On-Page SEO Audit: Analyse Each Page and Remove Ranking Barriers

On-Page SEO Audit: A Page-by-Page Method to Improve a Website’s Search Visibility

Once you have secured the foundations of crawlability, indexation and performance covered in our technical SEO audit, the next step is to assess, URL by URL, what Google (and, increasingly, generative engines) truly understands about your pages. This article focuses on conducting a thorough on-page SEO audit: a page-level analysis method designed to identify the editorial and HTML levers that influence relevance, click-through rate, and a page’s ability to rank.

What This Article Covers (and How It Complements a Technical Audit)

A technical audit deals with what enables access and overall interpretation: crawl, rendering, indexation, performance and architecture. Here, the objective is different. At page level, you verify the consistency between topic, intent, structure and SERP signals, then turn that diagnosis into prioritised decisions. This approach prevents a common pitfall: fixing surface-level details such as titles, copy and images when the page is not aligned with the expected search intent.

Two widely cited benchmarks underline why on-page work must be handled with care. The number-one organic position captures around 34% of desktop clicks (SEO.com, 2026), while page two receives roughly 0.78% of clicks (Ahrefs, 2025). These gaps are rarely closed by a single tweak; they are built by aligning multiple signals within the page.

Definition: On-Page SEO, Its Scope and Objectives

On-page SEO encompasses the internal, within-the-page factors that can influence rankings: HTML structure (title tag, meta description, H headings), content (quality, topical coverage, vocabulary), URL structure, internal linking, images (file size, alt attributes), readability and user experience signals. In a broader SEO audit, this layer complements technical analysis and off-site analysis.

The operational goal is to identify strengths and weaknesses that hinder interpretation, relevance or click-through. Strictly speaking, an audit is a recurring health check to detect anomalies and measure the impact of publishing activity, competitive movement or Google updates. Audits are not a one-off exercise. On large sites, a detailed review can take several weeks, which is precisely why a prioritised method is essential.

Audit vs On-Page Optimisation: Analyse Before You Fix

It is important not to conflate the two phases:

• On-page audit: the identification and qualification phase. You observe, measure, document and prioritise by impact, effort and risk.
• On-page optimisation: the implementation phase. You amend content, markup, links and media, then validate and track results.

This sequence prevents two frequent mistakes: optimising everything without understanding the root cause (intent mismatch, duplication, structural issues); and exhausting resources on a never-ending list of minor anomalies with no clear action plan. The era when a metadata edit alone could move the needle is largely over. Search engines assess context far more than repetition, so the audit must consider the page as a whole.

Scoping an On-Page Audit: Pages to Review, Business Goals and Search Intent

Choosing Which Pages to Audit: Impact, Upside and Risk

For a B2B website, reviewing every URL individually is not always the most cost-effective approach. A rational selection relies on measurable sources:

• Pages already generating conversions or leads (Google Analytics) that you want to protect and scale.
• Pages with high impressions but low CTR (Google Search Console): often a sign of a mismatch between the snippet promise and user intent, or a vague value proposition.
• Pages ranking in positions 5 to 20: these often have realistic first-page potential if the gap is on-page, relating to relevance, structure or internal linking.
• Strategic pages ahead of a redesign, or following an unexplained traffic drop.

As a guiding principle, aim for ten well-prioritised decisions rather than an endless backlog. Bear in mind that a page can appear to have an on-page problem, such as cannibalisation, while a technical root cause is actually driving it: canonicals, redirects or parameter-based duplication. That is precisely why technical and on-page audits should be connected without being conflated.

Link Each Page Review to Intent and Topic

A simple principle sharpens on-site SEO optimisation: one page, one primary intent. Your audit should verify that the URL matches what the SERP expects in terms of format, depth and angle. In theory, we distinguish informational, navigational and transactional intents; in practice, you mainly validate the fit between user problem, proposed answer, supporting evidence and next step.

Before opening your editor, document the target query, its variants, the dominant intent and the page’s role in your architecture, whether that is pillar, support, conversion, proof or FAQ. Without this clarity, it becomes difficult to decide between expanding, rewriting, merging or splitting content.

Common Scenario: A Page That Looks “Optimised” but Misses Intent

A typical example: the page has a clean title tag and includes target terms, yet it sits at the bottom of page one or on page two. During the audit, you discover the dominant intent is comparative. Users expect criteria, a table and scenarios, but the page delivers generic copy. Google understands the topic but judges the answer less useful. The fix is not keyword density or a meta description rewrite; it is an adjustment of angle, structure and completeness.

