On-page SEO means everything you can control inside your own website to help search engines understand it and show it to the right people. Getting these basics right at launch is much easier than fixing them later. Use this checklist before you publish.
1. Start with how people search
List the phrases your customers type, such as "website designer near me" or "Shopify store development". Group them by intent: people ready to hire, people comparing, and people learning. Give each important phrase one main page.
2. Write strong title tags and meta descriptions
- Keep the title around 50 to 60 characters and put the main keyword near the start.
- Write a meta description of about 150 to 160 characters that explains the benefit and invites a click.
- Make every title and description unique on every page.
3. Use headings properly
Each page needs exactly one H1 that says what the page is about. Use H2 and H3 headings to break the content into clear sections. Headings are for structure, not for making text bigger.
4. Create helpful content
- Answer the question the visitor came with, in clear language.
- Cover the topic fully, with examples, steps and common questions.
- Include your location naturally if you serve a local area.
- Avoid copying text from other websites or repeating the same text on many pages.
5. Fix your URLs and internal links
Use short, readable URLs such as /services instead of long codes. Link related pages to each other with descriptive words, not "click here". This helps visitors and search engines move through your site.
6. Optimise images and speed
- Compress images and use modern formats where possible.
- Add short, descriptive alt text to every meaningful image.
- Remove unused plugins and scripts, and enable caching and compression.
- Check your scores at PageSpeed Insights and fix the biggest issues first.
7. Make it perfect on mobile
Most visitors browse on phones. Test your pages on real devices, make sure text is readable without zooming, and keep buttons easy to tap.
8. Add structured data
Schema markup helps Google understand your business, your services and your FAQs. Add Organization or LocalBusiness data, and FAQ markup on pages that answer common questions.
9. Get the technical basics right
- Use HTTPS on every page.
- Add a canonical tag to each page.
- Create an XML sitemap and a robots.txt file.
- Make sure there are no broken links or missing pages.
10. After you launch
- Add your site to Google Search Console and submit the sitemap.
- Create and complete your Google Business Profile.
- Collect genuine reviews from happy customers.
- Publish helpful articles regularly and earn links from trusted websites.
Need help setting this up? Our team builds every website with this checklist in mind. Get in touch and we will review your website or plan your new one. Also read our guide on getting found in AI search, which builds on these basics.