On-the-Page Factors
On the Page Factors are all factors that can be influenced through editing your own code and adding content to your webpage. The on-the-page factors can only be influenced through working directly on the webpage. In order to carry out these methods, you need to be able to use HTML, and have to consent of your client, or work on your own webpages.
The Title of a website
The title line (refered to as <title>New Webpage 1<title> ) is an important ranking factor. It should include the most important keywords and the topic of your website as short as possible.
Example
Your general website is dealing with “Printer drivers”, then you should match your title to each page. When your page lists printer drivers for Brother, then change your title to <title>Brother Printer Drivers<title>.
Metatags
In general, most of the search engines, like Google, MSN or Yahoo! don’t care about Metatags. Sometimes Google uses the content of the Metatag description in their Search Engine Results Pages, but this can be neglected.
Nevertheless, it is recommended to include Metatags for other, smaller search engines and for visitors who would like background information.
If you decide to use Metatags, it is important to adjust them to meet each webpage of your entire web, especially taking care of the <title> section.
Keywords in the Content
One of the most important factors for the success of a website is that you mention your keywords in your content. If you want to sell printers, you need to write about printers, offering information for the search engine and your visitor.
Keyword Density
Another factor in the algorithm is the keyword density. Example given:
If you are writing 100 words about printers and only use the word printer drivers once, this could be enough.
The Keyword density of a webpage should range between 2-8 % of the articles content. I would recommend using synonyms and examples to achieve the “right” keyword density.
Valid HTML
Although many webmasters don’t consider valid HTML as important, and search engine spiders accept a lot of mistakes, you should try to avoid them. The advantages of spider-readability, browser-coherence and usability are enough arguments to use valid html.
Headlines/Markup
Search engines consider text in headlines, for example <h1>Headline Tag</1> as important. It is positive to mention your most important keywords in headlines, but you should always keep in mind that the user has to read this text.
You can also use the tags <b> <i> or <strong> to indicate important sections and keyword combinations.
Keyword Count
In addition to the factor of keyword density, search engines also implemented the factor of Keyword count.
This should prevent the fact that a website that has higher keyword density, but does not mention the keyword as often would be considered as less important.
Location of Keywords
In order to rate the occurence of different keyword combinations, e.g “printer drivers”, search engine spiders locate and store data about in which place on your website they found each word.
Example 1
>> A printer is a very useful device, it can print out text, but in order to function correctly, a printer needs drivers >>
Example 2
>> If you want that your printer can use its full function spectrum, you need to search and install printer drivers >>
Search Engine algorithms rate Example 2 more important and give it more relevance for the keyword combination “printer drivers”, because the location of the keywords to each other is favorable.
The thought behind this is: “If you are a vistitor, searching for “printer drivers”, you are not willing to find a website with general information about printers in one chapter and drivers in the other, but you want the best possible results for the given search phrase “printer drivers”.
Keywords in Alt Tags and Comments
Another possibility to add your keywords to your website in a meaningful way is to use your keywords in alt tags or comments.
Possibilites to add keywords
- Alt Tags for Pictures
- Comments in your webpage
- Titles with further information to your internal links
Internal Link Structure
An important factor of on-the page optimization of any given page in the internet is the way its navigation is organised. There should not be any broken links on your webpage, and you should clearly indicate; through the means of using appropriate linktexts; what the visitor can find on each page.
For example, if your homepage is about printers in general, and you provide information about printer drivers, printer prices and so on, you should build up your internal link structure as “flat” as possible.
If possible, each visitor should reach every webpage on your site with only 3 clicks. If this is not possible through normal navigation, you should consider using a sitemap, where you provide a Map of all the pages in your site.
Example 1
You can find further information about printer drivers here
Explanation 1
This hyperlink is worthless in the eyes of any search engine spider, because the word “here” is not a valid description.
Example 2
Further information and download link for printer drivers
Explanation 2
Through using the linktext “printer drivers”, a visitor knows in advance what information he expects if he decides to follow this link, and a search engine values this links more than a “here” link.
Keywords in Folder Names
As an addition to the Internal Link Structure information, you should also add your keywords in folder names, e.g www.domain.de/printer-drivers
Summarizing internal link structure, it is important that each of your pages is reachable with 3 clicks, and that you refer to your pages using linktexts that match your content.