On Page Optimization
Wed, Jul 13, 2011The importance of “on page optimization” is one of the few things agreed upon almost universally in the SEO world. On page optimization is the factors ON your website that contribute to your rankings and account for about 20% of your rank; the other 80% is off page factors.
Here is the crazy thing; most websites I look at are not 100% optimized, frankly most sites don’t even take advantage of 50% of on page optimization factors. It’s like people completely blow off most of the on page optimization stuff and go right for the harder off page factors. I don’t get it but it certainly makes our job easier.
To me it’s like if your goal was to make $100, and the moment you set out to reach your goal someone just hands you a $20 bill (the on page optimization factors you control). Hmmm, should you give back $10, or should you say thank you and pocket the $20 by taking full advantage of on page optimization?
On Page Optimization is Easy
It’s your site, optimize it!
The only thing on the internet you have absolute control over is your site and it’s on page optimization factors. Google is basically handing you 20% of your ranking. Take advantage of it!
Incoming PR has two very simple checklists that ensure you get 100% of the value out of your on page optimization. It really takes very little time to do right, and when you do it, you KNOW that you are getting the most out of the one thing you have complete control over, your site.
On Page Optimization Checklists
The first on page optimization checklist is the process we suggest Incoming PR clients go through when you set up a new site; install WordPress, seo plugins and theme. Configure it all to take complete advantage of everything you can for on page optimization. It should take no more than an hour or so to get everything set up so that any post or page you create gets the most out of that 20% of on page optimization factors.
The second on page optimization checklist is for the content you create (or pay to have created) for the site, part of the list is for writing the content and the second part is for publishing it on WordPress.
If you don’t have the writing skills of Hemmingway don’t sweat it. Do a few hours of research, take notes, and start writing with on page optimization in mind. Some people find it easier to write on paper first (yes real paper) and then type it in after, some just like to type away. When I write, I will jot down an outline of the article on paper, and then type the article based on the outline. Do what works best for you.
If you absolutely hate to write, or just don’t want to spend the time, there are lots of places online where for a few bucks you can get a decent, well researched, original article. Just make sure the writer you hire is aware of the on page optimization factors you want them to include.
Don’t fall into the trap of publishing garbage on your own site; even if it takes on page optimization into account it will get you nowhere fast. For the content on your site stay away from PLR articles (private label rights), article spinners, article sites, and all the other “shortcuts” available. Save those for link building, not for on page optimization.
Use good original content for on page optimization.
Whether you write it yourself, or hire someone to do it, your stuff should be easy and fun to read for real people, not just for Google. Yes, you need your keyword in your content; I shoot for no less than 3% and no more that 5% keyword density in my articles (like “on page optimization” in this one). Keyword density is the number of times your keyword is repeated in the copy as compared to the rest of the words on the page and its very important for on page optimization. So if your article is one hundred words your keyword should appear 3-5 times in the copy.
The most important thing is that your copy be a good read while taking advantage of on page optimiztion factors. I lost count of how many times I have gone to a site that just blatantly stuffs the copy with keywords. It’s basically gibberish with “on page optimization” or another keyword stuck in a bunch of times. What do you do when you land on a site like this? Go right for the back button on your browser and check out the next result.
Use original, well researched copy. Write for people first, after all they are the ones you want to buy your stuff, use on page optimization for Google second.
If you decide to hire someone to write for you, always run the article through copyscape.com and be sure it is original before paying. Be as specific as possible when outlining what you want them to write including the on page optimization tactics you want them to employ.
A note about video: Video is king right now. Use it on your sites. You will experience MUCH lower bounce rates when using video and its a great way to convey information. Bounce rate is the % of users as shown by Google Analytics that simply bounce off your site when they first arrive i.e. they go back to Google and keep looking for what they want.
Video is a great tactic. The problem is Google can’t “see” what your video is talking about (yet) so it will not be of much value for on page optimiztion. To fix this, whenever you use video be sure to put copy on the page as well, you can use the video script (or transcript if you went straight to video) or write something to supplement it. This way you get both the “stickiness” of the video content, and the SEO value of the copy and on page optimization. Also, if your prospect is at work they will appreciate that they can read the copy when they may not be able to play a video with sound.
