Exposing our 7 secrets to Webflow on-page SEO

Due to our experience, unique content that doesn't appear anywhere else on the web is the one that ranks #1 on Google, provides value, and delivers results (e.g. increased traffic). And that’s what on-page SEO is all about.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to craft an effective on-page Webflow SEO strategy to reach that first page of Google.

Highlights

• Basic on-page SEO features include image alt tags, meta tags and descriptions.
• Advanced on-page SEO tactics let you increase more than 120% of target keywords in a month.
• Webflow SEO limits include the maximum static pages per plan, limited third-party SEO plugin support, and restricted server control.

It’s time to dive into the details.

Webflow on-page SEO at a glance

On-page SEO is the process of strategizing and optimizing various elements (e.g.keyword research, meta tags, visual content, URLs etc.) so that websites can rank higher in search engines and bring results.

It’s the process that brings results like this:

1. An increase in target keywords when people are searching for your services.

2. More than 120% increase in target keywords in a month.

3. Many blogs that rank #1 in search engines and bring traffic.

Note: The results we provide below are from May to June 2023.

Here is the first one.

The second one.

The third one.

The fourth one.

And so on.

Now that you have a basic idea of what is on-page SEO, let’s see why Webflow is important for businesses. Then, I’ll provide you with a detailed SEO checklist for each of the aforementioned SEO factors.

Why on-page Webflow SEO is important for businesses?

Webflow SEO is vital for businesses because it increases website visibility and business authority, making it easier for customers to discover Webflow sites and the associated products or services.

For example, imagine you need design and development services for your venture capital business.

You search for: “webflow for vcs”

And you get this:

In the search results, our page that focuses on VC portfolio growth appears in the number #1 page.

This means that Google recognizes us as a reliable source for VC companies because the best on-page strategies (content, meta tags, visual content etc.) are implemented on the page. And because we achieved the Webflow Premium Partner status, which means that we have decent experience in developing Webflow sites.

Also, on-page SEO includes various strategies that boost organic performance and also contribute to a technical SEO health score.

All in all, on-page SEO is the process that involves implementing different SEO techniques, such as adding, creating or optimizing website's loading speed, descriptive URLs, schema markup, meta tags, backlinks, etc.

All that for helping your target audience find your business.

On-page Webfow SEO checklists for using Webflow

There are three main types of SEO and for each, we provided an extensive guide to help you improve your rankings.

Let’s dive in.

7-Step plan to implement your on-page Webflow SEO strategy

SEO-optimized content, HTML elements, meta tags, URL optimization, image optimization and internal links are essential factors to consider when improving your on-page SEO strategy.

Let’s start.

1. Create content that is relevant to users’ needs.

According to the recent new SemRush study, content relevancy (i.e., content that meets readers' needs) and quality (i.e., people-first content that provides helpful information) are the strongest factors in terms of higher rankings.

If you fail to provide your audience with originality and substantial value, you're more likely to lose the opportunity to establish a well-trusted and widely-recognized authority in your niche.

Some facets of content strategy involve focusing on search intent (informational, navigational, commercial, transactional) during both the research and writing phase.

For example, if you search for “webflow seo”, you want to learn something new about the Webflow platform and whether is it possible to optimize the Webflow website to rank higher. That means that the intent for this specific search can be informational or navigational (i.e. if user wants to find a specific website or page).

Therefore, you should focus on creating content that will provide useful information on whether Webflow offers a certain amount of SEO functionality or not.

It would also be useful to provide a Webflow SEO checklist and its limitations and even explain what sets this website builder apart from its competitors.

Basically, you want to write an SEO guide for Webflow.

In the example below you can see the top 9 Google results that appear for your analyzed keyword (i.e. Webflow SEO). You can examine these URLs and use the best pieces of information to outrank your competitors.

But no matter if you're building a site from scratch or reevaluating existing content, you must demonstrate that you have first-hand experience with the topic (products or services) you are providing. And create useful content for your readers (users).

So, anytime you’re crafting content, think about search intent.

2. Develop formatting elements that stand out.

There are also some content elements you should focus on. In other words, you must ensure that all formatting elements (e.g., tables, images, lists etc.) are used properly to improve UX and search rankings.

As Search Engine Journal reports, “a scannable article is a readable article, and a readable article is one that’s more likely to perform well in the search engines.”

This demonstrates how to approach Webflow blogging.

So, break up large text blocks with visuals, tables, lists, multiple heading levels, etc., to improve readability and break the flow of uniform text blocks.

3. Add and optimize heading system hierarchy.

HTML elements (i.e., headings and subheadings) are important for higher rankings.

An HTML element contains a start tag, some content, and an end tag. W3Schools

Webflow enables content writers and editors to create, add, or edit header tags without requiring any coding skills. Simply drag and drop a heading asset directly onto your web page and choose the heading type (H2s always fall under H1; H3s fall under H2s, etc.).

Adding the heading system hierarchy is one thing, but optimizing it is another.

The once-famous SEO practice of including exact matches in the title or meta description for higher keyword rankings is now overlooked.

But the practice of including similar keywords (i.e., those that are similar to the main keyword) in the header tags still plays a crucial role. In a way that it sounds natural, of course.

Here is an example of some of the related keywords for the seed keyword - “webflow seo”. And SemRush provided 116 keyword variations related to our main keyword. It's just a fact pointing out why we included only a small part of the whole list.

In conclusion, this provides insight into search intent, meaning that you can better craft content and improve heading structure.

That’s how we included “Webflow SEO settings” in the heading below.

4. Create catchy title tags and meta descriptions.

Meta tags refer to title tags and meta descriptions and should directly impact the number of click-through rates. This implies that users are more inclined to click on a link after reading the content.

