On page SEO is extremely important for content and website optimization. If you’ve been hangin’ around long enough, you’ve probably heard me say that there are many pieces to a whole SEO strategy. On page SEO focuses on the overall content strategy for your reader experience. I’m going to share how you can make the most of your on page SEO strategy by optimizing your page format, user-friendly page navigation, and using internal linking inside of your content.
Reader journey is important for on page SEO
Obviously, we as bloggers and copywriters have an end goal aside from just having someone consume our content. Content is part of the reader’s journey and what leads your ideal reader to buy your jaw-dropping amazing thing that is going to ultimately solve their current struggle because our content has proven our expertise at solving what they need.
Our content is the proof (along with social proof, of course) that we know our stuff and our products & services are worth investing in. It’s also how we build the KLT (Know, Like, Trust factor). So, content isn’t just about creating free tips and how to’s. Instead, content is the journey that we lead our ideal reader on to get to know us, like us, and trust us to solve their problem, which is kinda a big deal.
In other words, if you are only creating blog content with nothing to offer past that, you’re leaving money on the table!
A little coaching side note for you, friend. Even if you give everything away for free, that won’t help you grow any faster. There are no shortcuts or band-aid fixes to organic growth strategy. However, that doesn’t mean that website optimization and content strategy have to be over-complicated.
Our content is the proof that we know our stuff and our products & services are worth investing in.
Here are 3 crucial things to focus on when it comes to on-page SEO and how to apply them to your content to create the best user experience for your ideal reader.
1. Focus on creating quality content
Quality content is what is going to draw your reader in. There are 3 pieces that make content valuable:
Detail-specific content – A thorough explanation from beginning to end.
Optimized for user experience – Keywords, on-topic, easy to read and understand, meets IC needs
Provides an answer/solution that solves IC current problem (what they are searching for).
Your content needs to be able to connect and relate with the reader and provide a small win for them. This is the best way to build trust with your audience. Whether you have one piece of content or 100 pieces of content, you are always improving your craft. Don’t forget about your older content. That content is still useful and valuable. So take the time to revise and update it every so often.
So, how do you create quality content that builds trust with your audience? Your content has to answer these questions:
What your content is about
Why the content is going to help your reader – WHAT is it solving? (detail-specific)
How the content is going to solve their current problem (outcome)
Your content should focus on solving the problem you have experience with. Don’t focus on selling inside of your content. Your content is the *free* content you are providing to your audience. It’s important to connect and relate to your ideal reader instead of coming from a place of selling.
Instead of using “I” statements, refer to the reader. Use “You” statements where you might describe yourself being where they are. You’re still connecting with them, but you’re referring to them having that problem and painting the picture of them solving it.
Your content needs to be able to connect and relate with the reader and provide a small win for them.
2. Site structure (Page layout or page format)
If your page format and layout are NOT user-friendly, you won’t keep anyone interested in reading. Picture yourself going to a website searching for content to solve your problem. You land on a website that’s just a complete eye-sore.
The navigation isn’t really clear, and maybe you found what you were looking for, but it took you some time to find it. It wasn’t easily digestible, and it left you feeling more confused and lost. Not to mention, there’s no CTA anywhere (the writer didn’t give you directions)… Don’t be THAT website.
Blog post site structure is important for on page SEO
Part of website optimization is to keep your pages and posts clean, minimal, easily navigational, and completely user focused.
More importantly, your blog posts should have:
- H1 – Which is the title
- An intro paragraph that describes in detail what you are talking about and why it’s relevant to the reader.
- H2 keyword sub-headings between every couple of paragraphs.
- Storytelling (body/text) – Connection points
- At the end should include clickable relatable content
- CTA – Where do you want them to go/send them?
You don’t need to go wild and crowd your content with distractible images and GIFs or Memes. If you have a clear direction laid out with CTAs and your content is bombarded with all these shiny distractions, your CTAs are going to be pretty useless. The CTAs aside from your content should easily stand out and be eye-catching.
3. Content Strategy (Obviously)
Aside from creating quality content since that’s just one piece of the strategy puzzle, think about other important pages and links that you can easily relate to the current piece of content that you’re creating.
In other words, you have to think about your internal linking strategy. There are 3 internal linking strategies to include inside of your content (yes, all at once).
Monetizing content – Linking to important pages from content like your products and services. If the content is relatable, briefly talk about your offer and tell them how and where to find it.
Briefly explain “why” they should pick this offer or product and “how” this product/offer is going to be useful and link directly to the page with a catchy CTA like “check that out here”.
Include links to sign up for email, group, booking a call, etc. Including these links are very important because you want to make it super easy for people to find those links, especially if you’re starting from square one and you’re trying to grow your audience. You really want to maximize your audience growth and utilize your content in every way possible.
Don’t be afraid to remind your audience of booking that call or signing up for your email. A lot of people need to be reminded of your offers because we’re consumers and we consume content all day.
Link to other pieces of relatable content – You don’t need to go wild with this one. If you have enough content, one to two links to other internal pieces of content in every paragraph is plenty. If you don’t have enough content right now to do that, just space the links out. Eventually, you’ll have enough to go back and add more, which is what you will do from time to time.
Improve on page SEO by revising and updating content
Your old content matters just as much as your new content! Revising and updating are part of the process. Once your website traffic starts growing, even your old content will be viewed so it’s important not to forget those pieces of content and update them whenever you can, and whenever there is something new.
Hey there skimmer
Wanna listen instead of read? Listen to episode 20 // The Low Down On Basic On Page SEO and Website Optimization for More Website Traffic.
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