What is Off-page SEO?
Off-page SEO refers to activities performed outside of your website to enhance its search engine rankings. While it is often associated with link building, off-page SEO encompasses a broader range of actions aimed at improving your site's reputation and authority in the eyes of search engines.
Why is Off-page SEO Important?
Just as the value of a home depends on factors beyond its physical structure, such as the quality of the neighborhood, a website's value is influenced by external factors. Google evaluates off-page factors like backlinks and brand mentions to determine your website's relevance and ranking.
How Does Off-page SEO Differ from On-page SEO?
The key difference between off-page and on-page SEO lies in control. You have complete control over on-page SEO elements, such as content and meta tags, but you can only influence (not control) off-page factors like backlinks and brand mentions. Both are crucial for a comprehensive SEO strategy.
Best Practices for Off-page SEO
Let's explore several off-page SEO strategies you can implement to boost your rankings.
Get More Backlinks
Backlinks, or clickable links from one website to another, are one of Google's top ranking factors. However, not all backlinks are created equal. Some significantly boost rankings, while others have little to no effect. In some cases, backlinks can even harm rankings if perceived as link spam by Google.
Here are three effective link-building tactics for beginners:
- Competitor Link Building: Identify and replicate your competitors' best backlinks.
- Guest Posting: Write posts for other sites in exchange for backlinks.
- Resource Page Link Building: Pitch your content to pages that curate industry resources.
Get a Google Business Profile
For local businesses, having a Google Business Profile is essential. It allows you to appear in "map pack" results, which are prominent on search engine results pages (SERPs). Creating a Google Business Profile is free and straightforward.
Here’s how to optimize your profile:
- Specify your business category accurately.
- Add business hours, including holiday hours.
- Include your address and set your service area.
- List your products and services.
- Upload high-quality photos.
Ask for Reviews
Reviews are a significant ranking factor for local SEO, particularly for "map pack" results. They also contribute to your website's perceived Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T).
Here are tips for getting more reviews:
- Encourage customers to leave reviews.
- Prioritize reviews on your Google Business Profile.
- Respond to all reviews to build trust.
- Avoid offering incentives for reviews as it violates Google's terms.
Hire Experts
Google values content that demonstrates expertise. Hiring expert writers can enhance your content's credibility, making it more likely to attract links and rank higher.
- Trust and link potential increase with expert content.
- Google can identify authors, potentially favoring content by recognized experts.
Showcase your experts effectively, as exemplified by Healthline:
Get Brand Mentions
Mentions of your brand across the web can positively impact your SEO. This can be achieved through:
- Podcast features.
- Interviews.
- Responding to journalist requests via platforms like HARO.
Brand mentions should be part of broader marketing efforts, with SEO benefits seen as an added bonus.
FAQs
Are Social Signals a Ranking Factor?
No, social signals are not a direct ranking factor according to Google's Gary Illyes.
Are Brand Searches a Ranking Factor?
While branded searches correlate with organic search traffic, there is no evidence they are a direct ranking factor.
