On-page SEO is the foundation everything else is built on. Even the strongest backlink profile can’t compensate for a site that Google can’t properly crawl, understand and evaluate. This checklist is what our SEO team runs through on every new client site.
Why on-page SEO still matters in 2025
Google’s algorithms have become dramatically better at understanding content — but the fundamentals of on-page optimisation remain as important as ever. Proper title tags, heading structure, content depth and technical signals are the signals Google uses to determine what your page is about and whether it deserves to rank for a given query.
Many businesses invest in link building before fixing on-page issues. This is backwards. A page with poor on-page signals won’t rank well no matter how many backlinks it has.
Title tags & meta descriptions
Title tag checklist
Include your primary keyword — ideally near the start of the title Keep title tags between 50–60 characters to avoid truncation in SERPs Every page has a unique title — no duplicates across the site Include your brand name at the end for branded searches: “Keyword | Brand Name” Write for humans first, search engines second — clickability matters
Meta descriptions don’t directly impact rankings but significantly influence click-through rate. Write compelling 150–160 character descriptions that include the primary keyword and a clear reason to click.
Heading structure (H1–H6)
Every page should have exactly one H1 tag — and it should include your primary keyword. H2s and H3s structure the content hierarchy and should include secondary keywords and related terms naturally.
WordPress tip
In WordPress, your post title automatically becomes the H1. Make sure your theme doesn’t also wrap the page title in an H1 — this creates duplicate H1s which can cause confusion for search engines.
Content optimisation
Content depth matters. Pages that comprehensively cover a topic consistently outperform thin content. Use tools like Surfer SEO or SEMrush’s SEO Writing Assistant to understand what topic coverage Google expects for your target keyword.
- Use your primary keyword naturally in the first 100 words
- Include semantically related terms and synonyms throughout
- Answer the “People Also Ask” questions related to your keyword
- Match the search intent — informational, commercial, navigational or transactional
- Aim for comprehensive coverage, not arbitrary word counts
Internal linking
Internal links distribute page authority across your site and help Google understand your content hierarchy. Every new piece of content should link to 2–5 related pages on your site — and those existing pages should ideally link back to the new content too.
Common mistake
Using generic anchor text like “click here” or “read more” for internal links wastes valuable keyword context. Use descriptive anchor text that includes the keyword of the page you’re linking to.
Image SEO
- File names: Use descriptive, keyword-rich file names (wordpress-development-surat.jpg, not IMG_4837.jpg)
- Alt text: Every image needs descriptive alt text — describe what’s in the image and include keywords naturally where relevant
- File size: Compress images before upload — use WebP format where possible for best compression/quality ratio
- Lazy loading: Enable lazy loading for images below the fold to improve initial page load speed
Page speed & Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are now a confirmed Google ranking factor. Target these thresholds:
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Under 2.5 seconds — optimise your hero image and main content area
- INP (Interaction to Next Paint): Under 200ms — minimise JavaScript blocking
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Under 0.1 — set explicit dimensions on images and embeds
Schema markup
Schema markup helps Google understand your content and enables rich results in SERPs. For most WordPress sites, implement:
- Organisation schema on your homepage and about page
- LocalBusiness schema if you serve local customers
- Article schema on all blog posts
- FAQPage schema on pages with FAQ sections — can earn you accordion-style rich results
- Product schema on all WooCommerce product pages
Mobile & UX signals
Google indexes mobile-first. Test your site on real mobile devices — not just browser DevTools. Check button tap target sizes (minimum 48x48px), text readability without zooming, and horizontal scrolling on small screens.