The checklist for on page SEO that covers everything you need to know to improve your SERP rankings is as follows:

1. Add URLs which are SEO Friendly to  web pages

A simple and clear URL helps search engines and users to understand what the web page is all about.

Example:

www.yoursite.com/on-page-seo-checklist

(good) 

www.yoursite.com/p=12345 

(bad)

Tips:

1. Always make URLs short and easy to understand
2. Include your target keyword 
3. Use hyphens to separate words

2. Write Clear and Optimized Title Tags

Title tags are the first thing people see on the search engine result page.

Best practices:

1. Keep title under 60 characters
2. Add your main keyword
3. Make it interesting to encourage clicks
4. Example: “On-Page SEO Checklist to Boost Your Page Ranking”

3. Craft Compelling Meta Descriptions

A well-written meta description improves click-through rates.

Tips:

1. Write 150–160 characters
2. Add your keyword naturally
3. Make it relevant to the page content

4. Use Proper Heading Format

Headings include H1, H2, H3 and so on to  organize your content and make it easier to read and understand.

Checklist:

1. Use H1 (main title) for every page
2. Use H2 for major sections and H3 for subpoints
3. Place keywords in headings where it makes sense

5. Optimize Your Content

High-quality content is crucial for on-page SEO.

Content tips:

1. Write in easy, clear language
2. Add your main keyword within the first 100 words
3. Use related keywords like:
4. SEO-friendly content
5. keyword research
6. search intent
7. content optimization
8. Break content into bullet points, short paragraphs, and add visuals to make it easier to read

6. Internal Linking

Internal links help search engines understand your site layout and keep the users exploring which helps in increasing the engagement.

Tips:

1. Link to related pages and blog posts
2. Use descriptive anchor text
3. Add 3–5 internal links per page

7. External Linking

Adding links to trusted sources boosts credibility and gives search engines context about your content.

Checklist:

1. Add links of trusted, well-known websites
2. Set links to open in a new tab
3. Make sure the links match your topic

8. Optimize Images

Images can slow down your site if images are not optimized, which affects your page ranking.

Image SEO tips:

1. Compress image size without losing quality
2. Use descriptive file names (like on-page-seo-check.png)
3. Add alt text with keywords

9. Improve Page Speed

Google favors fast-loading websites. A slow site can low your SERP rankings.

How to speed up your site:

1. Minify CSS and JavaScript
2. Enable browser caching
3. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
4. Choose reliable hosting

10. Make It Mobile-Friendly

Most users now visit websites on their phones. Mobile-first design is essential for SEO.

Mobile optimization tips:

1. Use responsive web design
2. Keep buttons big and easy to tap
3. Avoid pop-ups that block content
4. Test your site on different devices

11. Use Schema Markup

Schema helps search engines better understand your content and can show rich snippets on the search engine result page.

Examples:

1. Add schema for articles, FAQs, products, or reviews
2. Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper

12. Create SEO-Friendly Content Structure

A clear structure improves both on-page SEO and user experience.

Tips:

1. Start with an introduction
2. Use headings to break down sections
3. Add a conclusion or summary
4. Use call-to-actions (CTAs) to guide users

13. Checking and Updating On-Page SEO

SEO is not a one-time task, one needs to Keep checking and updating for making web pages competitive and  SEO friendly.

Quick monthly checklist:

1. Check for broken links
2. Update old content
3. Refresh keywords
4. Re-run page speed tests
5. This helps keep your page ranking strong over time