Build an Actionable Audit Framework: Criteria, Status, Priority and Effort

A straightforward but practical framework lets you standardise reviews by URL or by template. For each page, capture:

• Criterion (e.g. unique title tag, H1, intent alignment, duplication, images, internal links).
• Finding (OK / to fix / to investigate).
• Expected impact (rankings, CTR, conversion, indexation).
• Effort (copywriting, integration, development, validation).
• Risk (SEO regression, template conflict, conversion loss).

This mirrors the impact × effort × risk logic commonly used in technical roadmaps, applied here to on-page SEO optimisation and content. The aim is not to tick boxes; it is to produce a measurable action plan.

Core On-Page Checks: What Google Interprets at Page Level

Title Tag: Structure, Promise and Information Hierarchy

Your audit should confirm each page has a unique, relevant title tag that accurately reflects what the content delivers. The title tag does not do everything, but it strongly influences topical understanding and click-through. Key checks include:

• Uniqueness: no duplicate title tags across URLs.
• Hierarchy: primary topic first, context second, with the brand name at the end if useful.
• Clarity: a promise clearly aligned with intent, whether that is a guide, comparison, definition, pricing page or something else.
• Length: follow SERP display best practices without forcing repetition.

Optimise Without Over-Optimising: Common Errors and Guardrails

Common audit findings include overloaded titles, unnatural repetition of terms, unfulfilled promises (clickbait) and identical title tags across closely related pages, which creates a cannibalisation risk. A practical guardrail: if the title does not accurately describe what the page delivers within the first ten seconds of reading, it creates a mismatch that can hurt both CTR and engagement.

Meta Description: Improve CTR Without Undermining Relevance

The meta description is not a direct ranking factor, but it influences clicks and therefore outcomes. Audit points include:

• Missing or duplicated descriptions, often a sign of low page-level customisation.
• Usefulness: a concise answer to “why click?”, with a clear benefit and relevant context.
• Length: some guidance suggests around 155 characters, though this varies by SERP. Clarity and alignment with content matter most.

If you need up-to-date benchmarks on SERPs and click-through behaviour, use consolidated sources. Our SEO statistics compile attributed data from sources including SEO.com, Backlinko and Ahrefs, which help contextualise CTR by position.

Align Title Tag and Meta Description With Intent and the SERP

A strong audit habit is to compare, for any given page, the promise in the title and description, the above-the-fold content, and the dominant formats in the SERP. If the SERP favours lists, definitions or step-by-step guides and your snippet signals something different, you are sending contradictory signals to both users and search engines.

It is worth noting that some datasets referenced in SEO research suggest question-based titles can achieve a higher average CTR (+14.1%, Onesty, 2026). This does not mean every title should be a question; it means testing that format when intent genuinely supports it.

Heading Structure (H1, H2, H3): Clarity, Coverage and Readability

H headings are sometimes debated in theory; in practice, an audit looks at how everything works together: comprehension, readability and your ability to cover the topic without drifting. Useful checks include:

• A single H1 placed early, clearly expressing the purpose of the page.
• H2 and H3 headings that structure sub-topics without illogical jumps.
• User-oriented phrasing, such as questions, benefits or steps, when intent is informational.

In a generative search context, structure also matters for citation. Data referenced in the State of AI Search report (2025) suggests pages with a clear H1-H2-H3 hierarchy may be 2.8 times more likely to be cited by AI, and that most cited pages use a single H1 alongside lists. The audit goal remains clarity, not mechanical optimisation.

URL Structure: Consistency and Variant Management

URLs provide contextual signals and convey cleanliness to search engines. In your audit, check:

• Readability and concision: avoid repetitive paths such as /blog/blog/.
• Normalisation: lowercase letters, consistent separators, no accented characters or spaces, clean encoding.
• Technical variants: trailing slash, parameters and duplicates where the same content appears under multiple paths.

A tidy URL will not compensate for weak content, but an inconsistent URL structure increases duplication risk and creates conflicting signals across canonicals, redirects and internal links, ultimately blurring indexation.

Keyword Placement: Key Areas, Natural Phrasing and Variations

Placement still matters when it remains natural. In an on-page SEO audit, focus on whether the topic and its semantic variants appear in the most visible areas:

• Title tag, H1 and opening paragraphs.
• H2 and H3 headings that reflect sub-questions.
• Internal link anchor text, without forced repetition.
• Alt attributes when the image genuinely adds meaning, not for keyword stuffing.

