Let’s be real, when people say “just do your on-page SEO,” most business owners have no idea what that even means. And that’s okay. This post is for you if you’ve got a website (or are planning one) and want to rank on Google without getting lost in SEO jargon.
Here’s a simple and practical on-page SEO checklist you can follow in 2025. No nonsense, no complicated tools.
First, What Is On-Page SEO?
It’s basically everything you control directly on your website that helps Google understand your page. So things like your titles, your content, your images, and your internal links. That’s all part of it.
If your site’s not doing well in Google, chances are your on-page SEO is either weak or totally missing.
The 2025 On-Page SEO Checklist
1. Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Your title tag is what shows up on Google. It should be clear, include your main keyword, and make someone want to click.
Meta descriptions don’t directly affect ranking, but they do affect your click-through rate. And that matters.
Example: If you’re writing about affordable website design, make sure the phrase affordable website design is right there in your title.
2. Use Proper Headings
Start with a single H1 (that’s your main page heading), then use H2s and H3s to break things up.
Google reads your headings to figure out what your content is about.
3. Keep Your URLs Clean
No weird symbols or auto-generated numbers. Various website tools like Wix, Shopify or WordPress can easily auto-generate your URLs for you.
Good: /website-design-services
Bad: /page?id=23847ab34
4. Put Keywords Where They Matter
Use your keyword in:
- The page title
- The first paragraph
- One or two subheadings
- Image alt text
- The URL
But don’t spam it. Write like a human.
5. Add Internal Links
Link to other useful pages or blog posts on your site. If you’re a roofing company and you’re writing a blog topic about shingles, make sure somewhere in your blog, you’ve linked a word to your shingles service page.
Example: In my case, as an example, whenever I’m talking about related website builders in my blog articles, I would link to Wix vs WordPress.
6. Optimise Your Images
Name your image files properly before uploading. Add alt text so Google knows what’s in the image.
Also, make sure that your image isn’t HUGE. As a rule of thumb, I always convert my blog images to a 900-pixel width. If I’m using a full page width image, I would convert it down to 1920px resolution. Another rule of thumb I use is to ensure my images aren’t larger than 300 KB. Far too often,n I see people uploading images far larger than 2MB. For a website, a 2MB file is massive and can greatly slow down your site.
I also always ensure that my images are converted to WEBP format, Google loves WEBP.
Alt Text Example: Business owner checking website ranking on laptop – on-page SEO for beginners
7. Make Sure Your Site Is Fast and Mobile-Friendly
This isn’t optional anymore. If your page is slow or broken on mobile, it’s game over. Use PageSpeed Insights to check performance.
8. Most People Forget This One
Make the content actually helpful. Ensure that your content is useful to the person reading your content; it needs to be something that people can use
Want Help With Your On-Page SEO?
You don’t have to do it all yourself. I’ve helped tons of business owners get their websites sorted so they can actually show up in search.
👉 Let’s talk SEO — no contracts, no pressure. Just honest help.
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