How to Improve WordPress On-Page SEO: Guide & Checklist

Improving on-page SEO in WordPress is not optional if you want your content to perform well and drive more organic visitors to your site. Even if you’re already producing high-quality content, on-page SEO helps search engines understand it and display it prominently to the right audience.

This guide explains how to get your on-page SEO right, the specific WordPress features you should use to help, and the common errors that can undo your hard work.

What is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to everything you can do within your content and its settings to help it rank higher in search results. It involves elements that are visible to site visitors as well as those that are only readable by search engines. On-page SEO includes:

• Keywords: Words or phrases visitors search for. Placing them strategically improves page relevance.
• Meta tags: HTML snippets that describe the page. Key ones are meta titles and meta descriptions.
• Headings: A hierarchy of headings and subheadings (H1, H2, H3) that organize your content. This helps both visitors and search engines understand your page structure.
• Internal linking: Links between pages within the same site. This helps with navigation and search engine crawling.
• Image settings: Optimized file names, alt text, and image sizes. These demonstrate relevancy and improve page load times.
• Mobile responsiveness: When a site works well and is easily readable on mobile devices. This is critical for rankings and user experience.
• Site speed: How fast the page loads. Faster sites rank better and offer a better user experience.

There’s also SEO work that you can do that is external to your site (e.g. backlinks, guest blogging, off-site reviews, and social media marketing). While off-page SEO is an important part of your overall search strategy, you have more control over on-page SEO than you do off-page SEO. This makes your WordPress site’s content one of the most powerful areas you can optimize. 

Now, let’s take a look at the steps you can take to improve your on-page SEO and make sure you’re driving not just more visitors, but the right visitors to your site.

1. Use a reliable SEO plugin

WordPress does come with some built-in on-page SEO features like image alt tags, SEO-friendly URL structures, title tags, and the capacity to be mobile-friendly and fast-loading with the right theme, host, and settings enabled. But if you want more in-depth control, you’ll need a good SEO plugin.

Top plugins to consider

• Jetpack: Easy-to-use plugin with XML sitemap management, meta tag customization, AI-powered content generation and translation, page speed optimization, and more.
  
• Yoast SEO: Good for beginners and intermediate users. Offers page analysis, meta title customization, and schema markup.
  
• Rank Math: Includes more advanced features like redirections, local SEO modules, and built-in schema without needing paid add-ons.

2. Create genuinely engaging and comprehensive content

At the core of on-page SEO is high-quality content. You can optimize technical elements all day, but if the content doesn’t serve the reader or match their intent, it won’t perform. Your content needs to be detailed, clear, and crafted to meet what your audience is actually looking for.

Characteristics of high-performing content

• Covers the topic completely: Leave no major sub-question unanswered. Use your competitors’ content as a benchmark, then go further.
  
• Uses plain language: Even if your readers are experienced, they value clarity.
  
• Includes relevant examples: These support the claims you make and build trust.
  
• Is easy to scan: Use subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs.

Writing this kind of content at scale can be time-consuming, but AI can play a valuable supporting role, without replacing your voice or authenticity.

How Jetpack AI Assistant supports better content

Jetpack AI Assistant streamlines the writing process while keeping quality and clarity at the forefront. Once Jetpack is installed and the AI Assistant is enabled, it will be available directly within the WordPress block editor.

With it, you can:

• Generate detailed outlines: Make sure every key topic is covered and your heading structure makes sense.
  
• Refine existing drafts: Reword sections for clarity, keyword usage, spelling, and grammar.
  
• Get help rewriting complex sentences: Simplify sentence structure and avoid passive voice, making your content easier to read.
  
• Translate your content into multiple languages: Expand your reach without having to rely on external tools.

For content teams that manage multiple posts or run multilingual blogs, these features can improve your time to delivery, content consistency, and value to readers. You remain in control of the content, but you can move faster thanks to automated content creation, while ensuring higher quality at every step.

Since Jetpack AI Assistant works inside the WordPress editor, it stays part of your workflow rather than forcing you to switch tools. It complements your editorial process, helps you avoid gaps in coverage, and reduces time spent on repetitive tasks like translations or rephrasing.

3. Optimize your content structure

Structure your content in a way that search engines and visitors can scan easily. Incorporate headings and subheadings that include important page keywords, craft clear and concise paragraphs, and add a table of contents at the beginning for longer articles. 

