What is Off-Page SEO?

Many tactics have been tested and tried for a search engine optimisation strategy – optimising content, removing broken links, fixing page speed and so on. All of these fall into the category of ‘on-page’ SEO. These are the types of effort that goes into preparing your website for organic Google ranking results.

There is also ‘off-page’ SEO which takes place outside of your website. We explore how this method works and why it matters.

Understanding Off-Page SEO

Google takes in many factors when deciding on hierarchy results in the SERPs, including user’s experience, relevancy to the query and site quality.

A lot of these factors are ‘on-page,’ so they target issues on the site. Yet, Google looks even further outside the website to understand its use and who it’s for. Off-site ranking optimisation uses tactics that will improve the trustworthiness, popularity, authority and relevance of the search engine and user.

Does Off-Page SEO Matter?

It does indeed matter, and while Google will probably never be forthcoming with how much this factor weighs into the ranking, it warrants action.

Our SEO consultant know that Google wants users to have a good experience when visiting websites. Knowing that Google wants the best for your online experience means you don’t have to worry about clicking on links that are dangerous or without relevant content. Google values content that is:

• Quality
• Trustworthy
• Will address your needs

For this reason, it must be said that Google looks at a website’s reputation outside of the page boundaries. It tells a lot about your website’s standing with off-page SEO, but sites don’t have complete control over it.

For example, your content can be fantastic, your team of writers are amazing, and your content strategy is high-quality. However, one of the off-page SEO Factors – user reviews, which you cannot control. It’s a reality; people will share their experiences with your brand, the good and the bad.

Does this mean that off-page SEO is entirely out of your control? No, because there are tactics you can use to improve it and boost your rankings. We will look at the main ranking factors for off-page SEO and an overall digital marketing strategy approach.

1. Building Links

Link building is the most used tactic for off-page SEO strategies. Websites with quality backlinks are bound to do better than sites with little or no such links because search engines rely on these.

The three main types of links include:

• Natural links – This is referring to others linking your website without having to ask. For example, others may link to research when writing about a similar topic. This is considered a natural link.
• Manually-built links – This is about link building tactics. An example includes running an influencer campaign and linking to your website on their social media account or blog post.
• Self-created links – Are used on profiles and relevant online directories that add a little fuel to your link-building strategies. Focus on this should be minimal because they aren’t as forthcoming as the first two.

The greatness of backlinks is the potential, additional high-quality traffic to your site from other reputable sources. Not all the benefits are created equal; however, there are many great reasons for building links. The quality of the backlink is determined by Google by considering the following factors:

• The popularity of the hosting site
• How the linking site is related to yours
• The anchor text used to link
• Trustworthiness of the linking site
• Other links on the page

The essential process is that your link-building tactics need to earn good, high-quality links for reputable sources. This can be achieved by:

• Blogger outreach
• Guest posting
• Influencer marketing
• Encouraging media coverage through PR campaigns
• Gathering media attention through offline events

2. Be active and have a high-quality social media presence

Social media use is another strategy that is effective for off-page SEO. While social media was once a trend and phase, it is now a genuine marketing tool when used right. Social media has come so far that you can now sell directly o Facebook and Instagram, giving way to a more significant consumer funnel.

Social media’s primary purpose is to grow a community that trusts and is loyal to your brand. While it doesn’t necessarily mean you rank high, you can ensure that your brand mentions count as links. This requires that you’re active on social media platforms to the level where people are tagging your name, which is, in turn, a natural link.

To drive better off-page SEO, improve your social media activity by:

• Directly engage with your followers – Brands need to check more than direct messages as many consumers use a public approach to engage your brand.
• Reach out to influencers – The reality is influencers have an impressive social media following that is active. For this reason, reaching out to them can help you spread the word about your service or product.
• Meaningful content – Social Media opportunities should give your audience something back through videos, including live content, images and other content exclusive to social media channels.

3. Start Blogging

Blogging is fantastic for on-page SEO when it adds additional high-quality content. However, there is an off-page component that often gets overlooked. Blogging is a way to build manual links that are seen as reputable and build trust with new audiences. Writing these for another platform is a way to engage the audience about the strength of your brand and give more insight into it.

4. Be Active on Forums

While there is an art to it, being active on forums like Reddit, Quora, or other industry-specific options are ideal for discovering what your potential customers are talking about. It’s a place for brands to understand pain points for consumers and pick up on relevant keywords; you can also promote your brand by giving tips, answers on pricing in your industry or share stories.

How Can We Help?

SEO is a long term strategy, and guidance towards this can be provided by our team. We offer a range of packages so ask us what is best for your needs.