On-page SEO is the process of improving each page on your website so search engines and AI tools can understand it and rank it correctly.
It focuses on things you can control on the page: headings, page titles, content, URLs, internal links, page speed, and mobile experience.
For small businesses in Ireland, on-page SEO often delivers results faster than off-page SEO such as link building.
It helps you show up in local searches, build trust, and generate more enquiries from the right people.
It also makes your content easier for search engines to scan, crawl, and index.
A well-optimised page is clear, organised, relevant, and based on real expertise.
Reviewing and updating your on-page SEO regularly helps you stay visible as search behaviours and algorithms change over time.
On-page SEO is the process of improving the content and HTML elements on a page so search engines and AI tools can understand it, index it, and rank it properly.
It covers everything you can control on the page: the words you use, how the content is structured, your headings, meta tags, internal links, images, and the overall user experience.
Unlike off-page SEO (such as backlinks), on-page SEO focuses on the quality, clarity, and relevance of your own pages.
For small businesses in Ireland, on-page SEO helps your website become easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to use.
It supports local visibility, improves engagement, and increases the chances that a visitor becomes a customer.
Definition:
On-page SEO improves how search engines and AI assistants interpret your content by optimising keywords, headings, meta tags, URLs, page speed, mobile experience, internal links, and multimedia.
Done well, it increases visibility, supports E-E-A-T signals, and helps your pages match search intent across both traditional and AI-powered search results.
On-page SEO focuses on the elements of a page you can directly improve, including:
Content quality – helpful and relevant information
Keyword placement – using the right terms in the right places
Title tags and meta descriptions – the information shown in search results
Header structure (H1–H6) – how your content is organised
URL structure – simple, descriptive links that reflect the topic
Internal links – connecting related pages on your site
External links – linking to trusted, relevant sources
Images and multimedia – optimised files with accurate alt text
Page speed and mobile experience – fast, easy-to-use pages across all devices
Structured data (schema markup) – code that helps search engines understand your content
On-page SEO focuses on the content and structure of your pages — the text, layout, headings, readability, and overall user experience.
Technical SEO covers the backend foundations of your site — crawling, indexing, sitemaps, site architecture, Core Web Vitals, and mobile performance.
Off-page SEO involves external signals that build authority — backlinks, brand mentions, reviews, and PR.
On-page SEO is the foundation.
If your pages are slow or poorly structured, off-page and technical improvements cannot deliver their full impact.
On-page SEO plays a major role in how easily people can find and use your website.
For small businesses in Ireland, it makes a big difference to visibility, trust, and conversions.
It matters because it:
Helps you appear in local searches like “dentist in Dublin 2” or “plumber near me”
Improves click-through rates and engagement, so more people stay on your site
Strengthens mobile performance, which is essential in a mobile-first market like Ireland
Reduces wasted ad spend by improving the quality and relevance of your landing pages
Builds trust and credibility, especially when customers compare several local providers before choosing one
On-page optimisation gives small Irish businesses a cost-effective way to improve visibility and win more customers.
This guide gives you a practical look at on-page SEO and how it can help your website rank higher, attract the right visitors, and convert more customers.
It explains what on-page SEO is, why it matters, and the steps you can take to improve your pages.
You will learn:
What on-page SEO means and the elements it includes
Why it affects your visibility in Google and AI-powered search
How Google looks at relevance, quality, and user experience
How to optimise your content, titles, headings, URLs, and images
How to improve your internal links and avoid common mistakes
How to prepare your pages for featured snippets and AI answers
Advanced tactics such as schema markup and E-E-A-T signals
Examples for Irish businesses
A simple on-page SEO checklist you can use on any page
On-page SEO is one of the most important ways to improve your visibility in search.
It helps Google and AI search engines understand what your page is about, who it’s for, and whether it answers the search query.
On-page SEO makes it easier for customers to find you, understand what you offer, and take the next step.
On-page SEO strengthens the signals that tell search engines what your page is about and why it should rank.
It helps your visibility by:
Giving search engines signals about your topic, relevance, and intent
Improving your chances of ranking for the right keywords
Helping your pages appear in featured snippets and AI-generated answers
Making your content match what people expect to see when they search
When your pages are well-structured and easy to understand, search engines can interpret them more accurately.
This leads to higher rankings and more qualified traffic.
On-page SEO often shows results more quickly because the improvements are entirely within your control.
Changes you make on the page can start to have an impact within a few weeks.
You don’t need backlinks or external signals for on-page SEO to work.
You’re focusing on elements you can update immediately — your content, headings, meta tags, URLs, internal links, and overall user experience.
On-page SEO makes your site easier to read, easier to use, and easier to trust.
When visitors can find what they need quickly, they stay longer and engage more, which helps your pages perform better in search.
