
- Use keyword clusters and other semantic terms naturally.
- Make sure your content is fresh and has research (or case studies) to back it up.
Remember, the more relevant and comprehensive your content, the longer users stay, improving engagement metrics that Google values.
9. Keyword Optimization
Effective keyword optimization aids search engines in understanding the topic of your content. However, using too many keywords will produce negative results. The modern approach involves naturally incorporating the primary keyword into the content, plus other LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords.
Here are some important points to consider:
- Utilize the main keyword within the content between 3 and 5 times.
- Apply variations of the main keyword, and use it in the title, the meta description, and the H1 header, as well as write it within the first 100 words of the article.
- Utilize variations and related terms for context.
You can easily monitor ideal keyword usage with tools such as SurferSEO, Rank Math, and others that assist with monitoring optimal keyword use.
10. Image Optimization
Images make content engaging, but can slow your site if not optimised. Image optimization improves speed, accessibility, and visibility in image search.
How to optimise images:
- Compress images using tools like TinyPNG.
- Add descriptive ALT text with relevant keywords.
- Use modern formats (WebP) and responsive sizing.
Properly optimised visuals enhance user experience and contribute to better rankings.
11. Readability and UX
Effective Search Engine Optimization is not simply about satisfying algorithms. It’s about satisfying the audience. Engaging your audience with a readable and structured page means people will stay on your page for longer, and Google will see the relevance.
Improve reading in a few ways:
- Write in short paragraphs with bulleted lists.
- Bold and italicize important words and use subheadings.
- Create contrast and font size for every screen.
Keep in mind: The better the user experiences (UX) you create, the higher you’ll rank and convert.
12. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
A high click-through rate (CTR) tells Google your page is appealing and relevant to searchers. Even if your page ranks well, a poor CTR can limit traffic potential.
To improve CTR:
- Write compelling meta titles and descriptions.
- Use emotional triggers or numbers in titles.
- Implement schema markup for rich snippets.
Optimising CTR bridges the gap between visibility and actual engagement, the final step of effective on-page SEO.
FAQs About On-Page SEO Factors
1. What are the on-page SEO factors?
On-page SEO factors are the things on your website, including your content and structure, that you can manage to increase rankings and visibility
2. How frequently should I be updating my on-page SEO?
You should review major pages from 3-6 months to make sure the content, keywords, and links are still relevant and technically okay.
3. Does on-page SEO affect voice search?
Yes. Structured data, conversational keywords, and headings are methods of making your content easier to discover in the voice search results.
4. Is keyword density still important?
Not exactly. Google is more interested in the quality and relevance of the content. Use your primary keyword naturally and find supporting words to think about related to the topic.
5. What tools are available to help me with on-page SEO?
Many tools are great to track, optimize, and improve the on-page performance of your website, including Google Search Console, Yoast SEO, and Rank Math.
Conclusion
Mastering these 12 important on-page SEO factors builds a strong foundation for long-term search success. From technical improvements like crawlability and HTTPS to user-focused strategies like readability and CTR, each element contributes to better rankings and conversions.
If you want to audit or improve your website’s on-page SEO, explore expert tips and guides on Rank With Mahnoor.
Ready to optimise your site for higher rankings? Start refining your on-page SEO strategy today and watch your organic growth soar!