On-page SEO Best Practices for WordPress Website

Posted on February 11th, 2025

On-page SEO is important to improve how easily people can find your WordPress website on search engines. By making changes to key parts of your site’s content and design, you can help users navigate better and make it easier for search engines to understand your pages.

From optimizing titles and meta descriptions to improving page speed and using the right keywords, following on-page SEO best practices will help you rank higher, attract more traffic, and ultimately grow your online presence. This guide will walk you through the essential on-page SEO strategies for your WordPress website.

On-page SEO Best Practices

On-page SEO is about improving the content on your website so that search engines can easily find it and users have a better experience. When done correctly, it can help your site rank higher for the keywords your audience is searching for.

Here are some essential on-page SEO tips for WordPress that can help your site perform better in search results.

Step 1: Conduct Extensive Keyword Research

Most people find content online by searching for specific keywords in search engines. Adding the right keywords to your pages and posts makes your site more likely to appear in search results, especially on the first page, which is key to getting more visitors.

So, how do you find the keywords your audience is searching for? This is where keyword research comes in.

You can use the autocomplete feature to learn what people are typing into Google. These suggestions are actual search terms that people have used. For example, if you type “web design,” you’ll see options like “web design courses” or “web design software” pop up automatically.

Start typing a word and add any letter—like a, b, c, d—and see other keyword suggestions. You might be surprised at how many untapped topic ideas you can find with this simple method.

Once you have a list of ideas, you can use free tools like Moz Keyword Explorer and Google Keyword Planner to check how often those keywords are searched each month.

However, keep in mind that free tools have some limitations. For instance, you can only search for keywords thrice daily with Moz. Google Keyword Planner also only shows search volume ranges, not exact numbers.

If you need deeper insights, consider using a paid tool like Ahrefs. Go to the Keyword Explorer page, type in your website’s niche—let’s use “web design” as an example—and then select your target location before clicking “search.”

As shown in the screenshot above, this keyword has about 55,000 monthly searches but is also very competitive.

At this point, it’s better to focus on long-tail keywords. These are more specific phrases that are usually easier to rank for than broad keywords, which big brands target.

To find these keywords, click Keyword Ideas → Matching terms on the left sidebar. Set the keyword difficulty (KD) to 30, and the tool will show you topics with lower competition.

After that, choose the relevant keywords you want to target based on these factors:

• Search volume: Pick keywords with a good number of monthly searches. This shows strong interest, which can help increase your website’s visibility and traffic.
• Trends: Look at whether the keywords are getting more or less popular. This can help you find topics that are gaining interest and bring more traffic or avoid ones that are losing attention.
• Difficulty: Focus on keywords with low competition. These are easier to rank for, giving you a better chance of reaching higher positions in search results and driving more traffic, especially if you’re starting.

Step 2: Focus on Topical Authority

A successful SEO strategy isn’t just about improving individual keywords. It’s about how all the content on your site works together to show that you’re an expert in your field.

John Pennypacker, VP of Sales and Marketing at Deep Cognition, shares his approach:

“Instead of only focusing on broad keywords, we created connected content hubs. For example, we made a main page about ‘Machine learning in Business,’ with links to more detailed pages like ‘Neural Networks for Predictive Analytics’ and ‘Random Forests in Customer Segmentation.’

This method helped us rank for long-tail keywords and showed search engines that we were experts in our niche. Our organic traffic grew by 40% in just three months after using this strategy.”

To build your site authority on a topic, you need a solid content plan:

• Identify key topics that are relevant to your audience and business. These should be broad enough to create multiple related articles but specific enough to appeal to your target audience.
• Create main pillar pages for each main topic. These pages will be the foundation of your content.
• Write supporting blog posts around each pillar page. Each article should cover a specific part of the main topic and target long-tail keywords related to your site’s core content.
• Link your pillar pages to your supporting articles and vice versa. An innovative internal linking strategy helps search engines understand that your site offers in-depth coverage of essential subjects.

