On-Page SEO for Blog Posts: The Only Guide You Need

TL;DR

On-page SEO is the set of optimizations you control directly on your page. For blog posts, this means title tags, meta descriptions, header structure, keyword placement, internal links, images, and schema markup. Master these fundamentals and you remove the most common barriers to ranking.

On-Page SEO Fundamentals in 2026

Brief overview of what on-page SEO covers and how it has evolved. The fundamentals remain stable, but execution needs to account for AI search and changing SERP features.

Title Tags That Rank and Get Clicks

Writing for Both Algorithms and Humans

How to craft title tags that include your target keyword, stay under 60 characters, and stand out in a crowded SERP. Include examples of good and bad title tags.

Title Tag Formulas That Work

Cover proven title tag patterns: “How to [X]: [Benefit]”, “[Number] [Things] for [Audience]”, and “[Topic]: The Complete Guide.”

Meta Descriptions That Drive Click-Through Rate

How to write meta descriptions that convince searchers to click your result. Cover length, keyword inclusion, and call-to-action language.

Header Structure for SEO

H1 Best Practices

One H1 per page, closely matching the title tag, including the primary keyword.

H2 and H3 Hierarchy

How to use subheadings to create a logical content structure that helps both readers and search engines understand your content. Cover using secondary keywords in H2s naturally.

Keyword Placement That Works

Where to place keywords in your content for maximum impact without over-optimization. Cover the first paragraph, headers, image alt text, and natural body placement. Reference keyword research mistakes for what to avoid.

Internal Linking Strategy

How Many Internal Links Per Post

Guidelines for internal link quantity and placement. Cover linking to pillar content, related cluster posts, and conversion pages.

Anchor Text Best Practices

How to write anchor text that is descriptive without being spammy. Cover the balance between keyword-rich and natural anchors.

Image Optimization

Cover file naming, alt text, compression, and format selection (WebP vs JPEG vs PNG). Explain how images contribute to both traditional SEO and AI content understanding.

Schema Markup for Blog Posts

Article Schema

How to implement article schema and what it signals to search engines.

FAQ Schema

When and how to add FAQ schema to blog posts. Cover the relationship between FAQ schema and featured snippet eligibility.

How-To Schema

When how-to schema makes sense and how to implement it.

URL Structure

Best practices for blog post URLs: short, descriptive, keyword-inclusive, and lowercase with hyphens.

Page Speed and Core Web Vitals

Cover the page speed factors that directly affect blog post performance. Keep this practical – focus on the changes that make the biggest difference.

On-Page SEO for AI Discoverability

How on-page elements affect whether AI engines can parse and cite your content. Link to creating AI-friendly content and GEO vs SEO.

Auditing Your On-Page SEO

Quick process for auditing on-page SEO across your existing blog posts. Link to SEO audit in 30 minutes for a broader audit process. Delulu9 can help identify which keywords your on-page optimization should target by pulling data from Google, Bing, and Reddit.

How important is on-page SEO compared to backlinks?

On-page SEO is table stakes. Without solid on-page fundamentals, backlinks cannot compensate. Think of on-page as the foundation: it does not guarantee rankings, but missing it guarantees you will not rank. Get on-page right first, then focus on off-page signals.

Should I optimize every old blog post for on-page SEO?

Start with posts that rank on page 2 (positions 11-20). These are closest to page 1 and most likely to benefit from on-page improvements. See updating old blog posts for the full refresh process.

Does on-page SEO matter for AI search?

Yes. Clear structure, descriptive headers, and well-organized content help LLMs parse and cite your content accurately. The same practices that make content readable for humans make it processable for AI.