The most effective approach is to cover the topic and its angles, including definition, method, examples, pitfalls and decision criteria, rather than repeating one identical phrase. Search engines evaluate context far more than an arbitrary word count.

Keyword Density: Why Ratios Mislead and What to Assess Instead

Exact-match keyword density belongs largely to outdated SEO playbooks. Useful content does not require mechanical repetition. In an on-page audit, focus on more reliable signals:

• Topic coverage: does the page address the sub-questions users expect?
• Intent alignment: format, depth and level of detail.
• Editorial clarity: examples, definitions, steps, limitations and proof.
• Data and sources: is the content well-supported and current?

What Keyword Density Should You Aim for by Content Type?

There is no universally reliable percentage. A definition page will naturally repeat the core concept more than a comparison page; a product page may focus on attributes and specifications. A practical audit rule: if the reading feels heavy or unnatural, you have likely gone beyond what is needed. Instead, verify that the page uses the vocabulary the SERP expects, including synonyms and related terms, and that it covers the sub-topics visible across competing results.

Page-Level Content Audit: Quality, Duplication and Cannibalisation

Assess Content Quality: Added Value, Completeness, Accuracy and Freshness

An on-page content audit is not simply about word count. It assesses whether the page can demonstrate genuine relevance through useful answers, precision, examples, clear explanations and up-to-date information. Some general guidance mentions a minimum of 500 words depending on page type; in practice, the audit should compare editorial effort against the bar set by the SERP. A short page can succeed if the intent is simple; a long page can fail if it remains vague.

If you need to go beyond the individual page, addressing overall quality, editorial consistency, updates and governance, switch to a broader content audit rather than treating symptoms one URL at a time.

Identify Duplication and Cannibalisation Across Pages

Two classic issues frequently emerge in on-page audits:

• Duplication: identical or near-identical content across multiple URLs, often amplified by parameters, path variants or templates. This creates indexation conflicts and dilutes signals.
• Cannibalisation: multiple pages targeting the same intent and competing for the same queries, which makes rankings unstable.

The audit should first establish where and why these issues exist, looking at pages, templates and identical intents. The optimisation phase then determines the appropriate fix: merge, redirect, differentiate intent, or clarify each page’s role.

Review the Editorial Angle: Common Gaps and Improvement Paths

Beyond markup, the editorial angle often makes the difference. Common gaps identified during page-level SEO analysis include:

• Overly general positioning with no actionable answer, where the SERP expects a step-by-step approach.
• Absence of decision criteria in B2B contexts: use cases, prerequisites and limitations.
• Lack of supporting evidence: examples, sourced data and clear definitions.
• SERP promise not delivered: the snippet suggests a guide, but the page reads like a brochure.

Fixes typically involve a clearer structure using H2 and H3 headings, dedicated sections for common mistakes, checklists and concrete examples. In a context where a significant share of searches ends without a click, 60% according to Semrush in 2025, structured and easy-to-cite content also improves visibility in no-click scenarios.

When to Move to a Semantic Audit or a Deeper Content Audit

If your page-level review reveals coverage gaps, such as missing topics, inconsistent clusters or weak keyword-to-content mapping, a semantic audit becomes more relevant than a series of localised fixes. If the issue is overall quality, freshness or editorial consistency, prioritise a broader content audit. In both cases, the on-page audit acts as the trigger that reveals when an individual page is merely a symptom of a deeper problem.

Internal Linking: Context, Authority Distribution and Discoverability

Measure Internal Links In and Out: Page-Level Indicators

Internal linking remains fundamental: it distributes internal authority and improves page discoverability. In your audit, measure per page:

• Number of incoming internal links, particularly from strong and topically relevant pages.
• Number of outgoing links and their destinations, distinguishing strategic pages from utility pages.
• Links pointing to non-indexable or redirected URLs, which create unnecessary noise.

A straightforward signal: if a page is commercially important but receives very few internal links, it starts at a disadvantage, even with strong content.

Anchor Text: Relevance, Variety and Cluster Consistency

Auditing anchor text means looking for the right balance between descriptive clarity and natural language:

• Descriptive anchors: avoid “click here” when context is absent.
• Variety: avoid repeating exactly the same phrase across every link.
• Cluster logic: a pillar page should link to its supporting pages, and those pages should link back.

This approach strengthens semantic proximity and clarifies topical relationships without relying on over-optimisation.