Organizing your content around main topics and linking related subtopics makes it easier for visitors and search engines to navigate. This approach enhances the user experience and helps establish your site as an authority on a specific subject.

Step 3: Write and Publish High-quality Content

In their “Helpful Content Update” announcement in 2022, Google emphasized the importance of providing users with genuine and beneficial content. This means that if you want your content to rank well on Google, the main focus should be making it practical and valuable for your readers rather than just optimizing it for search engine algorithms.

Focus on User Intent

People use search engines like Google for different reasons. Some are looking for information, while others are ready to purchase. You can create content that meets their needs and expectations by understanding what users are searching for.

Here are some common types of search intent:

• Informational: Users want to learn something or find a solution. For example, queries like “What is web design?” or “How to design a website for free” are informational.
• Commercial: Users are considering a purchase but still researching their options. A search like “best web design agencies in New York” shows commercial intent.
• Transactional: Users are ready to buy or take action. Examples include “hire a web designer” or “buy a web design template.”

If you’re unsure about the intent behind a query, check the top-ranking pages for that keyword. This can help you understand what type of content Google values for that search.

Organize Your Content for Readability

Since readers often skim through articles, organizing your content is essential. Using clear headings to break up your content into sections helps make it easier to follow. Here are some best practices for using headings:

• Follow a logical order: Begin with an H1 tag for the main title, then use H2 for subheadings and H3 for smaller sections. This helps both readers and search engines follow the structure quickly.
• Keep headings concise: Aim for headings between 50 to 70 characters.
• Ask questions: Framing headings as questions increases your chances of appearing in Google’s Featured Snippets and “People Also Ask” sections.
• Use keywords: Include both your primary and secondary keywords in your headings. This helps improve your ranking and signals to search engines that these topics are essential.

Here is an example of a well-structured content page:

• H1: What is UX design?
• H2: The difference between UX and UI design
• H2: Types of projects a UX designer does
  • H3: Website design
  • H3: Software design
  • H3: Augmented reality
• H2: How to become a UX designer
• H2: Conclusion

You should avoid long blocks of text. Instead, break up your content with images, videos, and bullet points to make it easier to read.

Offer Unique and Valuable Information

Google uses the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) system to judge the quality of your content.

To build authority, don’t just repeat what others are saying—offer fresh ideas or insights that can’t be found elsewhere. You can do this by sharing your own experiences or interviewing experts.

Here are ways to make your content more original and valuable:

• Sign up for platforms like Connectively or Help a B2B Writer, and reach out to experts in your field. Please invite them for an interview to get their unique insights on the topic you’re covering.
• Include their advice in your content to add credibility.
• Also, remember to include a detailed author bio with your name, photo, job title, and a brief description. This helps build trust with readers by showing your experience and proving the content is not AI-generated.

You can also link to your LinkedIn profile to increase your presence as an expert and connect with people interested in your content. By doing this, Google will recognize you as a real person sharing valuable knowledge, not just an anonymous bot.

Use Relevant Keywords in Your Content

Ensure to naturally include relevant keywords throughout your content, like meta titles, meta descriptions, headings, image alt tags, and the main body of text. However, please don’t overdo it by repeating the exact keywords too much, as this can be seen as keyword stuffing. Google is getting better at understanding the meaning behind words, related topics, and what users seek.

For example, even if you confuse the exact words together, Google understands that “software,” “mobile apps,” and “computer programming” are connected topics.

If you need help creating high-quality content that’s also optimized for SEO, here are some tools you can use:

• Hostinger WordPress AI Assistant: Helps you overcome writer’s block and create content faster with AI.
• Semrush SEO Writing Assistant: A WordPress plugin that checks your content for readability, keyword use, originality, and tone.
• Grammarly: Helps you find and fix grammar mistakes, typos, and complicated sentences to improve the quality of your content.

Step 4: Implement an Internal Linking Strategy

A good internal linking strategy is essential for building authority on a topic. More importantly, it makes it easier for users to find their desired content.

There are two main types of internal links: navigational and contextual.