Use headings and bullet points properly

Keep headings keyword-focused but natural and group content into easily-digestible sections.

• Use one H1 tag per page or post: Usually, this is the post title.
• Use H2s for main sections: These will be broader topics that incorporate H3s.
• Use H3s to break down more detailed content: These subheadings may include paragraphs or bullet points that discuss specific aspects of your H2 section’s topic.
• Use bullet points for short descriptions and lists: Bullet-pointed content can be just a few words or a few sentences, but keep it short and concise. 

Paragraph structure

• Use short paragraphs: Your paragraphs should be two to four sentences each.
  
• Keep the reading level clear and direct: Avoid technical jargon, slang, and run-on sentences.
  
• Avoid fluff: Every paragraph should contribute to the topic.

Add a table of contents

In some instances, a clickable table of contents at the beginning of your article can improve user experience (UX) and help search engines index your content better. Plugins like Easy Table of Contents make this simple.

4. Write effective SEO titles and meta descriptions

Search engines show titles and meta descriptions in search results. These influence both rankings and clicks. Here are some tips for writing great title tags and meta descriptions:

Writing your title tags

• Keep them under 60 characters: Longer titles may get cut off in search results and be more difficult for readers to understand.
  
• Put your main keyword near the front: Search engines prioritize information at the beginning of a page, including the title tag.
  
• Add a unique benefit or value proposition: Both people and search engines value unique content. If your title is the same as everyone else’s, search engines could view it as duplicate content, which can hurt rankings.

Crafting your meta description

• Keep it under 155 characters: Longer meta descriptions will get truncated in search results and may cause important information to be hidden from readers.
  
• Summarize the page clearly: Use your primary keyword at the beginning and include your most salient points.
  
• Add a call to action (CTA) when relevant: A CTA can make your meta description more enticing and promote more clicks in search results (e.g., “Subscribe for free!”). 

Avoid duplicating titles or descriptions across posts. Every page should have a unique set.

5. Use clean and SEO-friendly URLs

WordPress lets you set your permalink structure under Settings → Permalinks.

Recommended structure

Use the “Post name” format (yoursite.com/sample-post/). It’s clean, keyword-friendly, and short. Avoid using dates or category folders in URLs unless needed for editorial or technical reasons.

When changing permalinks, use 301 redirects to prevent losing traffic from existing links. Free plugins like 301 Redirects or Redirection can help with this. Also, Yoast SEO’s premium features include automatic 301 redirects when you change permalinks.

6. Optimize images for performance and SEO

Images play an important role in SEO and user experience, but they can also be one of the biggest performance bottlenecks. Poorly-sized images slow down your site and negatively affect rankings and conversions. Optimizing images isn’t only about compression, though. It’s also about using the right format, dimensions, and delivery method.

Image optimization tips

• Compress images before uploading them: Use tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel.
  
• Use descriptive file names: Choose names that accurately describe the image like best-running-shoes.jpg instead of IMG_12345.jpg.
  
• Add alt text: Your alt text should describe the image and includes keywords naturally.

Responsive images and formats

WordPress generates multiple sizes of each image by default. This helps responsiveness. For more control, use the srcset attribute or plugins that handle responsive delivery.

Consider using WebP or AVIF format to reduce file size without losing quality. 

How Jetpack Boost improves image performance

Jetpack Boost, an all-in-one speed optimization plugin for WordPress, includes two features designed specifically to address common image issues:

• An image guide: This tool helps you identify images on your site that are negatively affecting performance. It highlights ones with incorrect resolutions, inefficient aspect ratios, or inappropriate sizes for their containers. You can see this directly in your browser, making it much easier to fix specific images without guessing. This improves both load times and the visual experience for visitors.
  
• An image CDN: This feature automatically serves images from a global network of servers, reducing load times. It also resizes images on the fly to match a visitor’s device and converts them to modern formats like WebP, which offer smaller file sizes without quality loss. This takes the manual effort out of optimizing each image individually and ensures performance is consistently high across your entire site.

With these tools, Jetpack Boost makes it easier to deliver optimized visuals while focusing your time on content creation and site strategy. The improvements to load time and usability have a direct impact on SEO, especially when it comes to Core Web Vitals metrics.