Orphan Pages and Click Depth: Issues to Prioritise

An orphan page has no internal links pointing to it. It may still exist in your CMS, an old sitemap or following a redesign. The audit identifies these pages by comparing the sitemap, crawl data and internal link graph. Optimisation actions include reconnecting valuable pages to a relevant hub with contextual links, or removing and redirecting content that no longer serves a purpose.

Click depth also matters: if key pages require more than four clicks from the homepage, their discoverability and internal weight tend to diminish. This is often a structural quick win: adding links from hubs, pillar pages or editorial modules.

Images and Media: Optimise Without Compromising UX or Performance

Alt Attributes: Accessibility, Semantic Context and Best Practice

The alt attribute exists primarily for accessibility and also helps search engines understand what an image depicts. In your audit, flag:

• Informative images with missing alt text, a frequent and easily remedied issue.
• Alt text that is too generic, such as “image” or “photo”, or over-optimised with keyword lists.
• Purely decorative images that do not require descriptive alt text.

Best practice: describe what the image shows in a short sentence, using vocabulary consistent with the page, and only when it genuinely adds meaning.

File Size, Formats and Dimensions: Balancing Quality and Speed

Performance influences user experience and, indirectly, SEO. On mobile, Google reports a 53% abandonment rate when load time exceeds three seconds (Google, 2025, referenced in the technical audit article). A commonly cited performance quick win is identifying images above 500KB and compressing them across the relevant templates.

In an on-page SEO audit, check:

• Actual image file sizes on your highest-traffic pages.
• Displayed dimensions versus served dimensions, to avoid shipping oversized assets.
• Modern image formats where possible, without compromising visual quality.

File Names, Captions and Visual Placement

File names and captions are weaker signals but still contribute to coherence. In an audit, focus on consistency: visuals should support the section they appear in, whether that is an explanation, a step or a comparison. In SERPs where, in 2026, an estimated 50% reportedly include a visual or video element (La Réclame, 2026, cited in our SEA statistics), media can help differentiate content, provided it does not slow pages down.

From Diagnosis to Action Plan: Turn an Audit Into Measurable Improvements

Prioritising Optimisations: Expected Impact, Effort and Dependencies

A useful audit ends with a clear roadmap. Prioritise using a structured matrix:

• Impact: expected effect on understanding, rankings, CTR or conversion.
• Effort: writing, integration, development and QA.
• Risk: likelihood of regression across templates, redirects or traffic.

Work in batches by template, segment or directory whenever possible. Fixing a template-level issue affecting H1 tags, title tags, structured data or images can resolve hundreds of URLs in a single deployment.

Quick Wins vs Structural Optimisation: How to Decide With Evidence

Typical quick wins include missing title tags, duplicated meta descriptions on high-impression pages, oversized images on key templates and orphan pages with strong potential. Structural optimisations include redesigning a content cluster, merging cannibalising pages, clarifying intent alignment and reorganising a hub. Base every decision on Search Console data, covering impressions, CTR and positions, and Analytics data covering engagement and conversions, rather than instinct.

Correction Workflow: Versioning, Validation and Quality Control

To prevent regressions, treat on-page optimisation as a mini-project:

• Version all changes with a before-and-after record and document the hypothesis behind each fix.
• Validate on a sample of pages from the same template before rolling out at scale.
• Check after publishing: rendering, indexation and internal link consistency.

This discipline matters all the more because Google deploys between 500 and 600 algorithm updates per year (SEO.com, 2026). The goal is continuous improvement, not a fixed “perfect” state.

Measuring Outcomes: Search Console, Analytics and Interpretation Limits

Track changes at page level and by page group: impressions, CTR, average position and clicks via Search Console, then engagement and conversions via Analytics. Watch for common interpretation biases:

• A rise in impressions may stem from broader topical coverage through long-tail queries, not improved rankings.
• A falling CTR may be driven by a richer SERP featuring snippets, AI results or modules, rather than a weaker snippet on your part.
• For certain queries, zero-click behaviour is increasing, making visibility tracking increasingly important alongside click data.

To interpret these shifts in context, our GEO statistics compile data on SERP evolution and generative search, including zero-click rates and AI Overviews, helping you read results without overreacting.

How Incremys Automates On-Page Analysis and Website Optimisation Review

At-Scale Detection: Page Signal Extraction, Template Grouping and Alerts

At high volume, the challenge is not knowing what to look for, but detecting issues systematically and comparably across thousands of URLs. The SEO 360° Audit module is built for exactly this: extracting page-level signals covering metadata, structure, internal links, media and consistency, then grouping anomalies by template patterns to turn scattered observations into actionable workstreams. This reduces the risk of getting lost in an exhaustive checklist and makes prioritisation considerably more straightforward.

