On-Page Optimisation (SEO) Vs. Off-Page Optimisation

SEO has traditionally divided into two main areas; on-page optimisation which covers what can be done on the pages of the website itself, and off-page optimisation which covers activity that takes place elsewhere (e.g. link-building).

The most effective strategy in 2012 however (social media powered SEO) requires an integrated approach, with on-page content promoted off-page within the main social media channels. Please click on the following link to find out more about social media SEO - the future proofed SEO strategy that delivers outstanding results now.

Alternatively, click here to understand more about how off-page SEO has had to adapt to changes in the search engines’ algorithms to remain effective in 2012.

Finally, if you are more interested in on-page SEO, we should probably warn you that, although it’s still very important to optimise on-page factors, it’s extremely unlikely to work on its own unless your market is particularly niche. Please read on for:

A checklist outlining the key areas to consider when reviewing on-page SEO.
A list of common mistakes to look out for with regard to on-page SEO.
A list of old-school SEO (‘spammy’) on-page tactics that the search engines are now able to recognise (and punish accordingly).

On-Page SEO Checklist:

Always start with keyword selection, research and testing
Meta Description tag
ALT tags
H1 tags
URL structure
Internal linking strategy
Content
Keyword density
Site maps, both XML and user facing
Usability and accessibility
Track target keywords
Expect results in 6-12 months

Avoid common on-page SEO mistakes such as:

Duplicate content
URL variants of the same pages
Off-site images and content on-site
Duplicate title tags

Avoid spammy SEO tactics such as:

Hidden text
Hidden links
Keyword repetition
Doorway pages
Mirror pages
Cloaking