On-Page SEO Optimization: Fix These 12 Issues First (Skip the Fluff)

On-page SEO is one of those things everyone “does” and yet somehow the same pages keep underperforming.

Usually, it’s not because you forgot some secret trick. It’s because a handful of basics are slightly off. Not broken enough to look obvious, but off enough to keep you stuck on page two. Or worse, to make Google treat the page like it’s “fine” and move on.

So this is a boring list on purpose. These are the 12 on-page SEO issues I’d fix first, in order, before you touch anything fancy.

And yeah, I’m skipping the fluff.

1) Your page targets the wrong search intent (or tries to target two)

This one quietly nukes everything else.

If the keyword is “best crm for freelancers” and your page is a product tutorial, it can be well written and perfectly optimized and still not rank. Because the SERP is telling you what Google thinks users want. Lists. Comparisons. Pricing. Pros and cons. Not a tutorial.

Quick intent check (takes 3 minutes):

• Search your main keyword in an incognito window.
• Look at the top 5 results.
• Ask: are they informational, commercial, transactional, navigational?
• Compare format: list post, landing page, category page, tool, video, forum thread.

Fix:

• Match the dominant format first.
• Then add your unique angle.

If you’re not sure what’s off, run a quick audit using an on-page checker. Even a simple one helps you catch intent mismatches plus missing elements.

To dive deeper into identifying these crucial on-page SEO issues that might be killing your rankings and discover some quick fixes for them, refer to this comprehensive SEO mistakes checklist.

2) Your title tag is either boring or overloaded

Title tags fail in two common ways:

1. They’re generic. “Project Management Software Guide”.
2. They’re stuffed. “Best Project Management Software 2026 | Top Tools | Reviews | Features | Pricing”.

Both kill clicks. Low CTR does not automatically mean you won’t rank, but it often drags you down over time, especially if competitors are getting better engagement.

What I do instead:

• Keep the main keyword close to the start.
• Add one specific promise. A number, a year, a use case, or a differentiator.
• Avoid “welcome to my blog” energy.

Examples:

• Bad: “On-Page SEO Optimization Checklist”
• Better: “On-Page SEO Optimization: 12 Fixes That Move Rankings (Fast)”
• Better for click: “On-Page SEO Optimization: Fix These 12 Issues First (Skip the Fluff)”

Also, don’t write a different headline on the page that contradicts the title. Which leads to the next one.

3) Your H1 and title tag don’t agree (or you have multiple H1s)

Google can handle a lot, but mixed signals are still mixed signals.

Common mess:

• Title tag: “AI Content Writer for SEO”
• H1: “The Ultimate Guide to Blogging Faster”
• Page content: half feature page, half tutorial

Or, you’re using a theme that outputs multiple H1s (logo, hero, section titles). It happens.

Fix:

• One clear H1 per page.
• H1 should reinforce the primary topic, not invent a new one.
• Subtopics go in H2s and H3s.

If you want a simple way to standardize this across content you publish regularly, it helps to work inside a guided editor that pushes structure. Something like an AI SEO editor can help you keep headings, intent, and coverage aligned without rewriting everything from scratch every time.

4) Your URL is messy, long, or keeps changing

URLs are not a top ranking factor by themselves, but a bad URL is a symptom of a sloppy content system. And when URLs change, you introduce redirects, canonical confusion, internal link decay, and tracking chaos.

Fix rules:

• Keep it short and descriptive.
• Use hyphens, no weird parameters for indexable pages.
• Don’t stuff it with dates unless the date is part of the intent.
• Don’t change it unless you have a strong reason.

Good: /on-page-seo/ /ai-seo-tool/

Bad: /blog/2026/01/30/on-page-seo-optimization-checklist-ultimate-guide-for-beginners-and-pros/

5) You don’t have a clear primary keyword + supporting topics

A lot of pages are just “a topic”. No targeting. No clusters. Just vibes.

What you want is:

• One primary keyword (the main query).
• A set of supporting subtopics (the things users expect you to cover).
• A few related terms that naturally show up if you actually answer the query well.

Not because you’re trying to sprinkle keywords. But because this is how you avoid thin content and accidental keyword cannibalization.

Fix:

• Decide the one keyword the page is supposed to win for.
• List 6 to 12 subtopics you need to include to be competitive.
• Write to cover those subtopics, not to hit a word count.

If you’re doing this at scale, it’s hard to stay consistent. That’s one reason tools like SEO software exist, it scans your site, builds a topic plan, and generates content that is structured around what your site can realistically rank for, not just whatever keyword looks shiny.

6) Your intro doesn’t confirm the answer fast enough

This is where humans bounce.

If someone searches “on-page SEO optimization” and lands on your page, the first 10 seconds should confirm:

• they’re in the right place
• what the page will cover
• how it helps them
• and ideally, what to do first

You can still be conversational, but don’t ramble.

Fix pattern:

• 1 to 2 lines: confirm intent
• 1 line: what you’ll learn
• 1 line: who it’s for (optional)
• then jump into the first fix

7) You have thin sections and “fluff paragraphs” that say nothing

Google doesn’t hate short content. It hates content that doesn’t do the job.