Page structure and relevant content lead to more people staying on the page, clicking through, and getting in touch.
On-page SEO has a direct impact on how easily people in your area can find and evaluate your business.
It matters because it:
Helps you appear for local intent searches such as “accountant Dublin 8” or “SEO consultant Ireland”
Improves the mobile experience, which is essential in a mobile-first market like Ireland
Makes your service pages, blogs, and landing pages more effective
Supports paid campaigns by improving landing page quality scores
Builds trust in competitive local markets where customers compare several providers
On-page SEO gives small Irish businesses an effective way to increase visibility and drive more high-quality leads.
On-page SEO is made up of several elements that work together to help search engines understand your content and to give visitors a smooth, helpful experience.
Each component adds its own signal.
Together, they influence how well your page ranks, how well it matches search intent, and how effectively it turns visitors into customers.
Content quality is the most important on-page ranking factor.
Search engines prioritise pages that answer questions clearly, show expertise, and provide accurate, useful information.
High-quality content should:
Match the search intent (informational, commercial, transactional, or local)
Be original and written in plain, accessible language
Cover the topic in enough depth to be genuinely helpful
Use short sentences and paragraphs for easier reading
Include examples or supporting detail where needed
Be formatted so users can scan it quickly
Matching search intent is essential.
If someone searches “how much do braces cost Ireland,” they expect a simple explanation, not a sales pitch.
If they search “emergency plumber Dublin,” they want direct service information.
When a page matches what the user expects, it performs better in search and is more likely to convert.
For small businesses in Ireland, high-quality content also reflects local needs and terminology, including relevant areas, counties, or suburbs when appropriate.
Keywords help search engines understand what your page is about.
The goal isn’t to repeat them. It’s to place them where they give the strongest signals.
Your primary keyword should appear in:
The page title (H1)
The URL slug
The first paragraph
A relevant H2
The title tag
The meta description
Image alt text (when it fits naturally)
Internal anchor text
Secondary keywords can be used naturally throughout the content to add depth and cover related searches.
Example:
If you’re targeting “family dentist Dublin,” you might include related terms like “check-ups,” “teeth cleaning,” “child-friendly dentist,” “Dublin city centre,” or “oral health advice.”
Avoid:
Over-using the keyword
Forcing keywords into awkward places
Writing for search engines instead of people
The goal is clarity and relevance, not repetition.
The title tag is one of the strongest on-page SEO signals.
It tells search engines what the page is about and helps users decide whether to click.
Best practice:
Keep it under 60 characters
Put the primary keyword at the start
Make every title on your site unique
Write it for humans first — clear, direct, and relevant
Add your brand name at the end if you have space
Example:
Good: What is on-page SEO? The complete guide for Irish businesses | Hello Digital
Poor: On-page SEO — learn on page SEO and optimise your page
A well-written title improves click-through rates, which supports your relevance in search.
Meta descriptions help users decide whether to click your result.
They don’t directly affect rankings, but they impact click-through rate.
Best practice:
Keep it to roughly 140–155 characters
Summarise the page in plain English
Use the primary keyword naturally
Explain what the user will learn or get
Add a gentle call to action
Example:
“Learn what on-page SEO is and how to optimise your content, titles, and structure to improve visibility and performance for your Irish business.”
Headers make your content easy to scan and help search engines understand how the page is organised.
Best practice:
Use one H1 per page
Use H2s to break the page into main sections
Use H3s to organise detail within those sections
Keep headings short and descriptive
Include keywords naturally
A well-structured page can improve your chances of appearing in featured snippets, People Also Ask results, and AI-generated summaries.
URLs should describe the content of the page and be easy for both customers and search engines to understand.
Best practice:
Keep URLs short and descriptive
Use hyphens instead of underscores
Include the primary keyword
Use lowercase letters
Avoid unnecessary words, dates, or numbers
Examples:
Good: /what-is-on-page-seo/
Bad: /blog123/onpageseoguide2025.html
Clean URLs also increase the chances that your links are shared with accurate anchor text.
Internal links help search engines crawl your site and understand how your pages relate to each other.
They also guide visitors to relevant information and keep them engaged.
Best practice:
Link to relevant pages at natural points in the content
Use descriptive anchor text (for example, “SEO audit checklist” instead of “click here”)
Keep important pages within three to four clicks of the homepage
Avoid orphan pages with no internal links pointing to them
Link new pages from older, high-performing pages
A well-designed internal linking structure builds topical authority, which is especially important for service businesses with multiple offerings.
External links help build credibility.
Linking to reputable sources supports trust and strengthens your E-E-A-T signals.
