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While on-page SEO focuses on your website internally, off-page SEO establishes authority externally to improve rankings. It refers to techniques outside of a website, such as backlinking, social media, and public relations.
The objectives are to:
Off-page SEO generates credibility indicators that affect search engine ranking algorithms. This article explains off-page SEO and shares five effective strategies you should use to improve your rankings and get more organic visitors.
On-page SEO involves optimizing and improving elements within your actual website, such as:
i. Page titles and meta descriptions
ii. Header tags
iii. Image alt text
iv. Internal linking structure
v. Page load speed
vi. Mobile responsiveness
vii. Schema markup
Off-page SEO focuses on building authority and improving visibility from outside sources, like:
i. Backlinks from authoritative sites
ii. Social media presence
iii. Brand mentions and links in external publications
iv. Positive reviews and citations
v. Link-building outreach and partnerships
While on-page SEO makes your site do well, off-page SEO signals to search engines that your site is valuable and authoritative on your topic. Both are essential for high rankings and visibility.
Off-page SEO is essential for ranking higher because of how Google’s algorithm works. Google wants to rank the most reputable and authoritative sites for any given search query.
Here are some reasons off-page SEO should be a priority:
a. Boosts authority: High-quality backlinks from trusted sites signal credibility and authority to search engines. More authority improves search rankings.
b. Increases awareness: PR, social media, and external publicity expand the reach and get your brand seen by more of your target audience.
c. Drives referral traffic: Mentions, links, and shares of your content result in visitors being referred via external sites. This boosts traffic.
d. Improves user experience: Positive reviews, local listings, and schema markup enhance user experience and satisfaction.
e. Diversifies signals: A diverse link profile with editorial links, local citations, social shares, etc. creates a well-rounded SEO strategy. Relying solely on on-page SEO is risky.
By focusing on off-page SEO, you can build the external reputation and authority needed to outrank competitors.
Here are 5 of the most effective off-page SEO techniques to get more organic traffic:
1. Link Building from Authority Sites
Getting backlinks from authoritative, high-quality sites is hugely impactful for improving search rankings. Not all links are equal – Google factors in the trust and authority of sites linking to you.
Aim to earn natural links from recognized industry publications, educational sites like universities, popular blogs, and trusted news sites relevant to your niche. Outreach, guest posts, and contributor opportunities are great avenues for high-value backlinks.
2. Increase Brand Mentions
Increasing natural brand mentions and references from external sites help boost domain authority. When brands mention your website and add a link, it helps more people know about it.
PR outreach, guest blogging, and contributor articles can help increase natural branded mentions. Make sure to link to your website from any guest posts to benefit from the brand anchor text.
3. Local Directory and Citation Listings
Having complete and consistent listings on high-quality local directories and business websites improves local SEO rankings. Accurate NAP (name, address, phone number) citations across the web signal that your business is real and trusted.
Key sites to focus on include Google My Business, Bing Local, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook, and industry-specific directories. Managing listings with a citation-building tool makes the process smoother.
4. Improve Reviews and Ratings
Having many positive online reviews builds trust and social proof. Review-generating activities like email/on-site review requests, feedback forms, and customer satisfaction surveys help to generate more reviews.
Monitoring review sites and consistently encouraging happy customers to leave reviews can significantly improve ratings over time. This boosts click-through rates and conversions.
5. Use the Power of Social Media
An active, engaged social media presence has multiple search ranking benefits. Sharing website and blog content expands reach and referral traffic. Joining relevant conversations and engaging with your target audience humanizes your brand.
Becoming an authoritative voice on social platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook establishes domain authority. Encourage followers to share, link, and engage with your content.
To maximize the impact of your off-page SEO efforts, keep these best practices in mind:
i. Build links slowly and steadily. Don’t try to manipulate rankings with unnatural link-building. Focus on high quality over quantity.
ii. Diversify link sources. Earn links from a variety of sites and avoid over-optimized anchor text.
iii. Monitor new opportunities. Check sites linking to competitors to find relevant link prospects.
iv. Create truly useful, engaging content. Great content marketers attract the most links naturally.
v. Learn from analytics. Review traffic and rankings regularly to see what’s working.
vi. Stay patient. Off-page SEO takes time. Stick with what provides results vs chasing every new tactic.
In Conclusion, Off-page SEO is an important part of making your website more visible on the internet. By getting other websites to link to yours, being active on social media, creating great content, getting your brand mentioned, and collaborating with influencers, you can improve your website’s ranking on Google and attract more visitors.
If you’re interested in learning more about off-page SEO, you can check out our practical digital marketing course with a guaranteed internship.