1. Objective
This SOP governs the on-page SEO standards applied to every page on a home inspector's website. On-page SEO refers to the optimization done directly on website pages — title tags, meta descriptions, headings, body content structure, image optimization, and internal linking. These are the elements that tell Google what each page is about and whether it deserves to rank for a given search term. A technically correct page that no one can find is a waste of content. This SOP ensures every page the VA creates or edits sends the right signals.
Where this SOP starts: When the GBP optimization phase is complete and website work begins — or any time new content is created on the inspector's website.
Where this SOP ends: Never — these standards apply to every page built or edited, ongoing.Success looks like: Every page on the inspector's website has a correctly structured title tag, a meta description, a single H1 heading with the target keyword, body content that uses the keyword naturally, optimized images with descriptive alt text, and internal links to related pages. Pages are ranking for their target keywords in Google Search Console.
2. Your Role & Boundaries
2a. What you handle independently
- Auditing existing website pages against the standards in this SOP
- Writing title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and content recommendations
- Optimizing image alt text and file names before upload
- Building internal link structure across the site
- Monitoring Google Search Console for page performance and indexing
2b. What requires client approval before acting
- Publishing any new page to the live website
- Changing the title tag or URL of an existing page (URL changes require redirects to be set up simultaneously)
- Deleting or significantly restructuring existing web content
- Any website changes that require CMS admin-level access beyond what has been granted
2c. What you never do
- You never keyword-stuff any page element: title tags, headings, body content, or alt text
- You never change a live page URL without simultaneously setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL — broken URLs lose accumulated ranking signals
- You never publish content to the website without the inspector's review and approval
3. Title Tags — Most Important On-Page Element
The title tag is the clickable headline that appears in Google search results. It is the single most important on-page SEO element on any page.
Formula for the homepage:
[Primary Service] in [Primary City] | [Business Name]
Example: Home Inspector in Kansas City | Smith Home Inspections
Formula for service pages:
[Service Name] in [City] | [Business Name]
Examples:
- Radon Testing Kansas City | Smith Home Inspections
- New Construction Home Inspection Kansas City | Smith Home Inspections
Formula for location pages:
Home Inspector in [City], [State] | [Business Name]
Example: Home Inspector in Overland Park, KS | Smith Home Inspections
Title tag rules:
- Keep under 60 characters — Google truncates longer titles in search results
- Primary keyword at or near the beginning of the tag
- City name included
- Business name at the end
- One title per page — do not write competing or redundant title tags
- Never repeat keyword variations: "Home Inspector Kansas City | Best Inspector KC | Certified Home Inspector" dilutes the signal
4. Meta Descriptions — Click Factor, Not Ranking Factor
The meta description appears under the title tag in search results. It does not directly affect rankings — but it determines whether someone clicks your result instead of a competitor's.
Formula:
- 150–160 characters
- Includes primary keyword and city name
- Highlights one key differentiator
- Ends with a call to action
Example for homepage:
Licensed, InterNACHI-certified home inspector in Kansas City. Same-day digital reports. Serving KC metro including Overland Park and Lee's Summit. Book online 24/7.
Write a unique meta description for every page. Google may override it, but writing it gives you control of the default.
5. Heading Structure (H1, H2, H3)
H1 — One per page, always:
Every page has exactly one H1 heading. This is the primary page title visible to readers. It must include the target keyword.
- Homepage H1:
Kansas City Home Inspector — Certified, Experienced, Same-Day Reports - Service page H1:
Radon Testing Services in Kansas City, MO - Location page H1:
Home Inspector in Overland Park, KS
H2 — Section headings:
Use H2 headings to break the page into logical sections. Each section can include related keywords naturally. H2s give both structure to the reader and signals to Google about page content depth.
H3 — Sub-sections:
Use H3 within H2 sections where sub-points are needed. Never use heading tags for visual styling only.
6. Keyword Placement in Body Content
The target keyword for each page should appear:
- In the title tag
- In the H1 heading
- In the first paragraph of body content
- 2–4 more times throughout the page, naturally
- In at least one H2 heading
- In the meta description
This does not mean awkwardly forcing the keyword into every sentence. Write for a human reader first — include the keyword where it fits naturally. Over-optimized content reads poorly to users and Google treats forced repetition as spam.