Best practice:
Link to authoritative sources when citing facts, statistics, or definitions
Use nofollow for user-generated or sponsored links
Keep external links relevant to the topic
Search engines favour content that is transparent, well researched, and backed by evidence.
Images improve the user experience but can slow your page down if they’re not optimised.
Best practice:
Use compressed images (WebP where possible)
Keep file sizes small to support faster loading
Write descriptive alt text (under 125 characters)
Avoid keyword stuffing in alt text
Make sure lazy loading doesn’t block images from being indexed
Use descriptive filenames (for example, on-page-seo-diagram.webp)
Well-optimised images improve accessibility, page speed, and visibility in image search.
User experience is a core part of on-page SEO.
Google rewards pages that load quickly, are easy to use, and work well on mobile.
Key performance signals:
Page speed — aim for an LCP under 2.5 seconds
Mobile-first performance — layouts must adapt cleanly
Stability — avoid layout shifts that interrupt reading
Responsiveness — buttons and forms should react quickly
Clarity — readable text, simple layouts, and calls to action
For Irish customers, who mostly browse on mobile, even small improvements in speed and navigation can lead to better rankings and more conversions.
Before you write or optimise anything, identify:
Who the page is for
What problem they want to solve
What they expect to see when they search
What type of intent they have (informational, commercial, transactional, or local)
Example:
If someone searches “best accountant Dublin for small business”, they expect information about your services, pricing guidance, and proof of expertise — not a generic article about bookkeeping tips.
Matching search intent is one of the most effective ways to increase rankings and conversions.
Choose a primary keyword and a set of supporting keywords that reflect real searches.
These should match what you offer and, if relevant, your location.
Useful tools include:
Google Keyword Planner
AnswerThePublic
SEMrush or Ahrefs
Google’s “People Also Ask” section
Look for keywords that align with your services and how people search in your area.
Examples:
“family dentist Dublin city centre”
“SEO consultant Ireland”
“plumber Dublin 8 emergency call-out”
Document your primary keyword and three to six supporting terms before you start writing or optimising the page.
Create content that gives direct answers, step-by-step guidance, and enough detail to satisfy the search intent.
Best practice:
Use short paragraphs and plain English
Avoid jargon unless you explain it
Provide examples and helpful context
Add your own expertise and experience
Use headings and lists to make the page easy to scan
Cover the topic fully without adding unnecessary text
Your goal is to create the most helpful page on that topic for your readers.
Use your primary keyword early in both the title tag and the meta description.
These elements influence click-through rates and help search engines understand the page.
Title tag:
Keep it under 60 characters
Make it direct and helpful
Include one benefit or angle
Optional: add your brand name at the end
Meta description:
Aim for 140–155 characters
Summarise the page in plain English
Use the primary keyword naturally
Explain what the user will learn or gain
A well-optimised title and meta description encourage more clicks and improve how your page is interpreted by search engines and AI tools.
Organise your content using this hierarchy:
One H1 for your main heading
H2s for the main sections of the page
H3s for detail within those sections
Descriptive, easy-to-read headings
Keywords included only where they fit naturally
Your headings help users scan the page and increases your chances of appearing in featured snippets or AI-generated answers.
Your URL should:
Be short and easy to read
Use hyphens between words
Include the primary keyword
Avoid numbers, dates, and unnecessary words
Example:
/what-is-on-page-seo/
A clean URL communicates relevance and makes internal linking and sharing easier.
Internal links support navigation, relevance, and authority.
They help both users and search engines understand how your pages connect.
For each page, link to:
Related service pages
Relevant blog posts
Helpful informational resources
Use anchor text that describes the page you’re linking to.
Example:
“See our SEO audit checklist for easy steps you can apply today.”
Avoid generic phrases like “click here”.
Before uploading images:
Compress them to reduce file size
Use WebP (preferred) or JPEG
Write descriptive alt text without keyword stuffing
Use descriptive filenames (for example, on-page-seo-diagram.webp)
After uploading:
Make sure lazy loading still allows images to be indexed
Check that images load cleanly on mobile
Well-optimised images improve page speed and accessibility.
Use PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to find issues that slow your page down.
Quick wins include:
Compressing images
Reducing unused scripts
Using a lightweight theme
Minimising pop-ups and large hero banners
Ensuring fonts and icons load correctly
Enabling caching and CDN support if available
Even small page speed improvements can help with rankings and conversions.
Schema helps traditional and AI search engines understand your content more precisely.
Helpful schema types include:
Article
FAQ
Breadcrumb
Local Business (if relevant)
Product or Service (where appropriate)
Adding schema can increase your chance of appearing in rich results and AI summaries.
On-page SEO is not a one-time task.
Your pages need regular checks to stay accurate and competitive.
