SEO On-Page Techniques – Meta, URL, Tags, Internal Linking

Objective

To provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of essential SEO on-page techniques that directly affect how search engines crawl, understand, and rank your content. This includes optimizing meta tags, URLs, headings, image alt text, and internal linking for maximum discoverability and user experience.

14.1 What Is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to all the actions you take within your website or content to improve its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). Unlike off-page SEO (backlinks, social signals), on-page SEO is completely within your control.

14.2 Meta Title and Meta Description

Meta Title:

• Appears as the headline in Google search
• Ideal length: 50–60 characters
• Place the primary keyword near the beginning

Example:

“Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: Date, Rituals, and Celebration Guide”

Meta Description:

• Appears below the title in search results
• Ideal length: 140–160 characters
• Include primary and secondary keywords naturally
• Encourage click-through with a call-to-action or value statement

Example:

“Discover the Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 rituals, date, and how to celebrate this sacred Hindu festival at home.”

14.3 SEO-Friendly URL Structure

Best Practices:

• Keep it short, simple, and descriptive
• Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_)
• Include main keyword
• Avoid numbers, stop words (a, the, in) when possible

Examples:

• ✅ yourdomain.com/krishna-janmashtami-2025
• ❌ yourdomain.com/234-id-article.php

14.4 Heading Tags (H1 to H6)

Headings organize your content and help Google understand its structure.

Guidelines:

• Use H1 for main title (only once per page)
• Use H2 for main sections
• Use H3-H6 for subsections

Example Structure:

H1: Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: Complete Guide
  H2: Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi
  H2: Rituals and Pooja Vidhi
    H3: Morning Preparation
    H3: Evening Aarti
  H2: Conclusion and Takeaways

14.5 Image SEO: Alt Text, File Name, and Captions

Image Optimization Tips:

• Use descriptive file names (e.g., lord-ganesha-idol.jpg)
• Write clear, keyword-rich alt text
• Use captions when helpful for context
• Compress images for fast loading

Example Alt Text:

“Devotees performing Ganesh Chaturthi aarti in 2025”

14.6 Internal Linking Strategy

Internal links guide both users and search engines through your site.

Benefits:

• Improves crawlability and site structure
• Distributes page authority
• Increases average session time

Best Practices:

• Link to relevant older or newer content
• Use descriptive anchor text (not “click here”)
• Avoid excessive links (1–3 per 500 words is good)

Example:

“You can also explore our guide on How to Perform Ekadashi Vrat Correctly.”

14.7 Use of Keywords in Key Places

Place your primary keyword naturally in:

• Page title (H1)
• Meta title & description
• First 100 words of content
• Subheadings (H2/H3 where appropriate)
• Image alt text
• URL

Important: Avoid keyword stuffing. Focus on natural integration.

14.8 Schema Markup (Optional but Powerful)

Schema is structured data that helps Google show rich results (like FAQ, ratings).

Types Commonly Used:

• Article
• BlogPosting
• FAQPage
• Event

You can add schema using:

• Plugins (e.g., Rank Math, Yoast)
• Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper

14.9 Mobile Optimization & Page Speed

On-page SEO also includes technical elements that impact ranking:

Must-Haves:

• Responsive design for mobile users
• Fast loading time (<3 seconds)
• Lazy loading images
• Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to test and improve

14.10 Summary and Key Takeaways

• Optimize meta titles and descriptions with keywords and clarity
• Keep URLs short, clean, and keyword-rich
• Use heading tags (H1-H6) to structure your content
• Add relevant internal links to boost navigation and SEO
• Use proper image alt text and compress files for speed
• Place keywords strategically without overuse
• Optionally add schema for rich search results
• Ensure your page is mobile-friendly and loads quickly

Exercise for Learners

1. Rewrite this URL to make it SEO-friendly: www.yoursite.com/blog?id=12345
2. Write a sample meta title and description for: “Diwali 2025: How to Celebrate, Rituals, and Date”
3. Identify issues in this example: “Click here to read more about our article on puja methods.”

In the next chapter, we’ll dive into Chapter 15: Writing for Different Niches – Lifestyle, Tech, Spiritual, Business, where you’ll learn how to adapt your writing style and strategy to suit various content categories.