The way your website is structured is the foundation of an effective Search Engine Optimization campaign. Many small business owners don’t realize that their website content and design can have a direct impact on search engine rankings. Here are seven essential on-page optimization steps that you should follow to improve your search engine rankings:

1. Remove Website Distractions: Are there elements on your website that distract the visitor from accomplishing their goal? These factors can decrease the likelihood that the person will stay on the site or come back to visit again in the future. Stay away from obnoxious pop-ups or anything else that might cause the searcher to hit the “back” button immediately after landing on your website from the search engines. Google wants the website user to be satisfied with the search results, which means that the rankings will be negatively impacted if visitors don’t stay on your website very long.
2. Build a Stronger Brand: Your online marketing campaign should focus on improving engagement and trust for the customer. Branding is a great way to make your company easy to recognize. Familiarity with the brand increases the trust of each customer, which can have a positive impact on your online presence.
3. Help the Searcher Find What They Want: When someone searches online, they usually have a specific goal in mind. Each search inquiry has an intent, and you should strive to meet that intent in the way your website is designed. Think about the information that your target demographic is looking for, then make sure that you offer the solutions on your website.
4. Improve Website Speed: Slow website speeds are frustrating to the customer, and the drag can have a negative impact on your search rankings. If the page is slow to load, then it increases the likelihood that the website visitor will abandon the page and look elsewhere. Improving page load time helps to boost website engagement and user experience.
5. Keyword Optimization: Small keyword placements can make a big difference in your overall search engine rankings. Keyword placement is an on-page ranking factor that has been around for a while, and it is still applicable today. Choose the right keywords and make sure they are naturally placed within the title, description, page content, anchor links, URL, and image file names. Setting the trend with the right keyword placement can help to bring more customers to your website through high search engine rankings.
6. Related Keywords and Content: Even though keyword optimization is important, it can be bad to have too much optimization for a single keyword. Think about related topics and phrases that support your main keyword. Include these related phrases naturally in your content. Do not boost search engine rankings by “spamming” your website with unusual keyword placement.
7. Unique Content: It has been said that content is one of the most important factors for a strong SEO campaign. Without high-quality content and regular publishing, it is difficult to achieve the search engine rankings that you desire. Focus on high-quality content that offers value to the reader. Look for ways to increase the value of the content that is shared, to improve the user experience.