Review:
Keyword rankings
Clicks and impressions
Bounce rate and engagement
Mobile performance
Content accuracy and freshness
Update your pages every few months so they stay aligned with search behaviour, customer expectations, and algorithm changes.
Once the essentials are in place, a few advanced tactics can help your pages stand out in competitive searches, appear in featured snippets, and get cited or recommended by AI-powered answer engines.
These tactics strengthen how effectively your page communicates its purpose and your expertise.
Featured snippets appear above the regular search results and give short, direct answers.
Structuring your content in a predictable way increases your chances of earning these placements.
Ways to optimise for featured snippets:
Use short definitions at the top of key sections
Answer common questions in one to three sentences
Use numbered lists for step-by-step processes
Use bullet lists for grouped ideas
Add tables where comparisons help
Make sure your headings reflect real search queries
Snippet-friendly formats include:
“What is…” definitions
“How to…” steps
“Types of…” lists
Short Q&A sections
For Irish businesses, snippets often appear for local intent searches such as “cost of braces Ireland” or “what does BER rating mean”.
Content formatting gives you a better chance of capturing these placements.
Schema markup helps search engines and AI answer engines understand the meaning and structure of your content.
It adds context, supports rich results, and improves the accuracy of AI-generated answers.
Useful schema types include:
Article — for blog posts and guides
FAQ — helps your answers appear directly in search results
Breadcrumb — clarifies your site structure
Local Business — essential for Irish service providers
Product or Service — for pages describing specific offerings
Schema doesn’t change what users see, but it strengthens how search engines interpret your content.
When set up correctly, it reduces ambiguity — which becomes more important as AI search continues to grow.
AI answer engines pull information from high-quality pages that give concise, accurate answers.
They prefer content presented in short, focused sections rather than long paragraphs.
To improve performance in AI search:
Use short definition blocks for key concepts
Keep paragraphs brief and centred on one idea
Add micro-headings every 100–150 words
Present steps, lists, and facts in simple formats
Include examples or scenarios that reflect your customers’ needs
Use consistent terminology throughout the page
Make each section easy to understand without reading the whole article
AI search engine also favour pages that show real expertise, cite credible sources, and explain topics in a helpful way.
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is central to how search engines assess content quality.
E-E-A-T improves your chances of ranking and being referenced by AI answer engines.
Ways to strengthen E-E-A-T:
Add a short author bio that highlights your experience
Mention relevant qualifications or industry background
Link to your About page and Contact page
Cite credible external sources when referring to facts or data
Keep service pages and blog content up to date
Add pricing, guarantees, or process explanations
Use customer reviews or testimonials
For Irish businesses, demonstrating local expertise, such as knowledge of Irish regulations, areas, costs, or processes, also builds trust and improves credibility.
Pages perform better when they sit within a well-developed content ecosystem.
This means creating supporting content that:
Answers related questions
Covers connected services
Supports your main topics in more detail
Reflects real user journeys
For example, a Dublin-based dental clinic could create articles such as:
“How long does composite bonding last?”
“Composite bonding vs veneers: what’s the difference?”
“How to care for bonded teeth”
This type of cluster content helps search engines understand your expertise and strengthens the authority of your main service pages.
Cannibalisation happens when multiple pages on your site target the same keyword or search intent.
This can confuse search engines and weaken your rankings.
Avoid it by:
Reviewing pages that cover similar topics
Merging content where there is overlap
Choosing one page as the primary version
Using internal links to reinforce that hierarchy
Giving each page a unique purpose
A focused content structure strengthens your topical authority and improves ranking stability.
Many pages underperform not because of technical issues but because of avoidable on-page problems.
These issues affect both rankings and user experience.
Below are the most common mistakes along with quick fixes you can implement right away.
The problem:
Pages with very little information or vague explanations rarely perform well.
They don’t answer the user’s questions and offer little value.
Why it matters:
Search engines prioritise pages that give complete answers and help users understand the topic.
Easy fix:
Expand the page to cover key points such as:
What the service is
Who it’s for
How it works
Benefits
Common questions
Next steps
Your goal is to be the most helpful and informative resource on the topic.
The problem:
Repeating the same keyword unnaturally throughout a page makes the content harder to read and can lead to ranking drops.
Easy fix:
Use your primary keyword only in key locations:
Title
Intro
URL
A relevant heading
Meta description
Then use synonyms and related terms naturally throughout the content.
This keeps the page readable while still giving search engines clear signals.
The problem:
Some pages have multiple H1 tags, or no H1 at all.
Why it matters:
Search engines use the H1 to understand the main topic of the page.
If it’s missing or duplicated, the page becomes harder to interpret.
Easy fix:
Use one H1 per page
Make it descriptive and relevant
Align it with the page’s primary keyword
The problem:
Long or vague headings make pages difficult to scan and weaken relevance signals.
