There are many ways to improve your website’s rank in search results.  Website optimization, keyword optimization, link portfolio development,  and business profile development are just a few of the tasks which directly impact your rank.  Let’s breakdown on and off site SEO and how it affects your business’s website.  

What is Off Page SEO?

Off site SEO, or off page SEO, are optimizations done to sites other than your own in order to impact your rankings within search engine results pages (SERPs).  While many may believe that off site SEO is solely based on link building, there are actually other optimizations done by off site SEO such as social media, guest blogging, influencer outreach, review cultivation, and content sharing.  

Differences Between On and Off Page SEO

The most successful SEO campaigns take into account both on and off site SEO strategies.  They both help to improve your SEO rankings, but are different from each other.  As a business, you have full control over on site optimization, as it’s focussed on what’s on and inside your website.  Off site focuses on optimizations done outside of your website.  For example, asking another business to share links is off site SEO.  While you are sharing a link from your website, there are no actual optimizations on your business’ site.  This is helping link back to your site to improve your off site SEO.  

A great way to understand the difference between on and off site is looking at who is in control of the optimization.  If it’s your business directly, it’s likely on site optimization, while if you are working with others outside of your business, it is most likely off site optimization.  

Is Off Page SEO Important?

The short answer is yes.  Off page SEO is extremely important because it tells search engines that your website is valuable to others on the web.  Similar to search engines, off site SEO finds it important to sort through credible sources in links.  If the user reads an article full of links, not all of them will be credible for your website.  This can either be good or bad, depending on the resources it’s linking to.  If links are included that are credible, valuable, and relevant, there is a better chance of your rank increasing.  Google looks at many off-page factors when deciding where to rank web pages, and links are one of them.  

Off Page SEO Related Tasks

Link Building

Link building is a very important part of off site SEO.  While Google suggests that content is the #1 ranking factor, link building is often preferred over fresh and relevant content.  That said, content will always contribute to your link building strategy.  Links within an article are seen as an accolade to your website and brand.  When creating links, the focus should be on quality over quantity.  Higher quality links, full of supportive content, will build the authority of your site.  

Google My Business

Google my business is a free business profile that ranks in Google’s results that you see at the top of the search results page.  Creating a profile for your small business is an important first step, and continuing to update your information to ensure it’s current and relevant your business is vital to your off site SEO efforts and rankings over time.  This is especially important for local ratings.  

Reviews

Ratings and reviews are an important factor in off site SEO, especially on trusted third party sites and places such as your Google My Business profile.  The more positive reviews you receive, the better chance you have to rank higher.  Negative reviews have the opposite effect, although there are ways to minimize this effect.  In responding productively to a negative review, you’re able to help resolve the issue and also shows clients, who may be looking at your reviews, how your business handles problems.  

Guest Posting

Writing guest posts for another blog within your business’ area of expertise is a wonderful way to increase your off site SEO.  Creating content and having it published on another blog shows that your business is well respected and that you have leadership within the industry.  Your guest posts should contain fresh, relevant content that is supported by research and links that help build the article.  

Blog Commenting

Like guest posting, blog commenting is a similar way to contribute to off site SEO.  Commenting provides traffic to your website and SERP rankings.  The best way to do so, is to be sure your comments relate directly to the content.  Giving interesting insight on the topic will attract attention to you and your business.  When you add an opinion that leaves the reader wanting to know more, it gives the opportunity to link back to your business.  This can ultimately promote your business and attract individuals to your site.