Today, we will talk about “what is off-page SEO.” It’s like the wingman of your website—the guy who talks you up to all the cool people (search engines and users).
With tactics like link building, guest posting, and social media marketing, off-page SEO makes your website look like the big cheese. The end goal? To be the prom king or queen of the internet, everybody knows your name, and you get invited to all the best parties. So, let’s get started and make your website the life of the party!
On-Page SEO vs. Off-Page SEO vs. Technical SEO
Ah, the three musketeers of SEO—on-page, off-page, and technical. They each have their own distinct personality and set of skills, but they all work together to achieve one common goal: better search engine rankings.
On-page SEO is like the control freak of the group, making sure everything on your website is in tip-top shape. From content to keywords to internal links, on-page SEO is all about making your website as appealing as possible to search engines.
Off-page SEO, on the other hand, is the social butterfly. It’s all about getting out there and making friends (or rather, backlinks and mentions) on other websites. The more popular you are with other sites, the more popular you are with search engines.
And last but not least, technical SEO – the nerdy one of the group. It’s all about optimizing your website’s technical aspects so that search engines can crawl and index your site more efficiently. Think of it as giving your website a pair of thick-rimmed glasses and a pocket protector.
Why Is Off-Page SEO Important?
Listen up, folks! Off-page SEO is like building up your site’s street cred. You know, like how the cool kids in high school were always the most popular? Well, the same goes for websites. The more reputable and trustworthy your site appears, the higher it’s going to rank on search engines.
And the key to building that street cred is through off-page SEO tactics like getting quality backlinks, collecting rave reviews, and earning recommendations. So don’t sleep on off-page SEO, or your website might end up being the wallflower of the search engine results page.
5 Off-Page SEO Techniques That Work
Boosting your website’s authority and organic search traffic can be as easy as using these five off-page tactics:
- Content Marketing
- Link Building
- Local SEO (GMB and Citations
- Reviews
- Events
1. Link Building
To make your website rank higher on Google, you need to get other high-authority websites to give you backlinks. These backlinks are like a treasure map that leads search engines to your website, and the more you have, the more authoritative you may seem in the eyes of Google.
Here are the two key factors to consider with link building:
Authority
Listen up, because I’m about to teach you a valuable lesson in SEO: “authority” is like the gold doubloons of website quality, and it’s determined in large part by the number of high-quality backlinks.
So, if you want your website to be a treasure trove of search engine rankings, you’ll need to set your sights on high-authority websites and snag some of their precious links. And if you want to know how many gold doubloons you’ve got, just use Semrush’s handy Backlink Analytics tool! Just enter your domain and click “Analyze” to see your score. May your sails be full of quality backlinks!
Unique Domains
If you want your website to sail to the top of the search engine seas, you’ll need to build a fleet of high-quality backlinks from as many separate domains as possible. The more relevant and trustworthy these domains are, the better your chances of swashbuckling your way to the top of the rankings!
2. Content Marketing
If you want to make a splash in the world of SEO, you’d best turn your sights to content marketing. Crafting top-notch content is a surefire way to earn valuable backlinks, catch the eye of the media, and show off your E-A-T.
But don’t stop there! You’ll want to cast your content far and wide across the seven seas of the internet, using channels like:
- PR
- Social media
- Influencer marketing,
- Guest posting,
- Podcasts,
- Content syndication,
- Forums
and more. The more places you share your body of content, the more treasure you’ll reap in off-page signals. So hoist the sails and set course for content marketing success!
PR
Digital PR is the hip new way to build links according to the SEO crowd, as it’s a prime method for gaining authoritative links en masse.
Not only does PR help with off-page SEO signals by building links, but it also increases brand awareness, puts you in front of your target audience, drives referral traffic, and shows off your E-A-T (which is not a type of sandwich, by the way).
Social Media
Ah, social media – the place where people go to share pictures of their pets and argue about politics. But did you know it can also help with your off-page SEO? Yep, the more people who share your content on social media, the more attention it gets.
And even if you don’t get a link out of it, you’ll still get more brand awareness and mentions. It’s like free advertising, except you don’t have to dress up in a silly costume and wave a sign on the side of the road.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is like having a cool friend promote you to their posse. It can give your brand street cred, make your content go viral, and attract new fans.
Influencers have mad followers and can put you on the map across all sorts of platforms. And if you need help finding your influencer soulmate, BuzzGuru’s Influencer Analytics tool can hook you up.
Guest Posting
Guest posting is like crashing a party, but in a good way. You get to show off your brand to a new crowd, and maybe even make some new friends (and links).
Search engines also love it because it shows them you’re an expert in your field. To find these parties, you can use search operators like “your target keyword” + “guest post” or “contributing author” and start sending out your invites!
After your masterpiece has been published on another site, it’s time to start tracking its success! You want to see how much referral traffic it’s driving to your site and how many social media shares it’s getting.
This will give you a good idea of which sites are worth kissing up to again and which ones to avoid like the plague. So put on your detective hat, grab a magnifying glass, and start tracking!
Podcasts
Listen up, because here’s why podcasts are so awesome: not only are they super popular right now, but they’re also a great way to give your brand a boost.
Plus, with most businesses still sleeping on podcasts, they’re the perfect way to gain a competitive edge. So why not take advantage of this opportunity to share your expertise, connect with new audiences, and get some sweet backlinks in the process?
If you’re lucky enough to be a guest on a podcast, you might just score a juicy link back to your site. And even if the podcast doesn’t directly link to you, they could still mention you as a source and drive some referral traffic your way.
So, what are you waiting for? Start pitching your podcast ideas and make your off-page SEO dreams a reality!