Easy fix:
Use short, descriptive H2s and H3s
Break sections into logical chunks
Align headings with topics your customers expect to see
Well-structured headings improve readability and help search engines understand the content hierarchy.
The problem:
Heavy images, messy layouts, and large scripts slow pages down, especially on mobile.
Why it matters:
A slow site leads to higher bounce rates and fewer conversions.
Easy fix:
Compress images
Remove heavy or unnecessary plugins
Use smaller hero images
Reduce pop-ups
Enable caching
Check your speed using PageSpeed Insights
Improving speed creates a smoother experience and supports your search performance.
The problem:
Generic, boilerplate content appears on thousands of other sites.
Why it matters:
Search engines prioritise unique insights, simple explanations, and local relevance.
Easy fix:
Write in plain English
Add examples from your own work
Include local references where relevant
Explain your process or approach clearly
Authentic, experience-based content improves both rankings and trust.
The problem:
Pages without internal links are harder for search engines to discover and understand.
Visitors may also struggle to move through your site.
Easy fix:
Add links to:
Related services
Relevant blog posts
Useful resources
Contact or booking pages
Use descriptive anchor text so visitors know exactly what to expect when they click.
The problem:
Orphan pages have no other pages linking to them.
Search engines may not find or index them, and users are unlikely to ever reach them.
Easy fix:
Link to the page from at least one relevant location
Add it to your navigation if it’s important
Include contextual links within related content
Connecting the page properly ensures it can be discovered, indexed, and used.
The problem:
Old pricing, outdated details, or references to previous years can reduce trust and weaken page performance.
Easy fix:
Review key pages every few months
Update facts, dates, and examples
Refresh visuals or screenshots
Add new insights from your current experience
Fresh, accurate content signals reliability and increases visibility in search.
The problem:
Service businesses in Ireland often forget to mention their location, service area, or local context.
Easy fix:
Add local signals such as:
City or county
Specific service areas
Irish regulations, processes, or costs
Local examples or case studies
These signals help you rank for local queries and build trust with nearby customers.
The problem:
Large images slow pages down, and alt text is often missing or too generic.
Easy fix:
Compress images
Use WebP format where possible
Write descriptive alt text
Keep alt text under 125 characters
Search engines reward well-optimised multimedia because it improves both speed and accessibility.
The problem:
If a page is difficult to read, users leave quickly, and engagement drops.
Easy fix:
Keep paragraphs to two to four sentences
Use plain English
Break content into smaller sections
Add lists and examples where helpful
Readable pages keep users engaged, improve clarity, and support ranking signals.
These examples show how on-page SEO works in real situations and highlight the changes that make the biggest difference.
Each scenario reflects common issues faced by Irish service providers, tradespeople, clinics, and consultants.
Common issues:
Generic service pages
No mention of service areas
Slow mobile experience
Missing pricing guidance
Few internal links
On-page improvements:
Add a clear H1: Emergency plumber in Dublin — fast local call-outs
Include service areas (e.g., Dublin 6, Dublin 8, Rathmines, Harold’s Cross)
Add a step-by-step outline of the service process
Provide estimated pricing or starting rates
Add internal links to pages like “Boiler servicing” and “Drain unblocking”
Compress high-resolution images to improve mobile speed
Impact:
The page becomes more relevant for local intent searches and more trustworthy for users who need urgent help.
Common issues:
Overly short pages with limited detail
No comparisons or before/after expectations
Lack of structured data
Weak meta descriptions
Stock headings like “Services” and “Treatments”
On-page improvements:
Use descriptive headings: What is composite bonding?, How long it lasts, Who it’s suitable for
Add cost ranges for Ireland
Include FAQs with short answers
Add Dental Clinic schema and FAQ schema
Include internal links to “Teeth whitening”, “Check-up fees”, “Dental hygiene”
Add real examples or photos (compressed)
Impact:
Pages better match what Irish users want to know before booking and are more likely to appear in featured snippets.
Common issues:
Thin product descriptions
Duplicate content from suppliers
Uncompressed images
No size guides or material information
Weak category page content
On-page improvements:
Rewrite product descriptions in plain English
Add size, materials, care instructions, or usage details
Add alt text to all images
Improve category pages with:
What the category includes
Who the products are for
Key features
Internal links to bestsellers
Use Product schema for structured data
Impact:
Better rankings on both product and category pages, improved conversion rate, and more powerful relevance signals across the site.