7. Internal linking for SEO and user experience

A good internal linking strategy is more than just adding links to other pages on your site within your page content. With the correct approach, you’ll distribute more authority (link equity) across your website and help search engines crawl your site better.

Best practices

• Use descriptive link text: Link to related posts within your content using anchor text that describes the destination page.
• Keep linked text short: Don’t make an entire sentence a link — stick to one to three words.
• Avoid over-linking: Don’t link to the same page multiple times and use internal links only when they’re truly useful — not just because you think it will boost your SEO.
• Keep links relevant to the content’s context: Search engines want to see that your content is truly related to the things you are linking to. Irrelevant links will hurt your search rankings.

8. Mobile-first design and site speed

Google prioritizes mobile usability when indexing and ranking content. A site that doesn’t load quickly or function well on mobile devices will struggle to rank, even with strong content and metadata.

Design for mobile responsiveness

Your WordPress site should be built around a mobile-responsive theme, but you’ll need to manage your page and post layouts individually to ensure they stay mobile-friendly. View each page in desktop and mobile formats and if you notice something that doesn’t flow well or work correctly in mobile, make edits to your mobile layout. 

To do this, you can either use theme settings, if they offer conditional display options, or CSS media queries. 

Here are more key elements of a mobile-optimized site: 

• Appropriately-sized fonts: You may want to make some headings smaller on mobile and keep body text between 16 and 18px, depending on the font you’re using. 
• Avoid intrusive pop-ups or fixed elements: Anything that can block important content on smaller screens can hinder accessibility and negatively impact your search rankings.
• Use touch-friendly buttons: If your buttons don’t work via touch on mobile, you’ll have more problems than just a lower search result ranking.

Speed up your WordPress site

Site speed is a critical ranking factor that affects bounce rate, engagement, and conversions. Here are a few key steps you can take to ensure your site loads quickly:

• Use caching strategies to reduce server load: This can include using a caching plugin, server-side caching provided by your web host, or robust object caching like Redis and Memcached.
• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML: Minifying scripts helps reduce file sizes and load times.
• Optimize your database regularly: Getting rid of expired transients, unused tables, spam comments, and optimizing database queries is helpful for improving site speed.
• Delete unused images, pages, plugins, and posts: If you’re not using them, they just take up space on your server and slow down your site. Delete unused content and plugins to keep things lightweight.
• Serve assets through a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN delivers cached content from a globally-distributed network of servers. Visitors are shown content from the server nearest to them geographically, which results in a faster response time.

How Jetpack Boost improves site performance

Jetpack Boost offers a performance-focused set of tools designed to help WordPress sites load faster and meet modern technical benchmarks. It includes automatic CSS and JavaScript optimization, page caching, and Core Web Vitals support.

Combined with the image optimization tools mentioned earlier, Jetpack Boost helps you build a fast, mobile-friendly site without deep technical adjustments.

Keeping your site responsive and fast is essential for maintaining strong on-page SEO. With the right tools in place, you can meet performance expectations across devices without compromising design or functionality.

9. Use schema markup for rich snippets

Schema markup is HTML code that is added to your page header or body that describes the most important aspects of that page. It helps search engines understand your content better and can lead to an enhanced appearance of your site in search results — like star ratings or FAQs. 

Common types of schema markup

• Article
• Product
• Recipe
• Review
• FAQ
• Breadcrumbs

An example of schema markup for a product page would include the product name, short description, price, availability, and star rating. These elements would then show up in search results in a more visually-appealing format than a standard result.

SEO plugins like Rank Math and Yoast SEO offer built-in schema tools. Use them for relevant content types, especially products, reviews, and FAQs.

WordPress on-page SEO checklist

1. Plugin Setup

• Install a reliable SEO plugin (Jetpack, Yoast, or Rank Math) for meta tags, sitemaps, and schema.

2. Content Creation

• Cover the topic completely: Answer all major sub-questions; use competitor content as a benchmark.
• Use plain language: Keep it clear and direct; avoid jargon and fluff.
• Format for scanning: Use short paragraphs (2–4 sentences), bullet points, and clear subheadings.
• Include examples: Use relevant examples to support claims and build trust.

