6 Reasons Why your On-Page SEO isn’t Working

Many online businesses focus their SEO efforts on the techniques that can have the most potential impact on website ranking. This includes focusing on link building for SEO which can be extremely time consuming and resource-heavy. However, off-page optimisation can still fall short if your website’s on-page SEO is lacking.

So how do you create an effective SEO strategy that uses both off-page and on-page SEO? We’ve got the top tips to improve your on-page optimisation right now.

What does on-page SEO mean?

On-page SEO refers to almost all elements of your website itself. Optimising each page of your website to boost rankings for each one and boost your website’s authority. Whereas, off-page SEO relates to external ranking factors like links or social profiles.

This optimisation includes:

• internal links
• meta descriptions
• keywords
• headings and tags
• images

And this is not an exhaustive list! When you think about creating your website and each individual page, there are so many things to do to optimise. So, in what ways is your on-page SEO not working and serving your website? Here are 6 reasons why this could be happening.

Why your on-page SEO isn’t working

1. Not targeting correct keywords

Keyword research should be something you’ve heard of before if you know anything about SEO. However, writing about what you know seems easy. Writing content that is targeted keyword might seem more difficult. However, targeting a keyword is essential and optimising for the RIGHT keyword is just as essential.

What I mean by the right keyword is that you can create content for a keyword with high search volume but with extremely high competition. As a result, your content might not rank at all, especially if your website still has low authority.

Or, you could be targeting unique and specific keywords but they have no search volume. Meaning your website only receives minimal organic traffic from this content, even if it does rank. Therefore, you need to make your content keyword specific, but for keywords that will provide high rankings and potential search volume. Using keyword research tools or SEO experts to help with keyword research and content creation can help where your content falls short.

2. Missing optimisations

As on-page optimisation covers many different parts of each page of content, it can be difficult to keep on top of all of them. Some pages can be missing essential meta-descriptions or image-alt texts that can be detrimental to your SEO progress.

Doing a site audit can help identify the gaps in your website content. Outreach lab can help with conducting a site audit and correcting these shortcomings. In addition, there are many tools like Yoast that provide cues and suggestions to ensure all of these small optimisations are made.

3. Leaving pages to become out-dated

Search engines like up-to-date and quality content. Unfortunately, many content creators write content once and leave it alone. This content can bring in some organic traffic but gradually this traffic will decrease as newer content overtakes it in SERPs.

Therefore, old, in-accurate content can be damaging for your brand’s reputation and doesn’t provide the SEO and traffic boost your website needs.

To combat this, add updating old content as part of your content strategy. This not only ensures the content is high-quality and accurate, but it also provides the opportunity to ensure that the other on-page optimisations are made. Having up-to-date content will help increase traffic by maintaining or increasing rankings. As well as improve your domain authority and expertise in the eye of search engines.

4. Content ranking for the same keyword

This might not be an obvious reason why your on-page SEO isn’t working but it can be a common problem. Creating content on the same subject consistently can lead to near duplication of content. it can be very easy to create two or more pieces of content intended to rank for the same keyword.

As a result, you’re competing with yourself! This can mean that neither piece of content rank at all or you receive much lower click-through rates (CTR) as your content can be much lower on SERPs.

In order to make your on-page SEO more effective, consider merging the content that ranks for the same keyword. Making this one piece of content more authoritative, accurate and have higher ranking potential.

5. Duplicating or copying content

Search engines can penalise websites and content that is duplicated or plagiarised. Duplicate content can confuse search engines, forcing them to choose which page will be ranked in SERPs. Why? Because search engines want to provide the most value to searchers. Therefore, showing different versions of the same content is not providing this value.

To make your on-page SEO more effective, remove or re-write any content that is duplicated or plagiarised. Allowing it to rank higher and stop competing with yourself. In addition, searches can also be conducted to see if any other websites have plagiarised your content. As a result, you can identify the copy and update your content so that it is unique again.

6. Mobile optimisation

Search engines are now using mobile-friendliness as one of their top ranking factors. This is a huge on-page optimisation you need to be making and poor mobile optimisation can mean lower and lower rankings in SERPs.

To start fixing this error focus on your website theme. Is your theme mobile friendly? Does it adjust and present well for different screen sizes? How are the menu and navigation impacted by mobile screens?

Once your website’s theme is mobile optimised, focus on your content. How readable is your content? What size are your images and do they adjust correctly for different screens? Are all the widgets and buttons visible and accessible?

Final thoughts on why your on-page SEO isn’t working

Ultimately, pinpointing the ways in which your on-page SEO isn’t working can be difficult. But with the help of tools, audits and a keen eye you can combat these issues to start boosting rankings and organic traffic. Need help with this? Outreach lab can identify problems and improve your on-page SEO today.