Clearly defined meta titles and tags will help Google determine whether your page is relevant enough to show up in the top 10 search results.

And adding SEO titles and meta descriptions through dynamic SEO settings in Webflow is easy.

For example, the search results preview builds itself simultaneously as you are typing the text in the title tag field.

Semrush recommends to keep meta descriptions under 105 characters.

And remember to keep your title tag under 60 characters.

Overall, meta tags are easy to add to Webflow and should be descriptive, catchy, and relevant to users' needs.

In terms of custom fields, you can combine fields and apply custom text, such as “created on”, “updated on” and so on.

By providing information on when the post was originally written and updated, you ensure it remains as relevant as possible for search engines.

5. Keep SEO-friendly URL slugs simple.

Webflow allows you to create custom URLs to help you increase your chances of appearing on the first page of search results.

Semrush found that higher-ranking pages tend to include relevant terms in the URL more frequently than lower-ranking pages. SemRush

Using Webflow, you can generate well-optimized slugs, but you can also do it manually. Whatever the case might be, make sure to check it before it goes live.

Like this:

Or like this:

In simple terms, check if your URL is clear and relevant to the meaning of your page.

6. Create alt image tags that are descriptive.

Images are more likely to appear at the top of the SERP if they are well-optimized. Usually, this depends on alt tags (i.e. alt text) that need to be descriptive enough. And it also depends on building responsive images that affect page loading speed.

Here is an example of the search results for “greek gods”.

So, how do you optimize an image in Webflow?

There are two key points:

1. To start, images uploaded through the asset panel in Webflow can be efficiently compressed within the platform itself.
2. For images integrated into the Webflow CMS, it's recommended to optimize them using TinyPNG to ensure optimal performance and loading speeds.

Here's a brief overview of images optimized using TinyPNG:

So, WebP image variant loads 90% faster than the JPEG original image.

Now, here are the best practices for optimizing images in Webflow:

1. First step: Click on the 'Assets icon'

2. Second step: Click on 'All Assets' and 'Select All'

Note: You will not be able to select SVG format.

3. Third step: Simply click on 'Compress' and you're done!

The Webflow team developed in-house tools to generate responsive image variants automatically. These variants are created upon uploading compatible images, ensuring visitors never experience delays.

We've automated the time-consuming process of generating image variants, measuring sizes, and writing code so you can focus on design. The Webflow team

Now, let’s see how to write helpful alt text.

In the Assets panel, you can find the image that needs alt text.

Next, type your clear description (under 125 characters) into the blank field. If the image is a complex chart, diagram, or illustration, make sure the image supports your content and helps to reinforce your message in an easy-to-read manner.

7. Implement internal and external links.

Internal links direct to various pages within a website.

They are extremely important for SEO, and Google loves them. An example of a great strategy that is beneficial for search engine discovery of various blog pages is keyword clustering.

Imagine you want to learn something about internal linking. Logically, you'll search for "internal linking" or "internal linking best practices". And Google will display similar search results, such as "internal linking tool ", "internal linking and external linking" or "types of internal links".

This gives you a better idea of how to structure your blog posts and connect them through linking.

So, you can craft a best-off page focused on link-building tools or provide comparative overviews of internal and external linking and so on. Then, you can interlink one blog with another.

Here is how.

1. Blog: The Best Link Building Tools: Enhance Your Page Rankings

2. Blog: Internal and External Links: A Comprehensive Analysis

You can generate keyword clusters by using the SemRush Keyword Manager tool. And here's a quick tip for those with a substantial number of blog posts who still need to delve into keyword clustering.

Type "site:[site.com] [the main keyword]" into Google. The next step is to link them.Here is an example that showcases the Zapier site.

Now that you know the basics of internal links, be confident that adding them is straightforward in the Webflow editor.

Choose the text you wish to convert into a link element, and you will immediately get the option to choose between external and internal link type. In other words, choose whether you want it to open in a new tab or not.

So, we've chosen an internal link; here you can see what it looks like.

So, if you want it to open in a new tab, it will be an external link. If not, it will be internal link.

Also, you can choose the “rel=text” attribute. There are different tags, such as rel="sponsored", rel="ugc".

Remember that Googlebot does not follow links with the “rel=nofollow” attribute.

You also have the option to manage links directly from the Webflow Editor.

Now, let’s examine how Webflow measures up against its competitor.

Webflow vs WordPress SEO

So, how does Webflow SEO dtand out in comparison to WordPress?

In the Webflow SEO vs WordPress debate, one thing is for sure—you're unlikely to be disappointed with whichever builder you choose.

Webflow features SEO built-in tools, auto-generated and submitted sitemaps, clean code, responsive web design features, and faster load speeds.

On the other hand, WordPress offers an extensive set of SEO plugins (e.g., Yoast SEO) and robust e-commerce capabilities.

In terms of SEO plugin support, Webflow offers SEO plugin called Semflow.

Regardless of the builder you choose, the key factor in achieving overall SEO success remains your commitment to learning SEO. However, both builders can be great for beginners starting their journey in SEO (and searching for tools for SEO optimization).

Webflow SEO limitations

Webflow SEO limitations include the maximum number of static pages allowed per plan, limited support for third-party SEO plugins, and restricted server control.

And if you're wondering, “Does page number affect SEO?” - Yes, it does.

For the Starter plan, the limit is set at 150 static pages per website project. This means that even medium corporate sites would need a more robust plan.

The CMS plan, for example, offers 2000 CMS items and each of them can represent a single page. That being said, Webflow SEO limitations can be seen only in the “Starter” (free) plan and “Basic”.

Conclusion

We hope you found this guide useful in understanding why on-page SEO is important for Webflow sites and how to implement different types of SEO strategies for higher rankings.

And for top-notch search engine optimization assistance, rely on our Webflow SEO agency.