Top 7 Articles That Will Make You Understand on-page SEO
Search Engine Optimization is a complex process of building a stable online inbound marketing channel to grow your business audience, and the information about it can get a little bit confusing.
Where to start? Which sources provide knowledge in a useful way? Whose advice to trust? As you might already know, these are Google’s 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List (2021) - and yes, that’s a lot to take in.
We know even a few of the items on that list can make your head spin, despite the controversy on the topic, so we’ve put together a list of the most relevant and actionable articles that will help you understand on-page SEO and how to do it properly. You’ll find out where to start if you’re a beginner, or what to read next if you’re already familiar with some of the SEO basics.
Source: Web FX
Estimated reading time: 30 to 40 minutes
This article is the perfect way to start your research if you’re not yet familiar with all the terms. It explains the difference between on-page SEO and off-page SEO in simple terms while also offering a detailed list of ranking factors.
Without giving you the challenging, dry, technical language, this article provides a few easy-to-follow tips that will help you make your first on-page optimizations in no time. Besides that, you’ll find a short and handy list about how to evaluate your on-page optimization at the bottom of the article.
Source: Ahrefs
Estimated reading time: 60 to 90 minutes
Also an excellent article to start with if you know next to nothing about search engine optimization is this beginner’s guide. It will explain not only how to do your on-page optimization but how and why it is important to be relevant and thorough when performing your preliminary research.
Besides the fact that this info comes from one of the most authoritative and well-known SEO audit providers, it’s also extremely instructive, each ranking factor being illustrated with examples.
After offering you a basic knowledge about on-page SEO, and the how-to’s of effortlessly creating optimized content by following a few indications, it goes even deeper, thoroughly presenting advanced on-page optimizations like snippets, topical relevance, schema mark-up, and so on.
Although the estimated reading time might look discouraging at first, this article will bring a lot of clarity about how SEO works, so put in the time, take some notes and start implementing step by step. You won’t regret it!
Source: Moz
Estimated reading time: 60 to 90 minutes
A great next step in your SEO learning journey is this article by Moz. Yet another friendly and easy-to-follow guide, this one stands out by offering a lot of great “don’ts”.
Going into a little more depth than the first one and using a more specialized language, this is an excellent read for those of you who already have a basic knowledge of SEO and are looking to expand it.
Some of the more in-depth aspects mentioned in the last section of the Ahrefs article (i.e., schema, SERP features) are detailed and thoroughly discussed here, so bring your full attention and take some notes when reading this.
Unlike all the articles mentioned above, this one is dense, so take your time, revisit it when needed, and don’t worry if you need more time to digest it. Implementing all the sub-sections you’ll understand by reading this will positively affect your ranking.
Source: Backlinko
Estimated reading time: 60 minutes
If you already know a thing or two about SEO, but you’re looking to better understand how to put into practice all that, the best place to start is this article by Backlinko. Divided into chapters that aim to cover all that it is to know about optimizing your content and increasing your website’s performance, it will surely provide the how-to’s you’re looking for.
You’ll find out great advice about how to write SEO-optimized content, which is always desirable knowledge. Besides that, you’ll find out which are the on-page UX Signals and how to use them to your advantage.
Source: Niel Patel
Estimated reading time: 45 minutes
When you feel that you already know more than SEO basics, you should check out this article. You can use it, as the title suggests, as a cheat sheet when creating new content (or optimizing existing content), but you can also take some time and dig into the info provided. Neil Patel is one of the SEO voices that really explains problematic, technical issues in a pleasant manner so that everybody can understand them, so get ready to shed some light.
Besides offering an excellent great checklist for SEO writers and analysts, this article also suggests some fantastic tools to help you while researching or analyzing your site’s data. Make sure you check out all the external links and start exploring on your own.
Source: SemRush
Estimated reading time: 30 minutes
Another great checklist for those of you who already know the basics of on-page SEO optimization is this one. Not as long (or as detailed) as the ones mentioned above, this article is an amazing way to recap all that needs to be done to create a yummy article following all the Google Standards.
Although this article provides a summary of what you’ve learned so far, it’s a great place to start digging for other kinds of information like how to write good meta-descriptions or how to optimize your content for mobiles. For the detailed answers to these questions, make sure you check out the “Related Articles” section of this SemRush article.
Don’t forget that SemRush also provides audit services and various helping tools, so check them out and see if you find anything that can help you in your journey.
Source: Search Engine Journal
Estimated reading time: 15 to 20 minutes
Last but not least, if you’re really in need of a very short but spot-on checklist of things to do for good Google ranking, check out this article by Search Engine Journal. You won’t find in-depth information or other Earth-shattering details, but you’ll remember the most important ranking factors in under10 minutes.
If you’re still looking for other comprehensively extensive guides about on-page SEO, you can download their Complete Guide to On-Page SEO which will give you a 10-chapter “homework” that will make you an SEO master.
Conclusions
- 1"SEO optimization is one of those incredibly complex, never-ending topics, and these articles are standing proof of this. Don’t get discouraged and split your research into bite-sized pieces."
- 2"As Google evolves with every update, so do the techniques that can help you rank better. Make sure you read and research frequently."
- 3"Learn the lingo."
- 4"No all-in-one formula can help you “get it” in 10 minutes, so read, research on your own, and find out what works best for your business niche."
- 5"Don’t get trapped by the illusion that “a little” SEO work will do wonders - you’ll see results only if you go full in, optimizing everything that’s on your site - content, meta-descriptions, URLs, and so on."
- 6"SEO tools can help you A LOT, but the most important thing to remember is that they cannot do the work for you. Strive to get better and better by thinking about and laying out your own SEO workflow, either by yourself or with your team!"
- 7"Remember that solid change takes time, so be patient and keep improving your content."