The primary function of SEO, or Search engine optimization, is to make your website more visible in Google and other search engines. But SEO is made up of different parts that work together: On-Page SEO, Off-Page SEO, and Technical SEO.
If you’re starting your campaign, having an understanding of the differences between these three areas is key.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to all the things you do on your website to improve rankings and make content easier for both users and search engines to understand.
Key elements of On-Page SEO:
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Title tags & meta descriptions - are brief text previews shown in search results. They guide search engines in interpreting your page.
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Headings (H1, H2, H3) - help organize your content into a clear hierarchy. They not only make text easier for readers to scan but also signal to search engines which topics are most important, improving both readability and SEO.
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Keyword optimization - use relevant words naturally to make your content clear for both readers and search engines.
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Image SEO → add alt text, compress images for speed.
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Internal linking → link to other relevant pages on your site.
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High-quality content → create helpful, easy-to-read, original articles.
In short, on-page SEO makes sure your content is clear, relevant, and optimized!
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is everything that happens outside your website that helps build trust and authority in the eyes of search engines.
Key elements:
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Backlinks - links from other websites that point to your site, signaling to search engines that your content is trustworthy and authoritative, and helping improve your rankings.
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Social media signals - interactions such as shares, likes, comments, and overall engagement on social platforms that can indirectly boost your website’s visibility and authority in search engines.
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Brand mentions - when other websites or social platforms mention your brand, even without a direct link, it signals credibility and authority to search engines, helping improve your online reputation and rankings.
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Guest posts & PR - creating content for other websites or media outlets to reach new audiences, build backlinks, enhance your brand’s credibility, and increase your site’s visibility in search engines.
Off-page SEO works like an online reputation builder— the more your website is mentioned, linked to, and shared across the web, the more trustworthy it appears to search engines, helping you climb higher in the rankings.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the behind-the-scenes work that ensures search engines can crawl, index, and understand your website.
Key elements of Technical SEO:
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Website speed - fast-loading pages improve rankings.
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Mobile-friendliness - your website should adapt smoothly to smartphones and tablets, offering users fast loading, easy navigation, and a layout that looks good on smaller screens..
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Secure connection (HTTPS) - ensures data exchanged between your site and visitors is encrypted, builds trust with users, and is recognized by search engines as a positive ranking signal.
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XML sitemaps - provide search engines with a structured map of your website, making it easier for them to find and index all your important pages.
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Robots.txt - guides crawlers on what to index.
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Core Web Vitals - measures user experience (loading, stability, interactivity.
On-page, off-page, and technical SEO may focus on different areas, but they’re all connected. To get the best results, you can’t rely on just one– you need to combine all three. A strong SEO strategy is like a puzzle: when all the pieces fit together will your website will reach its full potential in search rankings and attract consistent, high-quality traffic.