Navigational links are typically found in the navigation bar, sidebar, or footer. These links help users find their way around the site’s main pages.

Contextual links are placed within the content itself. For example, in a blog post titled “What is UX design,” you can add a link to another post about “web design inspiration.” Internal links play a significant role in SEO because they offer the following benefits:

• Help search engines understand your site: Internal links make it easier for search engines to discover related pages and understand how your content is connected.
• Build authority: Pages with strong external links can pass on their authority to other pages on your site through internal links.
• Improve navigation: Internal links encourage visitors to explore other parts of your website, keeping them engaged longer and guiding them to more helpful content.

While adding internal links may seem simple, it’s essential to do it right. Here are some tips for creating a strong internal linking strategy:

• Start linking early: Don’t wait until your site is full of content—build a solid internal linking structure right from the start. Whenever you write a new post, link it to relevant content published on your site. This will help create a strong foundation for your site’s structure.
• Focus on key pages: While linking to relevant content is essential, you should avoid adding too many links in your blog posts. Too many links can make your content look spammy and hurt your SEO rankings. Be selective about the pages you link to. Only link to pages that genuinely add value for your readers. Start by linking to the most important pages for your business, like your homepage, pillar pages, landing pages, and product or service pages. These pages are crucial for building your brand and driving sales.
• Use clear anchor text for linking: Instead of generic phrases like “click here,” use keywords related to the content you’re linking to. This helps your readers understand what they will find and gives search engines useful information about your pages, improving your SEO.

Your keywords don’t need to be an exact match. For example, if your post is about “how to create a WordPress site,” you can use “make a WordPress site” as the anchor text. To create an internal link with custom anchor text in WordPress:

• Open or edit a post.
• Highlight the text you want to link.
• Click on the link icon in the editor toolbar.
  
• Paste the URL of the page you want to link to.
• Press Enter to add the link.

Step 5: Make Your Site Mobile-friendly

About 62% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you’ll lose visitors to competitors with mobile-friendly websites.

Here are steps to make your website mobile-friendly:

• Use a responsive design: Your website will automatically adjust to fit different screen sizes. Installing a responsive WordPress theme will ensure your site looks good on all devices.
• Optimize visuals for mobile: Use a hamburger menu to save space, make buttons large enough to tap quickly, and place essential elements like calls-to-action (CTAs) where they are easy to reach with a thumb.
• Avoid pop-ups: Too many pop-ups, subscription forms, or ads can get in the way and distract users from the main content, ruining their experience.
• Show key info early: Make sure your content answers what users are looking for without them having to scroll too far. Visitors who can’t find what they need quickly might leave your site.
• Test your site’s performance: Use Google’s Lighthouse tool to see if your website works well on mobile devices and loads quickly.

Step 6: Consider Local SEO Strategy

If your business has a physical store, local SEO can help attract more customers. Studies show that 76% of people who search for a nearby business visit it the next day.

One of the simplest ways to improve your local visibility is by creating a Google Business Profile. Include details like your business name, address, location, and phone number.

This step is crucial because Google uses the location and relevance of your business to match search queries. For example, if you own a barber shop in New York, Google will show your business when someone searches for “best barber near me” in New York.

To boost trust, encourage your current customers to leave positive reviews on your Google Business Profile. High-quality photos of your business can also attract potential customers.

Another key strategy for local SEO is to use local keywords on your pages. For instance, if you run a vegan restaurant in London, you could target keywords like “best vegan restaurants in London.” You can use SEO tools like Ahrefs to research keyword popularity and difficulty.

In addition to using local keywords, ensure your website content reflects the local language and culture. For example, British audiences might use different spelling, slang, humor, or pop culture references than American audiences.

Conclusion

To sum up, using on-page SEO for your WordPress site is key to improving its search engine rankings and creating a better experience for visitors. Focusing on elements like the right keywords, a clean design, fast loading speeds, and engaging content can make your site more discoverable and enjoyable for users.

Regularly applying these methods will help bring more visitors to your site and keep them returning. With the proper SEO, your WordPress site will rank higher and attract the right people.