3. Structure & Formatting

• Hierarchy: Use one H1 per page (post title), H2s for main sections, and H3s for details.
• Table of Contents: Add a clickable table of contents for longer articles (using a plugin like Easy Table of Contents).

4. Titles & Meta Data

• Title Tag: Keep under 60 characters; put the main keyword near the front.
• Meta Description: Keep under 155 characters; summarize clearly; include a Call to Action (CTA).
• Uniqueness: Ensure every page has a unique title and description to avoid duplicate content issues.

5. URL Structure

• Permalinks: Use the “Post name” format (yoursite.com/sample-post/); avoid dates or folders.
• Redirects: Use 301 redirects if changing existing permalinks.

6. Image Optimization

• Compression: Compress images before uploading (using TinyPNG or ShortPixel).
• File Names: Use descriptive names (e.g., best-running-shoes.jpg) instead of generic ones (IMG_12345.jpg).
• Alt Text: Add descriptive alt text including keywords naturally.
• Format: Consider WebP or AVIF formats for smaller file sizes.
• Image CDN: Use a tool like Jetpack Boost to serve images from a global CDN, and automatically convert them to modern WebP format.

7. Internal Linking

• Descriptive Text: Use anchor text that describes the destination page (1–3 words).
• Relevance: Only link to truly relevant content; avoid over-linking or linking to the same page multiple times.

8. Mobile & Speed

• Responsiveness: Check that fonts are readable (16–18px) and buttons are touch-friendly.
• Speed: Minify CSS/JS, use caching, optimize the database, and serve assets via a CDN.
• Clean up: Delete unused images, plugins, and themes.

9. Schema Markup

• Rich Snippets: Use an SEO plugin to add relevant schema (Article, Product, Review, FAQ) to help search engines understand the content type.

10. MaintenanceRegular Audits: regularly review old content to update facts, fix broken links, and refresh information.

Example of a WordPress on-page SEO workflow

• Define the primary keyword and search intent for the page.
• Draft or refine the content to fully answer that intent.
• Optimize the title, URL slug, and meta description in your SEO plugin.
• Structure headings (H2/H3), paragraphs, and lists for fast scanning.
• Add internal links to and from related WordPress content.
• Optimize images (size, format, filenames, and alt text).
• Check mobile layout and Core Web Vitals for the page template.
• Apply relevant schema markup (Article, FAQ, Product, etc).
• Review in Google Search Console and refine over time.

Common on-page SEO mistakes to avoid

While optimizing your content, be aware of some common errors that can hold you back.

Keyword stuffing

Don’t overuse keywords. Use them naturally in:

• Headings
• Content
• Meta tags
• Image alt text

Aim for clarity, not repetition. 

Duplicate content

Avoid having multiple pages with the same or very similar content. Use canonical tags or merge content when necessary. 

Ignoring search intent

Don’t just optimize for a keyword. Think about what a visitor wants when they search for that term. Tailor your content to meet that need directly.

Not updating old content

Content gets outdated and links can break over time. Refresh posts regularly by reviewing content accuracy, updating broken links, and adding new information. This will help your site stay relevant and rank higher.

Keep your on-page SEO strong over time

Improving on-page SEO in WordPress isn’t a one-time task — it’s a system you keep refining. Run regular content audits. Use data from Google Search Console to identify weak pages and posts and update them with stronger content, new internal and external links, and a better structure. 

Remember, every page is a chance to get more traffic. Focus on clarity, performance, and purpose, and don’t forget to regularly review and revise your content to stay relevant. That’s how you win with on-page SEO.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between WordPress on-page SEO and technical SEO?

On-page SEO focuses on the content and elements visitors see on your page. Technical SEO happens behind the scenes in the code and server settings. You control on-page factors directly within the post editor. This includes your headlines, text, images, and the words you use.

Technical SEO involves site-wide health. It covers site speed, mobile usability, security certificates, and how Google finds & crawls your pages. You need both to rank well. If your technical foundation is broken, Google cannot read your great content. If your content is weak, a fast technical setup will not keep visitors interested. They are two necessary parts of the same goal.

What is the single most important on-page SEO factor for a WordPress post?

The most critical factor is matching your content to user intent. This means your page must give the reader exactly what they are looking for as quickly as possible. If a user searches for a recipe and you give them a long history lesson first, they will leave. Google notices when people leave your site quickly. It pushes your rankings down because of this.