Data Centralisation: Search Console and Analytics to Manage SEO

To connect diagnosis to performance, Incremys centralises data via the Google Search Console and Google Analytics APIs, enabling you to cross-reference what is published with what actually performs. This addresses a recurring need within marketing teams: clear, usable figures to support prioritisation, progress tracking and reporting.

Action-Focused Outputs: Page Lists, Reasons, Estimated Effort and Priorities

The real value lies not in automation for its own sake, but in the output it enables: lists of affected pages, reasons behind each recommendation, template-based groupings and impact-driven prioritisation. Client feedback frequently highlights real-time scoring and prioritisation mechanisms aligned with business goals and large-scale site requirements. The objective remains consistent with the method described throughout this article: make clear decisions, track them over time and measure the results.

FAQ: On-Page Audits and Website Search Visibility

What is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO covers the internal factors within a page, including HTML, content, structure, internal links, images, readability and experience signals, that influence how it is understood, how relevant it appears and how it performs in search results. It complements technical SEO, which addresses access, indexation, performance and architecture, and off-site SEO, which covers authority and backlinks.

What should you check on a page to improve a website’s search rankings?

Key areas to review in an on-page SEO audit include: title tag, meta description, H1-H2-H3 heading structure, URL structure and variants, intent-to-content alignment, content quality and freshness, duplication and cannibalisation, internal linking covering anchors, orphan pages and click depth, images covering alt text and file size, plus Search Console indicators such as impressions, CTR and positions, and Analytics metrics including engagement and conversions.

What is the difference between an on-page audit and on-page optimisation?

An on-page audit identifies and prioritises issues and opportunities: it is the diagnostic phase. On-page optimisation is the implementation phase: making improvements, then validating and measuring outcomes. Keeping the two separate prevents random edits and ensures your action plan remains measurable.

How do you optimise a title tag and meta description?

Start with intent: the title tag should clearly state the topic and the promise of the page, uniquely and readably. The meta description should explain the value for the user and remain consistent with what the page actually contains. Then check Search Console: pages with strong impressions but low CTR are often the best candidates for snippet optimisation.

What keyword density should you aim for?

Avoid universal numeric targets. In an on-page audit, prioritise topic coverage, intent alignment and readability. If repetition makes the content feel heavy or unnatural, you have likely gone too far. Search engines evaluate context and vocabulary breadth far more than raw word counts.

How do you handle keyword placement without over-optimising?

Use the topic naturally in structural areas, including the title tag, H1 and opening paragraphs, then use variations such as synonyms and alternative phrasing throughout subsequent sections. The aim is to be explicit and comprehensive, not repetitive.

How do you optimise images in terms of alt text, file size and placement?

Write descriptive alt text only for images that carry genuine meaning, compress heavy images (a common quick win is addressing those above 500KB on key templates), serve appropriately sized assets and place visuals next to the sections they illustrate. Optimisation should improve the user experience without slowing the page down.

How do you analyse a page with impressions but few clicks?

This is a common scenario in an on-page SEO audit. First, review the snippet, covering both the title tag and meta description, and assess whether it matches user intent. Next, compare your format to what the SERP serves: lists, definitions, comparisons and so on. Finally, check whether the page is cannibalising another URL: two similar pages can share impressions without either generating strong clicks.

How do you prioritise optimisations when resources are limited?

Apply an impact × effort × risk matrix and work by template wherever possible. Prioritise pages or templates that combine high impressions, positions close to the top of page one, measurable commercial value and low-risk fixes.

How often should you repeat a website SEO audit?

Regularly, because performance changes with new content, SERP evolution, competitive activity and algorithm updates. An SEO audit is a periodic control mechanism, not a one-off. Frequency depends on site size and publishing pace: quarterly works well for structured monitoring, while more frequent reviews are advisable during redesigns or periods of high content output.

How do you connect on-page gains to measurable business outcomes?

Define a goal for each page, whether that is a lead, a demo request or a download, and track a simple chain: visibility through impressions and position, attractiveness through CTR, behaviour through engagement and conversion through Analytics goals. Avoid drawing conclusions too quickly: some effects take several months to materialise, particularly when changes affect structure and content. To explore these and other SEO, GEO and digital marketing topics, visit the Incremys blog.