LSI keywords (related terms): Home inspector content naturally contains related terms — roof inspection, foundation, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, licensed, certified, InterNACHI, inspection report, buyers. These appear naturally when you write genuine content about home inspection. You do not need to insert them artificially.
7. Image Optimization
Images are often overlooked in on-page SEO but contribute to both user experience and crawlability.
Alt text: Every image on the website needs a descriptive alt text attribute — the text description of the image that Google reads. Include the service and location where relevant.
| Image | Poor alt text | Good alt text |
|---|---|---|
| Inspector examining electrical panel | IMG_4521 |
Home inspector examining electrical panel in Kansas City |
| Branded inspection van | van.jpg |
Smith Home Inspections branded vehicle Kansas City |
| Inspection report screenshot | report |
Spectora home inspection report sample digital delivery |
File names: Rename image files before uploading. kansas-city-home-inspector.jpg sends a signal. IMG_4521.jpg sends nothing.
File size: Compress every image before uploading. Target under 150KB per image. Tools: Squoosh.app (free, in-browser) or TinyPNG. Large image files are the #1 cause of slow home inspector websites.
8. Internal Linking
Internal links connect pages on the same website. They help Google understand the relationship between pages and distribute authority throughout the site.
Rules:
- Every page on the website should have at least 2–3 internal links pointing to or from it
- No page should be an "island" with no links in or out
- The homepage links to each service page and each location page
- Service pages link back to the homepage and to related service pages and relevant location pages
- Blog posts link to the most relevant service page and location page for the topic
- Location pages link to service pages and to the booking page
Anchor text: The visible text of an internal link. Use descriptive anchor text — "book a radon test in Kansas City" — not generic text — "click here" or "learn more."
9. On-Page SEO Audit Checklist
Run this check on every page before it goes live and quarterly on existing pages:
Title tag:
- ☐ Under 60 characters
- ☐ Primary keyword included and near the beginning
- ☐ City name included
- ☐ Business name at the end
- ☐ Unique — not duplicated on any other page
Meta description:
- ☐ 150–160 characters
- ☐ Keyword and city included
- ☐ Differentiator mentioned
- ☐ CTA present
Headings:
- ☐ Exactly one H1 on the page with the primary keyword
- ☐ H2s used for main sections
- ☐ No heading used purely for visual formatting
Body content:
- ☐ Keyword in first paragraph
- ☐ Keyword appears 2–4 more times naturally
- ☐ Content is written for humans, not search engines
- ☐ Minimum 300 words on any indexed page
Images:
- ☐ Every image has descriptive alt text
- ☐ All image files are renamed descriptively
- ☐ All images compressed below 150KB
Internal links:
- ☐ Page has at least 2 outbound internal links
- ☐ Anchor text is descriptive, not generic
10. Escalation Protocol
Escalate when:
- A page change results in a sudden drop in Google Search Console impressions or clicks for that URL — may indicate the change caused a ranking signal loss
- A title tag or meta description change is rejected by the inspector — document the reason and suggest an alternative before abandoning the optimization
On-Page SEO Issue — [Inspector Name]:
[What you changed and when]
What I'm seeing now: [e.g., "The page that previously got 150 monthly impressions now shows 0 in GSC — this started the week after we changed the URL"]
Recommended action: [e.g., "Check whether a redirect was properly set up from the old URL — if not, we need to add one immediately"]
What I need from you: [specific ask if any]
11. Tools & Access
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| CMS (WordPress / Squarespace / Wix / Duda) | Page editing — title tags, meta descriptions, content, images |
| Yoast SEO or RankMath (WordPress only) | SEO field management in WordPress |
| Squoosh.app / TinyPNG | Image compression before upload |
| Google Search Console | Monitoring page indexing, keyword performance, and coverage errors |
| Character count tool | Title tag and meta description length verification |
12. Changelog
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| April 2026 | Initial release |