On-site search engine optimization is as important if not more important than off-site SEO. As a matter of fact, you can’t do successful off-site SEO without first optimizing your website. This is what you should do first and is the foundation of your success with the search engines.

Here are some of the best tips about on-site search engine optimization you should take into consideration before doing anything else.

1. Sitemap – Having a sitemap is absolutely necessary. It will guide the search engine’s crawlers through your website and it will be easier for them to index it faster. The sitemap can also be useful to visitors if they get lost.
2. Images – Using images doesn’t mean your website is not properly optimized just because search engines can’t see images. This where the alt text comes in handy. The alt text serves as a description of an image which you should use in order to make the job of crawlers easier. Also, you should keep in mind that the text that you put around your image is also very important because Google for example considers it a description. So make sure it says what your image is all about.
3. Keywords – Figure out what your keywords are and use them in your website. Try to use your keywords when writing the description of your website and all over it. However, be careful not to overdo it and not to use keywords for the sole purpose of just using them. Spamming your own website is never a good idea.
4. Title – It is very important to think carefully about the title of your website. You should make it as relevant as possible and use some of your keywords. However, don’t just write keywords one of after another because that would look suspicious.
5. Coding – Coding is also very important. Reducing the amount of code you put in your website will also reduce the load speed which will make people wait less and stay longer on your website. If you have a lot of code, try putting it all in one file. Then make your website load that file and you will be surprised how faster your website will become. Also, separating all of your code into different neat files will be noticed by the search engines. They will be pleased with that since a lot of code here and there can be hard to read and it might take a lot of time.

These 5 things will help you optimize your website amazingly well before you even start the process of off-site search engine optimization. It is easier to use those techniques on brand new websites, but if yours is an old one, you should take the time and “repair” it. It is worth it in the long run.

Lyuben Georgiev works for Outrider - one of the best search marketing agencies in Europe. He also offers advice on search engine optimizaiton (in Denmark, the people commonly refer to this term as Rådgivning på søgemaskineoptimering) in various blogs includingSearch Engine Journal and RINF.