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Complete Guide to On-Page SEO 2024

Posted on by Alix Chaparro

What is On-Page SEO and Why is it Crucial?

On-Page SEO refers to optimizing all internal elements of a web page to improve its ranking on search engines like Google. This includes adjusting content, HTML tags (titles, meta descriptions, headers), site architecture, and optimizing user experience (UX). Its importance lies in the fact that without proper internal optimization, search engines won’t understand the purpose and relevance of your website, resulting in lower visibility.

Recent Google Changes in 2024 for Improved Web Page Optimization

Google constantly updates its algorithm, and in 2024, trends are increasingly focused on user experience-centered optimization. Some notable changes include:

  1. Core Web Vitals: They remain essential for ranking. These measure loading speed (Largest Contentful Paint), interactivity (First Input Delay), and visual stability (Cumulative Layout Shift). Google now expects websites to load quickly.Improving Core Web Vitals:
    • Optimize Images: Use plugins like Smush or Imagify to reduce image size without losing quality.
    • Improve Loading Speed: Utilize caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache to speed up your site.
    • Reduce CSS and JS Files: Tools like Autoptimize reduce the size of CSS and JavaScript files.
    • Lazy Loading: Implement deferred loading of images and videos to optimize Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).
    • Fast Hosting: Use a reliable hosting service like Cloupsy Hosting to improve server response times.
  2. User-Centric Content: Google’s March 2024 update continues to prioritize relevant, high-quality content that directly addresses user needs.
  3. Multimedia Optimization: Proper use of optimized images, videos, and graphics is crucial.
    • Use JPEG or WebP images under 100 KB. For larger images, use free tools to reduce their size.
    • Optimize videos to a size of 2 to 5 MB for short videos. Ensure they are hosted externally (e.g., YouTube or Vimeo) to avoid slowing down your site.
    • Use modern formats like WebP for images and MP4 for videos, which are lightweight and compatible.
    • Implement hosting associated with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare to deliver multimedia content from servers closer to the user.
  4. Structured Data (Schema): This helps organize and describe a web page’s content, allowing search engines to better understand the context and purpose of that content. In 2024, structured data is even more critical as it enhances visibility in search results, attracts more clicks, and provides a better user experience.

Spam Policies for Content Creation in 2024

  1. Expired Domain Abuse: Occurs when a domain is purchased after it expires and used primarily to manipulate search rankings by hosting content that offers little to no value to users.To Avoid This: Use an old domain for a new, original site designed to publish user-oriented content.
  2. Large-Scale Content Abuse: Happens when numerous pages are generated primarily to manipulate search rankings rather than to help users. This practice often involves creating large volumes of non-original content that provides little or no value to users.
  3. Site Reputation Abuse: Occurs when third-party pages are published with minimal oversight or involvement from the site owner, aiming to manipulate search rankings by exploiting the ranking signals of their own site. These third-party pages may include sponsored, advertising, partner pages, and others that are typically independent of the main site’s purpose and provide minimal value to users.

The Importance of Local SEO in 2024

Local SEO has become an essential tool for businesses looking to attract customers in specific geographic areas.

Having a complete, verified, and optimized Google Business Profile allows your business to appear in local searches and on Google Maps, significantly increasing visibility.

Creating Your Profile:

  1. Log in to Google: Use your Google account.
  2. Visit Google Business Profile: Go to business.google.com and click “Manage now.”
  3. Add Your Business: Enter your business name and select the appropriate category.
  4. Location: Provide a physical address if you have a store, or select “No physical location” if you operate remotely.
  5. Contact Information: Add your phone number and website.
  6. Verification: Choose the verification method (mail, phone, or email).
  7. Optimize the Profile: Fill in additional details such as hours, photos, and description.

If your website is on WordPress, here’s a guide to integrate Google Business Profile: https://cloupsy.com/es/tutoriales/como-integrar-wordpress-con-google-my-business/

How to Write a Semantic Article and Its Impact on SEO

A semantic article explores a topic in detail, including related terms and similar concepts to cover it comprehensively. It’s not just about repeating keywords but connecting ideas and concepts that make sense together. This helps make the content more useful for readers and search engines.

To Write an Effective Semantic Article:

  1. Research Secondary Keywords: Identify terms related to the main topic to cover more relevant search areas.
  2. Answer Common Questions: Address the most common questions users may have about the topic.
  3. Include Visual and Multimedia Content: Use images, videos, infographics, and other multimedia resources to enrich the content and make it more engaging for users and Google.

Google’s Useful Content Updates

  1. Hummingbird: A major update launched in August 2013 that has evolved over time. It significantly improved how search engines understood queries by focusing on interpreting the intent behind keywords, allowing for more accurate and relevant results and benefiting semantic search.
  2. Panda Update: The primary goal was to penalize sites with duplicate, low-quality content or ad-heavy pages, and promote those with useful, well-structured content. In 2015, Panda was officially integrated into Google’s core ranking systems, continuously affecting how web content quality is evaluated to improve user experience.
  3. Penguin System: Created to combat link spam and penalize sites using manipulative link tactics to improve rankings. It focused on removing unnatural or low-quality backlinks designed to deceive the search algorithm. In 2016, Penguin was permanently integrated into Google’s core ranking systems, making its influence constant in link quality assessment and website rankings.

Key Elements to Include in On-Page SEO When Creating Content

  1. URL:
    • How to Do It Correctly: The URL should be short, descriptive, and include the main keyword. Avoid numbers or special characters. Use hyphens (-) to separate words. Example: yoursite.com/basic-hosting-course.
  2. H1 (Main Heading):
    • How to Do It Correctly: There should be only one H1 per page. This heading is the main title and should include the keyword, reflecting the central theme of the content.
  3. H2 – H6 (Subheadings):
    • How to Do It Correctly: Use H2 for important sections and H3-H6 for subtopics. These help structure the content and improve readability. Including related keywords in these headings is beneficial for SEO.
  4. Table of Contents:
    • How to Do It Correctly: A table of contents facilitates navigation. Include internal links to sections of the article. Plugins like Table of Contents Plus automate this.
  5. Meta Title:
    • How to Do It Correctly: Should be up to 60 characters, include the main keyword, and be engaging enough to generate clicks.
  6. Meta Description:
    • How to Do It Correctly: It’s a summary of the page. Should be between 150-160 characters, include the keyword, and be persuasive to encourage users to click.
  7. Schema (Structured Data):
    • How to Do It Correctly: You can use the Rank Math plugin for WordPress:
      • Go to “Plugins” in WordPress, search for Rank Math, install, and activate it.
      • From the Rank Math panel, go to “General Settings” and ensure the schema option is enabled.
      • At the bottom, find the Rank Math metabox. Click “Schema” and select the type you need (article, product, review, etc.).
      • Decide on the type of content to mark, such as articles, products, events, reviews, etc.
  8. Alt (Alternative Text for Images):
    • How to Do It Correctly: Each image should have alternative text that describes what the image shows. It should be brief and descriptive, and include keywords when relevant, without keyword stuffing.
  9. Internal and External Links:
    • How to Do It Correctly:
      • Internal: Link to other pages within your site to improve navigation and page authority.
      • External: Link to authoritative sites related to the topic to provide context and support the information. Ensure external links open in a new tab.

Remember, On-Page SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous analysis and adjustments. Stay updated with the latest trends and algorithm updates to ensure your strategy remains effective.

Alix Chaparro