As the SEO world explodes with new breakthroughs and strategies all the time, it can be overwhelming to keep up with every tactic that’s all the rage in the digital space.

But don’t get ahead of yourself; before you start scratching your head about rich snippets or responsive web on-page SEOdesign, it may be beneficial to refine what you have before moving on to a more advanced method.

While microformatting and a top-notch mobile game are important, take the time to sit back and assess what you’re currently working with. There are some on-page SEO tactics that just never go out of style.

Title Tags

Aside from the actual body copy, the title tag is the single most important on-page element. In fact, it’s one of the first things a search engine spider sees when it visits your site, so it’s important to make a good first impression to Web crawlers and users alike.

You probably already have titles on your pages, but do they include keywords you’re targeting? Are they getting cut off on Search Engines Results Pages? If you’re revisiting them, remember to keep your targeted keywords toward the front and limited to about 65-75 characters.

Meta Description

Though not weighted as heavily for actually ranking a website, your website’s meta description might need a little sprucing. Does it include your most important keywords? Even so, does it have that punchy marketing kick to allure someone to click through? Working with just 160 characters, the meta description should be snappy enough to attract a visit while keeping best SEO practices in mind.

Links

With content as the most important on-page element, your pages include many links. Simply log into Google Webmaster Tools and check for any 404 errors. From there you can set up 301 redirects, or just create new pages if there is no next-best option.

Photos

Search engines can’t read them, but images make for a better user experience. Make them as SEO-friendly as possible by naming the file with the primary keyword the page is focused on (remember to use hyphens between the words). Additionally, use your keyword again in the photo’s alt tag.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or just cleaning up what you have, SEO is a really huge puzzle. Start with the corner pieces and then fill in the rest for a strategy that works harmoniously.

About the Author

PCG Digital Marketing is an award winning digital agency headquartered in Eatontown, NJ. We help our clients get found online through innovative search, social and online advertising campaigns.