If you’re managing a website or running digital marketing campaigns, you’ve likely come across the term on-page SEO. But what is on-page SEO, and why does it matter for your online success?

On-page SEO refers to the optimisation of individual web pages to improve their visibility in search engine results. Unlike off-page SEO, which focuses on external factors like backlinks, on-page SEO is all about what’s on your site, from content and keywords to headings, meta tags, and internal links.

In this guide, we’ll explain what on-page SEO is, why it’s crucial for driving organic traffic, and how to apply it effectively to your e-commerce website.

What Is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) refers to optimising your website so search engines like Google can easily understand and rank your content. A well-optimised website is more likely to appear in top search results when potential customers search for terms related to your products or services, driving valuable organic traffic without ongoing ad spend.

What Is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO is a core component of SEO that focuses on improving the elements within your website. This includes content structure, keyword usage, page formatting, metadata, and user experience. When done right, on-page SEO can dramatically boost your visibility and help convert browsers into customers.

Key elements of on-page SEO include:

✅ Content Quality

Your content should be unique, valuable, and written for your audience, not just search engines. Google rewards helpful, well-structured pages that align with search intent. Avoid keyword stuffing and focus on creating content that solves your customers’ problems.

✅ Keyword Optimisation

Strategic keyword placement in headings, paragraphs, and image tags helps search engines understand the topic of your pages. At WFMA, we identify high-intent keywords that match your eCommerce goals and ensure they’re used naturally throughout your content.

✅ Metadata (Title Tags + Meta Descriptions)

Your page titles and meta descriptions are often the first thing users see on Google. Writing clear, engaging metadata not only improves your click-through rates but also reinforces your content’s relevance for search engines.

✅ Internal & External Links

Linking to relevant internal pages improves navigation and helps spread SEO value across your site. Adding outbound links to authoritative sources can also boost your credibility and search rankings.

✅ Image Optimisation

Using alt text and compressed image files improves both SEO and accessibility. Google relies on alt attributes to understand image content, and so do screen readers, which makes your site more inclusive.

How important is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO is very important if you want people to be able to find your website organically via Google and other search engines. The content of your website enables search engines to understand what each page is about and how it links to search intent. By making this clear for both search engines and individuals, you’ll notice an increase in organic traffic and, ultimately, a boost in sales and revenue.

The difference between on-page and off-page

Where on-page SEO looks at changes and improvements you can make to your own website, off-page SEO focuses on how you can help your website to rank via external factors. This includes:

• Link building – Finding relevant, authoritative websites which will include a link to your website.
• Local SEO – Claim your Google Business Profile if you have a physical location.
• Create shareable content – Infographics and videos are perfect for this.
• Influencer marketing – Create external content with industry influencers.
• PR – Share company news and updates with relevant news sources.

3 tips for successful on-page SEO

As previously mentioned, there are many ways in which you can implement great on-page SEO on your website. Here are a few extra tips:

1. Optimise existing web pages

Going forward, it’s important to have on-page SEO at the front of your mind when you create a new web page. However, you can also optimise your existing pages as search engines will crawl these again and take any optimisations and updates into consideration. When optimising your current pages, think about including additional keywords, adding internal and external links, structuring them with headings, and including relevant imagery.

2. Create an internal linking strategy

While external linking is important in enhancing the usefulness of a page, internal linking also helps with user experience and encourages people to explore your site further. When looking at SEO in terms of your content strategy, you should ensure that pieces created under each content pillar link to each other as they share the same theme. Links to relevant products and services across blog posts and articles are important, and linking to related products from product pages will help with this, too.

3. Include headings

Headings help you structure your content in a user-friendly way and let search engines know what’s included on the page. A page’s H1 (or heading 1) is the main title and should highlight what the page is about. From here, H2s can be used to split your content up into smaller chunks, and H3s can be used to highlight separate points under your H2s. Essentially, headings are there to let readers know what each content section is about and enhance the flow of information, making it easier to read and digest.

We hope we’ve helped you understand what on-page SEO is and how important it is for your e-commerce business. We’d love to help you with your on-page SEO, including recommendations and how to take your strategy forward.

For information about how we can support you and your on-page SEO efforts, contact us today.

To discover more about the different ways in which SEO can positively impact your website traffic, sales, and engagement, look at our News page.