Keywords and headings matter too. However, they do not matter as much as solving the reader’s problem. You can have perfect technical optimization and still fail if the content is not helpful. Focus on answering the searcher’s question immediately. Use simple language. Make sure your answer is better and clearer than any other website on the first page of results.

Do I really need an SEO plugin like Jetpack, Yoast, or RankMath to rank in Google?

No, you do not strictly need a plugin to rank high. Google ranks your content based on the words on the page and the code in your theme. A plugin does not magically fix your site or talk to Google for you. It is just a tool that makes editing settings easier. You can technically edit your title tags and meta descriptions directly in your theme files if you know how to code.

However, using a plugin saves time. It helps you see mistakes you might miss. It reminds you to write a meta description or add alt text to images. Think of it as a checklist that lives inside your editor. It is very useful for beginners and experts alike. But installing it is not enough. You must actually do the work it suggests.

How often should I use my main keyword in a blog post?

There is no exact number or percentage you should aim for. In the past, people thought repeating a keyword every few sentences helped. This is now called keyword stuffing. It actually hurts your rankings. Google is smart enough to know what your page is about without you forcing the word in everywhere.

You should use your main keyword in your main title (H1) and in the first paragraph. After that, write naturally. Use variations of the word. For example, if your keyword is “best running shoes,” you can also use words like “sneakers,” “jogging footwear,” or “trainers.” This helps Google understand the full context of your topic. If you read your text out loud and it sounds robotic or repetitive, you have used the keyword too often.

Does word count affect my SEO rankings?

Word count is not a direct ranking factor. Google does not count your words and give you points for having more of them. A short article of 300 words can rank number one if it answers the question perfectly. A long article of 3000 words can fail if it is full of fluff and useless information.

However, longer content often ranks better for a different reason. Longer articles usually cover a topic in more detail. They answer more questions. They keep readers on the page longer. This signals to Google that the page is valuable. Your goal should be to write as much as you need to cover the topic completely. Do not add extra words just to reach a specific number. Quality is always more important than quantity.

What is the difference between the H1 tag and the SEO Title tag?

The H1 tag is the headline your readers see on the page. The SEO Title tag is the headline people see in Google search results. Often they are the same text, but they serve different purposes. Your H1 should be engaging and confirm to the reader they are in the right place.

Your SEO Title has a stricter job. It must convince people to click your link in the search results. It also needs to be short enough so Google does not cut it off. You might make your SEO Title shorter or punchier to stand out among other search results. You can set these to be different using your SEO plugin settings.

How do internal links help my on-page SEO?

Internal links are hyperlinks that point from one page on your site to another page on your site. They can be powerful for two main reasons. First, they help Google find your new content. When Google’s bots crawl a page, they follow these links to discover other pages. If a page has no links pointing to it, Google might never find it.

Second, they pass authority. If you have a popular post that gets lots of traffic, linking from that post to a new post gives the new one a boost. It tells Google that this new page is also important. It also helps your readers. It keeps them on your site longer by giving them more things to read. You should try to add 3 to 5 relevant internal links in every new post you write.

What is “Search Intent” and why does everyone talk about it?

Search intent is the “why” behind a Google search. It is the reason someone typed a phrase into the search bar. Understanding this is the key to modern SEO. There are usually four types of intent: looking for information, looking for a specific website, looking to buy something, or looking to compare products.

For example, if someone searches “buy running shoes,” they want a store. If you write a long history of shoes, you will not rank. You failed to meet the intent. If someone searches “how to tie shoes,” they want a tutorial. If you show them a product page to buy laces, you will not rank. You must look at what currently ranks for your keyword. See what type of content Google is showing. Then create content that matches that same goal.

How long does it take for on-page SEO changes to work?

SEO is a long-term strategy. It is not immediate. After you publish a new post or update an old one, Google has to find it first. Then it has to read it. Then it has to compare it to every other page on the internet. This process takes time. You might see small changes in a few days, but real results usually take weeks to months.

For a brand new website, it can take six to twelve months to see meaningful traffic. For an established site with good authority, you might see results in a few weeks. Do not get discouraged if you do not see a jump in rankings tomorrow. Consistency is the secret. Keep publishing high-quality, optimized content. Over time, the results will build on each other and your traffic should grow.