How to check on-page SEO score? 

On-page SEO refers to optimizations made directly on a website’s pages to improve their rankings in search engines. This includes things like page titles, headers, content, internal linking structure, image optimizations, etc. On-page factors are completely under the website owner’s control.

An on-page SEO score is a metric that analyzes how well-optimized a given page is. It provides a quantitative assessment of elements like meta titles, use of keywords, formatting, speed, and mobile-friendliness. The higher the on-page score, the better optimized the page is.

Regularly checking a website’s on-page SEO scores identifies areas working well and spots needing improvement. It shows if pages are fully optimized to reach their highest potential ranking. Tracking scores over time determines if recent efforts are actually enhancing organic visibility or if a course correction is required.

Understanding On-Page SEO

As explained in the introduction, on-page SEO refers to the optimization of elements directly within a website’s pages to improve search visibility and rankings. Major components include:

Content

• Metadata like title tags and meta descriptions
• URL structure
• Internal links
• Page speed and responsiveness
• Media optimization
• Semantic HTML tags
• Keyword optimization

Fine-tuning these elements signals relevance and value to search algorithms.

Factors affecting on-page SEO score

The following on-page factors impact SEO scores:

• Content quality and relevance High-quality, well-researched content optimized for target keywords and answering user intent improves scores.
• Meta tags (title, description, keywords) Unique, keyword-enriched metadata provides contextual signals for crawlers.
• URL structure: Descriptive, short, keyword-focused URLs are recommended.
• Internal linking Contextual internal links reinforce page relevance.
• Page speed and mobile-friendliness Faster loading and mobile-friendly pages enhance user experience.
• Image optimization Properly formatted alt text, file names, and compression help SEO.
• Heading tags H1 and H2 tags reflect the topic structure of search bots.
• Keyword optimization: Optimizing content for searcher intent boosts visibility.

Methods to Check On-Page SEO Score

Manual Assessment

Conducting a manual inspection and audit of key on-page elements provides qualitative evaluation.

1. Content quality analysis

• Check that content is original, well-structured, and answers search intent.
• Ensure word count is adequate (generally over 2,000 words).
• Confirm content is easy to scan with enough paragraph spacing.
• Check for grammar/spelling errors that negatively impact readability.

2. Meta tags evaluation

• Verify title tags are under 60 characters, descriptive, and keyword-focused.
• Ensure meta descriptions provide adequate context in under 160 characters.
• Confirm keyword meta tags accurately reflect core page topics.

3. URL structure review

• Check that URLs are short, easy to understand, and contain target keywords.
• Avoid overuse of parameters, slashes, hyphens, or underscores.
• Confirm URLs do not have words run together.

4. Internal linking examination

• Verify contextual, optimized anchor text links to supporting pages within the content.
• Check for both outbound and inbound links from the site’s related pages.

5. Page speed and mobile-friendliness testing

• Evaluate actual load times on both desktop and mobile devices.
• Confirm that the website is mobile-friendly and responsive across devices.

6. Image optimization inspection

• Check all images for descriptive alt text and title tags.
• Verify image file names/URLs contain target keywords.
• Ensure proper image compression for fast loading.

7. Heading tags assessment

• Confirm logical hierarchal heading structure from H1 to H6 tags on long pages.
• Check headings summarize content sections well.

8. Keyword optimization check

• Ensure target keywords appear in optimal 2-5% density through content.
• Check keyword usage aligns with searcher intent.

On-Page SEO Tools

There are many useful SEO tools available to audit and check on-page scores for deeper analysis beyond manual inspections. The most popular platforms are:

1. Explanation of various tools available

• SEMrush: Leading SEO and digital marketing toolkit for competitor research, keyword tracking, backlink audits, page analysis, etc. Offers comprehensive analytics and rich data.
• Moz: Well-known for link-building and page optimization capabilities, providing actionable on-page and technical SEO recommendations.
• Ahrefs: Robust SEO toolkit for backlink and content research. Provides extensive on-page optimization checks citing issues and fixes.
• Google Search Console: Free webmaster analytics directly from Google, compiling page speed, mobile usability, indexing, traffic source, and performance data.
• Yoast SEO Plugin: Specific to WordPress sites, this is a cost-effective on-page optimization plugin that analyzes content, readability, titles, meta descriptions, etc.