Common issues:
Abstract language that doesn’t reflect user questions
No breakdown of services
Little or no local relevance
Weak or missing CTAs
Poor page structure
On-page improvements:
Rewrite headings to be simpler and more descriptive
Add sub-sections such as:
What we do
Who it’s for
Pricing or starting fees
How our process works
Add internal links to related pages (e.g., Payroll, VAT returns, CRO filings)
Include examples relevant to Irish regulations
Add a CTA such as Book a free consultation
Impact:
The page becomes far more discoverable and trustworthy for users comparing providers in Ireland.
Common issues:
Overuse of supplier text or manufacturer descriptions
No mention of counties or service areas
Few before/after examples
Weak image optimisation
Lack of detail about materials or techniques
On-page improvements:
Add detail about materials, styles, and installation
Mention counties and areas served (e.g., Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow)
Add structured sections for:
Types of materials
Benefits
Timeline
Aftercare
Add compressed before/after photos with descriptive alt text
Include internal links to “Solid wood flooring”, “Laminate flooring”, and “Stair renovation”
Impact:
More relevant traffic, meeting customer expectations, and an improved local presence.
Common issues:
Overly broad content
Minimal detail about approach or methods
No FAQs
No author or practitioner bio
Missing E-E-A-T signals
On-page improvements:
Add an H1 describing the service (e.g., ADHD coaching in Dublin)
Outline your approach, methods, and who you work with
Add price ranges or session details
Include a short, professional bio to demonstrate expertise
Add FAQs with short, direct answers
Use Local Business schema
Add internal links to related services
Impact:
More trust, improved conversion rates, and higher rankings for local and service-specific keywords.
Common issues:
Promotional copy but little structured detail
Heavy images that slow the page
Weak descriptions of locations or what to expect
No FAQ or itinerary structure
Thin category pages
On-page improvements:
Break content into sections (What’s included, Itinerary, Pricing, Locations)
Compress travel and accommodation images
Add descriptive headings with locations (e.g., Dublin walking tours, Cliff Coast day trip)
Use FAQ schema
Add internal links to related experiences
Impact:
More relevant search visibility and matching expectations for tourists comparing options.
These examples can be adapted across almost any industry.
When a page is useful, locally relevant, and easy to navigate, it ranks higher in search and converts better.
This checklist gives you a summary of the core on-page SEO elements, what each one does, and the actions you can take to optimise them.
You can apply it to any page on your website, regardless of your industry or the size of your business.
| Element | What it does | Best practice | Quick win |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 tag | Defines the main topic of the page | One H1 containing the primary keyword | Rewrite the H1 to be descriptive and direct |
| Title tag | Helps search engines and users understand the page | Under 60 characters, keyword at the start, unique | Add a title with the primary keyword |
| Meta description | Improves click-through rate | 140–155 characters, simple summary, keyword included | Add a helpful, plain-English summary |
| URL structure | Signals relevance and improves usability | Short, descriptive, hyphens, lowercase | Clean up long or generic URLs |
| Content quality | Satisfies user intent and improves ranking | Original, detailed, readable, useful | Add missing details and break up long text |
| Keyword placement | Helps search engines understand your topic | Use the primary keyword in key locations | Add it naturally to the intro and one H2 |
| Header structure | Improves scannability and ranking | Use H2s and H3s to organise content | Break long sections into smaller chunks |
| Internal links | Helps search engines and users navigate your site | Descriptive anchor text, link to related pages | Add 3–5 internal links to relevant content |
| External links | Supports E-E-A-T and credibility | Link to authoritative sources where helpful | Add one or two trustworthy references |
| Images | Enhances UX and accessibility | Compressed files, descriptive alt text | Convert images to WebP and add alt text |
| Page speed | Key ranking and UX factor | Aim for LCP under 2.5 seconds | Compress images and remove unused scripts |
| Mobile experience | Essential for Irish users | Clean layout, fast loading, easy navigation | Test the page on a mobile device and fix issues |
| Structured data (schema) | Helps search engines understand your content | Add Article, FAQ, Local Business, or Product schema | Implement FAQ schema for quick visibility gains |
| E-E-A-T signals | Builds trust and credibility | Author bio, accurate information, up-to-date content | Add a short bio and update outdated sections |
| Local relevance | Improves performance for local searches | Include service areas and Irish terminology where relevant | Add city/county names to key sections |
On-page SEO works best when it’s reviewed and updated regularly.
Search behaviour changes, competitors update their content, and Google continues to refine how it evaluates quality and user experience.
Monitoring your pages helps ensure they stay accurate, relevant, and competitive.
Use reliable tools to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
Google Search Console
Check which queries your page is appearing for
Monitor clicks, impressions, and average position
Identify pages that are dropping or not receiving traffic
Look for indexing issues or mobile usability warnings
Google Analytics (GA4)
Review engagement time
See which pages people read most
Identify high-bounce or low-engagement pages
Track conversions or goal completions
PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix
Check mobile and desktop loading speed
Review LCP, CLS, and INP measurements
Identify slow-loading images or scripts
These free tools show whether your on-page changes are improving user behaviour and visibility.
