Off-page SEO refers to everything that happens off your website. Unlike on-page SEO where you have control, off-page SEO is in the hands of other people. Fortunately, you can help influence what people do by creating brand awareness and developing trust. It takes time, but SEO is ongoing.
In Part 1, we talk about the most important elements for on-page SEO, which include making your site awesome, writing great content and having a solid site structure. In this post, we discuss what off-page SEO is and the key factors to pay attention to.
What is Off-Page SEO?
Off-page SEO is all about creating exposure and brand awareness. You can write helpful content, but it won’t matter if no one is able to find it. By getting relevant links to your content, it signals to the search engines that your material is trustworthy and accurate. Therefore, your page may rank a few spots higher.
The same is true when building your brand. A lot of this takes place off the internet, such as by hosting events, giving back to your community and attending trade shows. However, these things create an image for your business that contribute to your rankings. High placement is important, but remember that you want to rank in relevant searches.
Here are the main factors for off-page SEO:
- Link building. You can think of links as “glue.” They connect websites together so that people can find the information they’re looking for. By having relevant sources link to your site and vice versa, you can build a strong link profile that boosts your rankings. Not all links are the same, however, so focus only on quality links.
- Social media. Social media does not directly affect the rankings, but it does have an impact on them. When you’re active on social media, you engage with customers, share promotions and more. This translates to more traffic and higher trust.
- Local SEO. If you have a local business, local SEO is essential. This word-of-mouth marketing gets people in your store, writing reviews and advocating for you on social media. All of this works together to build brand awareness.
Pay Attention to What’s Happening Off-Site
Sometimes, businesses get so wrapped up in the search rankings, they forget about what’s happening away from their site. Off-page SEO forces you to consider how other people view your site. Is your brand trustworthy and credible? Are people happy to link to your content? These factors influence your rankings to ensure you are not just appearing in the search results but appearing in the BEST search results.
