Here we’ve put together 10 SEO tips for content editors, with great practical advice for On-Page SEO, so that your pages can be optimised for Search Engines.
Make sure you’ve checked off all the boxes on this list so that your copy can shine!
1. Use Your SEO Keyword in Your Page Title Tag
Incorporate your keyword into your web page title.
Front-loading, or placing the keyword at the beginning of the Page Title, can also make a difference, particularly when a user sees your page listing in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page).
2. Use Your SEO Keywords in Your Page Headings
By using your keyword in your page headings, you are helping to optimise your page for that particular keyword.
Extra Tip: Follow the heading hierarchy when adding headings to your web page.
For example: using a Heading 2 before a Heading 3.
Also, that heading hierarchy is nested: Note that a Heading 3 is a subheading of Heading 2.
3. Ensure Your keyword Is in the First Paragraph of Your Webpage
The first sentence on the page should clearly explain the purpose of the web page and should contain the primary keyword that you are optimising for.
4. Use an SEO friendly URL
When you create a new web page: check that the URL or path contains the keyword, also ensure that the path is meaningful: tells the user what the page may be about.
Commonly when you create a new page, the page title is used to build the page path.
You may wish to edit this to a shorter version, especially if you have a long page title.
This will improve the presentation of your web page listing in the Search Engine Results page.
5. When Uploading Images or Other Files to Your Web Page, Use the Keyword in the File Name
Instead of uploading an image with a generic file name, save the image with a meaningful file name – ideally containing your keyword.
6. Add Keyword to ALT Text
If the image is meaningful to the page content and is not on the page solely for aesthetic purposes, then you should add ALT text.
ALT text provides a description of the image for visually impaired users (and search engines) so they can understand the meaning that the image is portraying.
This is an important feature to help make your website accessible to a wider range of visitors.
If your image is related to your keyword, then you may be able to use this within your image ALT text.
7. Add Your Keyword to Your Metadata Description
This won’t get you a better ranking directly, however, if someone does a search for that keyword, then it will be highlighted in bold on your metadata description in Google.
This will appear as an indicator of relevance to the searcher and may encourage them to click through to your web page.
8. Link to Your Content from Other Pages in Your Website
Link to your web page from another page (or pages) on your site, within the main page content, and use the keyword in the link text.
Don’t add too many links though otherwise this may come across as spammy and you may get downgraded for this.
9. Add Transcripts and Captions for Video
Not only does this make your video content accessible for assistive technologies and those with visual or auditory impairment, but it also helps with your SEO.
Transcripts, provide a text version of the content in your video along with the timing for each section of the video.
Transcripts may also detail what the characters in a video are doing if it isn’t just a talking head video, to convey all the information a sighted person is able to consume.
A caption is a text overlay on the video which describes the words spoken on the video in real-time.
For more information check out the Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions page on the WebAIM site.
10. Use Your Keyword Throughout the Main Content Area on Your Web Page
Sprinkling your keyword within the body copy of your page will help with SEO ranking.
Only add the keyword where it makes sense to do so, and so that the text flows and provides a good user experience.
For more SEO tips check out the 4 Simple SEO Tips for Small Business Owners post.
Have any great On-Page SEO tips? Feel free to share in the comments below.
10 SEO Tips for Content Editors – Infographic