Content ages quickly.
Information that was accurate a year ago might now be outdated or incomplete.
Check each key page every few months to ensure:
Information, prices, and examples are up to date
The content still matches search intent
Headings are descriptive
Internal links still point to the right pages
All images load quickly on mobile
Key statistics or references are still valid
Refreshing a page is often more effective than publishing a new one.
Search trends change.
As customers ask new questions, expand your content to address them.
Good sources of new topics include:
Google’s “People Also Ask”
Competitor pages that rank well
Customer questions you hear in person
Support emails
Search Console queries that show new interest
Adding even a short section to answer a new question can lead to quick visibility gains.
Your competitors’ pages will evolve.
Monitoring them helps you understand how your market is shifting and where you can improve.
Look for:
New sections or FAQs
Structural changes
Improved clarity or more examples
Added pricing or transparency
More descriptive headings
Additional content depth
This helps you keep your own content competitive and aligned with customer expectations.
Search behaviour in Ireland changes over time, especially for local services.
For example:
Users may shift from “prices” to “costs”
Searches may become more specific to neighbourhoods
More conversational phrasing may appear (voice-search, longer queries)
AI search may lead to new types of questions
Track these shifts in Search Console and update your content accordingly.
Lower click-through rates often mean your title tag or meta description no longer stands out.
Update your metadata when:
CTR decreases significantly
Competitor pages appear more compelling in search results
Your content angle changes
Seasonal factors shift (e.g., “2026 update”)
Small metadata improvements can lead to significant increases in traffic.
New pages create new linking opportunities.
Review internal links to:
Support important pages
Reduce orphan pages
Improve navigation
Highlight related services or guides
Internal linking improves both UX and ranking stability.
Any design, theme, or plugin update can affect performance.
After changes, check:
Mobile page speed
Layout stability
Form functionality
Image performance
Navigation behaviour
Pop-up behaviour on mobile
Fixing issues early prevents ranking loss in the long term.
If you have two or more pages targeting similar keywords, they may compete with each other, reducing your ranking potential.
Fix this by:
Selecting one primary page
Merging or redirecting smaller pages into it
Improving depth on the primary page
Updating internal links to point to the primary page
This strengthens your topical authority and helps Google understand your content hierarchy.
Authoritativeness is a key part of how Google evaluates quality.
It influences trust, visibility, and whether your content is selected for featured snippets or AI-generated answers.
Authority signals show that the information on your page comes from a credible, reliable source, which is especially important for service businesses and sectors where trust matters.
Below are the core on-page SEO elements that help build authority on any page.
An author bio gives readers confidence that the content is written by someone with real experience.
It also helps search engines understand who is behind the information.
An effective author bio should include:
Your name and role
Your experience or qualifications
Relevant industry background
A link to your About page
Contact details
Example for an SEO-focused article:
A digital marketing consultant with over 20 years’ experience in SEO and PPC, specialising in small businesses in Ireland.
An author bio strengthens trust for users and supports expertise signals for search engines.
Google values first-hand experience, especially for topics related to money, health, safety, or wellbeing.
Ways to demonstrate experience:
Use examples from past projects
Reference common questions clients ask
Explain how you approach a problem
Show knowledge of Irish regulations or local considerations
Include case studies or insights from past projects
These signals show that your content is based on real-world practice rather than theory, which builds trust for both users and search engines.
When you refer to facts, statistics, or definitions, link to credible sources.
This strengthens the trustworthiness of your page and shows that your information is grounded in reliable data.
Authoritative sources include:
Google Search Central
Government or regulatory bodies
Industry organisations
Reputable news outlets
Academic or research publications
Avoid linking to sites that publish unverified or low-quality information.
Authoritativeness declines when content becomes outdated.
Keeping information current shows that your pages are actively maintained and reliable.
Update:
Year-specific references
Pricing examples
Regulations or compliance details
Tools, platforms, or tactics
Local market context
Industry trends
Regular updates help maintain trust and strengthen your authority signals in search.
Trust increases when customers can see who is behind the website.
Include links to:
Your About page
Your Contact page
Your business address (if applicable)
Social media profiles
Privacy policy and terms
Transparency is especially important for Irish service businesses, where credibility plays a major role in whether someone decides to enquire.
Search engines value positive trust signals, and user-generated content such as reviews and testimonials helps support credibility.
They are especially useful for:
Trades and home improvement
Professional services
Health and wellness
Education and training
Use testimonials that focus on real results or genuine customer experiences.
Avoid long or exaggerated claims.
Short, specific feedback builds trust more effectively.
