Everything You Need to Know About Off-page SEO

Did you know that 91% of all pages never get organic traffic from Google because of a lack of backlinks? This particular facet of off-page SEO may not get the same attention as content, site speed or mobile optimisation, but it’s no less important as a ranking factor. Don’t delay, become an expert today! Or in other words, read on…

What is off-page SEO?

Off-page SEO relates to less-visible SEO tactics, in terms of work indirectly-related to your site. The biggest off-page arena concerns earning links from other websites, but that’s not the whole story.

Alongside backlinks, there’s a range of additional PR-related activity that can be performed in an attempt to boost your SEO. The likes of social media activity, running competitions and conducting surveys can all bring positive benefits to a site’s SEO value.

In fact, 91% of all pages never get organic traffic from Google because of a lack of backlinks?

Why you need off-page SEO

Experts within the SEO industry have known the sense in having a strong backlink profile for years. It’s safe to say that it remains one of Google’s biggest indicators when it comes to ranking. If a lot of high-quality sites are linking to your content, then you’ve likely got something worthwhile to say.

Beyond this, other PR-related factors can help expand your online presence. And in the ultra-competitive world of SEO, such strategies can make all the difference when it comes to securing gains over your competitors.

On-page SEO v off-page SEO

As we’ve seen, off-page SEO relates to tactics occurring outside of your website. So on-page SEO is the opposite – it’s the tactics that are very much visible to the user. The biggie here is content, but you can add videos, music and anything else a user might bump into when navigating your pages.

Both on-page and off-page SEO have huge parts to play when it comes to organic search – to grab a squiz at the bigger picture, take a look at our article on why SEO is important and how it works.

Off-page tactics

Although backlinks are the biggest and most-important of all off-page SEO techniques, there are a host of other possibilities out there that can help your brand gain an advantage in the organic search stakes. 

• Building backlinks

Note the terminology here. You’ll sometimes see this process referred to as ‘building’, at other times ‘earning’. The result is always the same – another website will link to yours, boosting your SEO value. However, the process of getting this result can differ, hence the different words used.

Let’s break this down into bite-sized chunks:

• Built links

A ‘built’ link is gained via a deliberate PR-campaign. You may have created an article, infographic or online video with the specific intention of getting others to link to it. If done well, you’ll already have identified a host of potential sites that might be only too delighted to add that link. Your content goes live, you contact other site owners in a fawning, grovelling fashion (just kidding) and the rest is history.

• Earned links

Earned links come without any additional PR-related activity. You create some jaw-dropping content, and a site links to it without you needing to ask. This is usually preferable to building links, as it saves you time and therefore money. 

Bear in mind that site-quality has a part to play when earning links. Not all links are equal, and Google may take a dim view of links earned from low-quality websites. You can remove backlinks from low-quality or spammy sites by adding them to a disavow list.

• Other links

‘Other’ links include submitting links to the likes of industry directories, online reviews and industry forums. It’s a delicate area that can easily fall under the term of ‘black hat SEO’ i.e. trying to boost your SEO through methods Google does not approve of. It’s an area that’s best avoided as a link-related strategy.

Check out our quickstart backlink SEO guide for the full lowdown.

• Social media

Social media shares don’t count as an SEO ranking factor, so why is social media important? Well, it’s a way to shout about your brand, push the content on your website and build relationships with your customers. A stepping-stone to people visiting your website, in short.

By 2025, the number of social media users is expected to reach nearly 4.5 billion – that’s over half the global population. So it pays to give your social media accounts some attention, in order to reach those too busy looking at Instagram to ever bother with a Google search. Many even use the likes of Facebook as a search engine in its own right.

• Other PR

Other SEO off-page tactics work in a similar way to your social media presence – they go towards online reputation management, and a good rep is far more likely to earn you click-throughs on Google’s search results. Tactics may include some or all of the following:

Presence on industry review and forum sites

Lending your voice to reviews and forums that are regularly mentioning your brand, but without linking directly to your site.

Guest blogging

You may offer to write a blog for a highly-regarded website within your industry, in an attempt to become an industry ‘voice’. 

Citations

Listing your business details on useful business directories such as the Yellow Pages or Google My Business. Some of these may come with a bonus link. A good citation profile can also assist with local SEO.

Email newsletters

A great way to keep in touch with your customers, entice them to buy more through the use of special offers, and remind them that you exist.

After-sales communication

A little aftercare following a sale or site interaction can go a long way, and often takes no more than an email follow-up. For starters, you’re not waiting for a customer to shout if they have a problem – you’re nipping complaints in the bud before they grow into trees.

Down with the knowledge but need some assistance putting your off-page SEO into practice? Get in touch with one of our SEO specialists today to book a free consultation.

From coaxing your backlink profile into shape to undertaking a whole range of Managed SEO Services, we’ve a range of solutions to match the needs of any business.