If you have headings like “Why SEO Matters” and then 120 words of generic statements, that’s dead weight. Users skim past it. Google sees a page that looks padded.

Fix:

• Delete filler sections.
• Replace with specifics: steps, examples, screenshots, templates, checklists, decisions.
• If a section doesn’t help the reader do something, it probably shouldn’t be there.

This is also where “unlimited rewrites” can be surprisingly useful. Not to spin content. But to tighten it. Cut it down. Make it sharper.

8) You’re missing internal links to the pages that matter

Internal linking is one of the highest leverage on page fixes. And most sites do it randomly.

A good internal link does three things:

• helps users discover the next step
• distributes authority to important pages
• clarifies topical relationships

What to fix first:

• Add links from high traffic pages to pages you want to rank.
• Use descriptive anchor text (not “click here”).
• Link to supporting guides and tools naturally.

Here are a few internal links that fit naturally into this topic:

• If you want a more step-by-step walkthrough, check out this guide on how to improve page SEO.
• For a quick audit workflow, try the on-page SEO checker.
• If you’re comparing content optimization tools, this breakdown of SEO Software vs Surfer SEO is useful.
• If you’re coming from a “writing tool” mindset, here’s SEO Software vs Jasper.
• And if you want to write and optimize in one place, this AI SEO editor page shows the workflow.

Also, don’t overdo it. A handful of strong links beats 40 weak ones stuffed into the footer.

9) Your images are unoptimized (and sometimes actively harmful)

Images can help. But they can also slow your page to a crawl, break layout on mobile, and tank Core Web Vitals. That’s not theoretical. It happens constantly.

Fix checklist:

• Compress images (WebP is usually best).
• Set explicit width and height to reduce layout shift.
• Use descriptive filenames when it makes sense.
• Write alt text for accessibility and context (not keyword stuffing).

Alt text should describe the image. If the keyword fits naturally, fine. If not, don’t force it.

10) Your page is slow, but you’re guessing why

Speed “tips” are everywhere, but you don’t need a thousand micro optimizations. You need to identify the main bottleneck.

Common culprits:

• bloated themes and page builders
• too many third party scripts
• uncompressed images
• heavy sliders and animations
• bad hosting (it’s still a thing)

Fix:

• Run PageSpeed Insights.
• Look at LCP, INP, CLS.
• Fix the largest issue first. Usually it’s the hero image, the font loading, or a script blocking rendering.

And yes, speed matters more on mobile. Always check mobile.

11) You’re sending mixed signals with canonicals, index tags, and duplicate pages

This one is sneaky because the content can be great and Google still won’t index it properly.

Things to check:

• Is the page set to noindex by accident?
• Is the canonical pointing to a different URL?
• Are there multiple versions: HTTP/HTTPS, www/non-www, trailing slash/non trailing slash?
• Are category pages and blog posts competing for the same query?

Fix:

• One indexable version of each page.
• Canonical should usually point to itself unless you have a strong reason.
• Consolidate duplicates with 301 redirects when appropriate.

If you’ve been publishing lots of similar articles (especially with AI assistance), do a quick duplicate and cannibalization check. It’s worth the time.

12) Your content doesn’t feel “complete” compared to the top results

This is the final boss of on page SEO. And it’s not about word count.

“Complete” means:

• it answers the obvious questions
• it covers the expected subtopics
• it includes examples or steps
• it addresses edge cases
• it doesn’t leave the reader needing another tab

A simple way to test completeness:

• Open the top 3 ranking pages.
• List their H2s on a notepad.
• Compare to yours.
• Find gaps.
• Fill gaps with genuinely useful detail.

Not copy. Just coverage.

This is also where automation can either help or hurt you. If you’re scaling content, you need a system that keeps structure consistent and avoids thin coverage. A platform like SEO software is built for that hands off workflow: scan the site, generate a topic plan, write SEO optimized articles, then schedule and publish. Which, honestly, is what most people wish their “process” looked like.

If you want a practical sequence, here’s what I’d do on an existing page:

1. Confirm search intent and adjust format
2. Rewrite title tag and align H1
3. Fix URL only if it’s truly bad (otherwise leave it)
4. Rework the intro to match intent fast
5. Add or restructure H2s for coverage
6. Remove fluff, add specifics
7. Add internal links (both directions if possible)
8. Improve images and performance basics
9. Check canonicals, indexation, duplication
10. Re read the page like a user and close the gaps

And if you want a shortcut for auditing, use an actual checker and a repeatable workflow instead of “I’ll remember next time.” This is where tools like the on-page SEO checker and a guided AI SEO editor can save you a lot of dumb manual work.

The point (because people miss it)

On page SEO is not a checklist you do once. It’s maintenance. Pages age. SERPs change. Competitors update. Your own site structure shifts.

But if you fix these 12 things first, in this order, you usually get the cleanest lift with the least effort. Then you can go do the more annoying stuff like link building and technical audits.

If you’re trying to scale content without hiring an agency, and you want the research, writing, internal linking, and publishing to happen in one loop, take a look at SEO software. It’s basically built for this exact problem.