2. Comparison of features and functionalities

a. SEMrush – The on-page audit evaluates all key elements, including collections of 200+ onsite factors impacting organic rankings, and reveals high-priority issues. Extensive customized recommendations are provided to enhance performance through an SEO Writing Assistant.

b. Moz – The Page Optimization module presents actionable recommendations to boost rankings. Assesses topics like page quality, keyword concentration, image enhancements, link optimization, and title/meta descriptions. It can be integrated with Chrome for real-time page analyses.

c. Ahrefs – The Site Audit tool is great for on-page checks through customizable audits revealing usability concerns. Analysis of elements like images, mobile compatibility, indexing issues, content missing titles/descriptions, etc. Clear breakdowns comparing URLs.

d. Google Search Console – Provides core web vitals analytics – page speed/load time, mobile-friendliness, security and indexing issues, and broken links alerts. Shows how the site appears on Google through the Enhancement report. Integrates with other Google tools.

e. Yoast SEO Plugin (for WordPress) – Analyzes on-page elements directly within the WordPress content editor and suggests instant optimizations for readability, keyword placement, etc., as you write pages and blog posts. Helps craft effective meta titles and descriptions.

3. Pros and cons of using tools

• Identifies on-page issues human audits may miss
• Compares URL metrics across the site
• Saves significant analysis time
• Quantifies performance with grading/scoring
• Easy monitoring of historical trends
• Custom recommendations provided
• Many lack full context awareness
• Technical tool limitations on analysis depth
• Results require expert interpretation
• Does not replace the need for manual checks
• Difficult to customize for unique needs
• Steep learning curves on some platforms

Steps to Check On-Page SEO Score Using Tools

A. Registering or logging into the tool’s platform – First, access your SEMrush, Moz, Ahrefs, or chosen tool account by registering or logging in. SEMrush and Ahrefs offer free trial periods for initial access.

B. Inputting the URL or specific page to be analyzed – Once within the platform, find the appropriate page analysis module and input the exact URL of the page you want to assess. This provides a customized report for that specific page.

C. Analyzing the generated report – Allow some processing time for the page audit and analysis. Once ready, the tool will compile a detailed report indicating scores and grades achieved across various on-page elements. Study these results carefully to understand how well-optimized the page currently is.

D. Understanding the metrics and scores provided – The metrics quantify criteria like page speed, title length, image enhancements, keyword placement, etc. The overall score shown is aggregated across each of these individual factors. Ensure you comprehend what the varying metric scores mean.

E. Identifying areas for improvement based on the report – Using the specific audit results and recommendations, pinpoint sections of the page that require further optimization, such as improving meta descriptions, adding more contextual internal links, enhancing anchor texts, etc. The tool will cite exact issues.

F. Implementing necessary changes to improve on-page SEO score – Following suggested fixes from the report, edit the page directly to optimize identified weak points. After some time, re-run the analysis to confirm enhancements address earlier concerns and the updated score reflects improvements.

Best Practices for Improving On-Page SEO Score

Follow these recommended guidelines to enhance key on-page factors and boost SEO scores:

A. Creating high-quality, relevant content – Produce in-depth, engaging content optimized around target keyword terms that answer search intent. Check readability, structure content into scannable sections, and include multimedia.

B. Optimizing meta tags – Craft compelling title tags under 60 chars, meta descriptions under 160 chars, and leverage focused keyword meta tags.

C. Structuring URLs effectively – Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-centric. Avoid excessive parameters, numbers, or symbols.

D. Utilizing internal linking – Link to related site content contextually within page copy using appropriate anchor texts. Cross-link content for greater visibility.

E. Optimizing page speed and ensuring mobile-friendliness – Minify code, compress images, eliminate render-blocking resources, and test site responsiveness on all devices.

F. Properly optimizing images – Enhance images with ALT tags reflecting the image subject and file names containing keywords. Compress file sizes for quicker loading.

G. Utilizing heading tags appropriately – Employ relevant H1 and H2 tags to outline content structure and incorporate keywords.

H. Conducting keyword research and optimization – Identify high-potential keywords and optimize content for searcher intent and 2-5% density to boost relevance.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Conclusion

Optimized on-page SEO is crucial for websites to achieve higher search engine rankings. Frequently checking the on-page SEO score determines a page’s organic visibility potential and identifies areas needing enhancement for better results.

This guide covered multiple methods for analysis – from manual assessments inspecting individual elements to leveraging advanced SEO tools providing quantitative metrics across factors. While manual reviews are beneficial, automated tools evaluate intricate details that human audits can potentially miss. Used together, they provide comprehensive insights.

Implementing best practices around optimizing content quality, meta tags, URL structure, internal linking, loading speeds, image enhancements, and semantic elements is key to maximizing on-page scores. This requires continually fine-tuning site pages based on frequent audits and monitoring using both qualitative and quantitative assessments.

Sustained focus on regularly checking and improving on-page SEO scores leads websites to reach their full organic rankings potential over time. Consistent optimization also adapts to evolving search engine algorithms. Committing resources to monitor and maintain high on-page standards is essential for lasting search visibility.