Content Syndication
Content syndication is like taking your grandma’s famous apple pie recipe and sharing it with your neighbor, who then shares it with their friends, and so on. It’s all about republishing your content on other websites to reach a new audience.
And guess what? Some publishers love to syndicate content because it’s easier than constantly creating fresh content. It’s like letting someone else do the dishes for once.
So, what’s in it for you? Well, you get to introduce your brand to a new audience. It’s like crashing a party and making a bunch of new friends.
There are some popular content syndication platforms you can use like Medium, LinkedIn, Outbrain, Taboola, Business 2 Community, and Quuu. Or you can find sites in your niche and ask them if they want to share your content.
But beware! Google has a mind of its own and might not show the version of your content that you want it to. To prevent that from happening, make sure the syndicated version of the piece links back to your original one. And don’t forget to configure your canonical tags properly. Trust me, Google will thank you.
Forums
Let me tell you something: dropping links in forums won’t do much for your Google ranking. But that doesn’t mean you should skip the forums altogether! They can be a great place to showcase your expertise and connect with potential customers who are already asking questions about your area of knowledge.
It’s a perfect opportunity to build relationships, establish yourself as an expert, and gain trust. And the beauty of it is that few other platforms offer you such a chance to engage in open discussions with potential customers.
Sure, you may want to focus on large-scale platforms like Reddit and Quora. But don’t forget to explore niche forums as well. Google’s Search Central Help Community, for example, can be an excellent resource for connecting with fellow industry pros.
3. Local SEO
Do you want to be found by customers in your area? Then you need to master the art of local SEO!
Local SEO is all about optimizing your online presence to increase your visibility and attract more local traffic. It’s like having a neon sign that says “come visit us!” for your website.
And just like any other type of SEO, local SEO has its own unique tactics and strategies. That’s right, it’s a discipline all on its own! But don’t worry, it’s not rocket science.
One of the key off-page local SEO tactics is setting up your Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business). This is like a digital storefront for your business, and it’s essential if you want to show up in Google’s local search results.
Another important off-page local SEO tactic is NAP citations. That stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and it’s important to make sure your business information is consistent across the web. This helps Google (and your customers!) know that you’re a legitimate and trustworthy business.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
If you want to make sure your business shows up in all the right Google places, optimizing your GMB is key.
In fact, it’s such a critical local SEO ranking factor that ignoring it would be like trying to drive a car with no wheels.
And when you optimize it properly, you could even end up on the map pack, which is like being the captain of the cool kids’ club.
So here are some tips for pimping out your Google Business Profile:
Make sure your contact info is on point. Don’t leave anything out unless you want potential customers to end up in the Bermuda Triangle.
Respond to every review like your business depends on it (because it does). People are talking about you, so show them some love!
Post like it’s going out of style (which it isn’t). Use photos and videos to showcase your awesomeness and keep your profile fresh as a daisy.
NAP Citations
NAP citations? No, it’s not a sleepy-time remedy for your afternoon slump. It’s actually a crucial off-page SEO tactic that can make or break your local search ranking.
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and citations are any online mentions of these key details for your business. They’re like your digital calling card, appearing in all sorts of places like business directories, social media profiles, and review sites.
But here’s the catch: Google wants to make sure all your NAP citations are consistent and accurate. If they’re all over the place, Google will be confused and probably so will your potential customers.
To avoid a citation catastrophe, take the time to ensure that all of your NAP references match up perfectly. And if you’re short on time, try using a Listing Management tool to make it a breeze.
Remember, consistency is key with NAP citations, so make sure they’re the same everywhere. Submit your info to niche and local websites, and run monthly NAP audits to stay on top of your game.
4. Reviews
Oh, reviews! They’re like the bread and butter of local SEO. They not only help others trust your business but also boost your site’s E-A-T, which Google is always watching like a hawk. So, yeah, reviews are pretty darn important. And guess what? Google actually suggests that you reply to all of them, good or bad. That way, you show your customers that you appreciate their feedback and care about their experience.
But, how do you manage all those reviews, you ask? Easy peasy! You can use Semrush’s Listing Management tool to quickly find and respond to all your reviews. And here are some tips for your online review strategy: kindly ask your customers to leave reviews, reply to all of them to build trust, and whatever you do, don’t offer money in exchange for reviews. Trust me, it’s not worth the risk.
5. Events
We’ve got some juicy SEO secrets to share. You may not know it, but events can be a key player in your off-page SEO game.
That’s right, events aren’t just for fancy cocktails and small talk. They can also help engage your audience and create a buzz around your business. And let’s not forget about the links and social engagement that can follow!
Picture this: your event gets promoted and mentioned all over the place. People write articles and share it with their followers. Your event landing page attracts links left and right. It’s like free advertising!
Sure, running events can be a bit of a hassle. But the payoff is worth it. The buzz and excitement around your brand are hard to replicate in other ways. Plus, it’s a great way to score some sweet PR coverage. So get out there and start planning your next shindig!
Keep Learning
Off-page SEO is like the wingman of on-page SEO. It’s all about building your online presence outside of your website to increase traffic, brand awareness, and search engine ranking.
Key off-page tactics include optimizing your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and building NAP citations (not the kind you take in the middle of the day).
Events can also play a role in your off-page SEO strategy. They may require some extra effort to pull off, but the buzz and brand mentions they can generate are difficult to replicate in other ways.
Reviews are also essential for off-page success. Not just the good ones, mind you. Responding to all reviews, even the bad ones, shows that you value your customers’ business and feedback.
So, if you want to get ahead in the SEO game, don’t be a one-trick pony. Get out there and build your online presence outside of your website. Your off-page SEO wingman will thank you.
If you would like help creating content or creating a customized strategy for your business contact JC Web Designs for a free consultation.