Authority strengthens when your site covers a topic in depth, not just on a single page.
You can build this by:
Publishing related articles
Creating supporting guides
Adding service-specific pages
Linking between connected content
Covering all common questions around the topic
This helps search engines recognise your expertise and increases your chances of ranking for both primary and secondary keywords.
Authoritativeness is not just about credentials. It’s also about how you communicate.
Write in a way that:
Is easy to understand
Avoids unnecessary jargon
Explains concepts simply
Helps users make informed decisions
Your communication style builds trust and helps your content perform well in both traditional search results and AI-generated answers.
On-page SEO is the process of optimising the content and HTML elements on a webpage so search engines and AI answer engines can understand, index, and rank it accurately.
It includes improving your content, keyword placement, headings, metadata, URLs, images, internal links, and overall user experience.
On-page SEO focuses on what users see on the page — the content, structure, headings, and internal links.
Technical SEO covers the systems behind the site, such as crawling, indexing, sitemaps, Core Web Vitals, structured data, and mobile performance.
Both are important.
On-page SEO improves relevance and clarity, while technical SEO improves performance and access.
On-page SEO manages everything within your own site.
Off-page SEO focuses on external signals like backlinks, brand mentions, digital PR, and online reputation.
On-page SEO can show results within weeks, while off-page SEO usually takes longer because it depends on external activity.
On-page SEO helps your website appear for local searches, improves click-through rates, builds trust, and gives customers a better understanding of your services.
It also strengthens mobile performance, which is essential in Ireland’s mobile-first search environment.
Basic on-page SEO changes can show results within 6-12 weeks.
More competitive keywords may take a few months, especially if content needs deeper improvement or if competitors have more authority.
Review important pages every few months.
Update content when:
Information becomes outdated
Competitors improve their pages
Search trends change
Your services or pricing change
Metadata no longer performs well
Yes. AI-powered answer engines prefer pages with clear structure, short answer blocks, accurate definitions, and authority signals.
On-page SEO that focuses on clarity, usefulness, and well-organised information increases your chance of being referenced by AI-powered answer engines .
Schema is not required, but it strengthens how search engines interpret your content.
FAQ, Article, Local Business, Product, and Service schema can all improve visibility and help your content appear in rich results.
Yes, most on-page SEO improvements, such as rewriting headings, improving content, updating metadata, adding internal links, compressing images, and refreshing outdated sections, can be done without technical expertise.
For more complex needs (structured data, audits, or large content updates), an SEO professional can help.
Start with:
H1s aligned with your primary keyword
Well-crafted title tags and meta descriptions
Structured content that's helpful and matches search intent
Clean URLs
Internal links to related pages
Compressed images and pages that load fast, especially on mobile
These simple changes often produce the quickest improvement in visibility and engagement.
On-page SEO is the foundation of search performance.
It focuses on making each page useful and easy for both search engines and customers to understand.
When your content is well-structured, matches search intent, loads quickly, and shows real expertise, your website becomes more visible and more effective at converting visitors.
For small businesses in Ireland, on-page SEO improves local visibility, boosts engagement, and leads to higher-quality enquiries.
By optimising your content, headings, metadata, URLs, internal links, images, and user experience, and keeping your pages updated, you build a website that performs well in both traditional and AI search.
Consistent improvements over time help keep your pages accurate, relevant, and competitive.
Alessandro Boscolo Conway — Hello Digital
I'm a Dublin-based freelance SEO and digital marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience, including time on Google Ireland’s Search Quality team.
I run Hello Digital, a consultancy that helps startups and small businesses across Ireland grow online through clear strategy, expert delivery, and practical support.
I've worked with over 50 Irish companies to improve their visibility, generate better leads, and grow sustainably through SEO and digital marketing.
I'm a certified Google Partner and a trusted advisor to e-commerce brands, local services, and fast-growing startups.
Based in Dublin, 20+ years of experience
Former Googler, certified Google Partner, SEO strategist, and performance marketer
Trusted by 50+ Irish startups, e-commerce brands, and local businesses
If you want better content, higher rankings, and more qualified enquiries, I can help you put a successful on-page SEO strategy in place.
I work with small businesses across Ireland that need their website to perform well in both traditional and AI search without the complexity or cost of a large agency.
I can support you with:
On-page SEO audits and prioritised improvement plans
Content creation and rewrites for Google and AI search
Metadata, headings, URL structure, and internal linking
Local SEO for Irish service businesses
AI-search-friendly formatting and content structure
Page speed improvements, including Core Web Vitals
Ongoing on-page SEO and content maintenance
If you’d like expert help to improve your on-page SEO, book a free consultation and I’ll walk you through what’s working, what’s not, and what to fix first.