SEO activity can be broadly divided into things you do on your own website and things that happen elsewhere. On-page SEO refers to the former: actions taken on individual pages of your website to make them more likely to rank well for relevant searches. Understanding what on-page SEO covers is a practical starting point for any founder optimising their own content.
On-page SEO encompasses the elements on a web page that can be optimised to improve relevance and usability for both search engines and visitors. This includes the page title and meta description, the use of headings, the quality and depth of the content, internal linking to other relevant pages, image alt text, and overall structure and readability. Ensuring that the content genuinely addresses the topic it claims to cover is the most important on-page SEO factor.
On-page SEO is something founders can apply themselves without specialist tools or agency support, making it one of the most accessible starting points for small businesses investing in organic search. The most impactful improvements are usually the most straightforward: clear titles, well-structured content, and pages that genuinely answer the questions your audience is searching for. Our guide to on-page SEO covers the key elements and how to prioritise them.