Off-page SEO is a group of practices that aim to improve a website's rank in search engine results pages (SERPs), mainly through authority and reputation building.
It's also called off-site SEO because the focus isn't placed on the website in question but on other well-positioned sites and content channels.
Unlike on-page SEO (which focuses on content, keywords, metadata, and similar elements), off-page SEO improves a website's rank by connecting it to other reputable sources of information.
This guide will explain how this happens and how to execute a comprehensive off-page SEO strategy.
What you will learn
- Why off-page SEO is crucial for ranking high in SERPs
- How off-site SEO works and which ranking factors are impacted by it
- Techniques you can use to improve off-page SEO and get results
Difference between on-page SEO vs. off-page SEO
The main difference between on-page and off-page SEO is that on-page SEO involves optimizing elements on the page like content and keywords, whereas off-page SEO involves external factors like building links and authority.
Your main goal for on-page SEO is to create high-quality content and optimize the page using keywords, internal linking, images, and other components.
For example, the on-page SEO for this page can be improved, considering that competing pages are better optimized.
Off-page SEO expands your efforts beyond your site to position you as an authority in your niche. This is done through backlinks, media mentions, and similar methods that show Google how trustworthy your website is.
For example, Google Search Console reveals the same page has 22 backlinks from 7 websites.
Having industry-leading sites like Forbes and Business Insider link to your web page indicates that the page is relevant and offers reliable information.
As a result, it will be ranked higher for the given keyword.
This is a simplified example because backlinks are only one component of off-page SEO.
Depending on your niche, you can build authority through reviews, social media shout-outs, recommendations, and so on.
You'll see some of the most effective tactics later in this guide, right after we answer an important question—why should you do off-page SEO in the first place?
Why is off-page SEO important?
Off-page SEO is important for meeting Google's Quality Rater Guidelines, specifically E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).
Your website can't have these elements with on-page SEO alone because search engines strongly rely on authority through off-page SEO factors.
In other words, search engine rankings largely depend on the high-quality links a page gets.
"High quality" in this context refers to the reputability and trustworthiness of the source websites linking to your pages.
Solid backlinks, social mentions, and other off-page signals show Google that well-established sources of information consider you authoritative enough to funnel their audience and authority to you, which means your content deserves to rank higher.
Another benefit of a successful off-page SEO strategy is increased exposure.
People use links, recommendations, and mentions to reach new content, so tactics like link building are an excellent way to leverage other websites' audiences to expand yours.
With this in mind, off-page SEO isn't only done to get on Google's good side but also to increase your reach and generate more high-quality traffic.
But how exactly does that happen?
How does off-page SEO work?
Off-page SEO works by showing Google and other search engines what users and reputable websites feel about your website. Off-page SEO factors determine the credibility and trustworthiness of your website and influence your search engine rankings.
It's not just a matter of getting backlinks and mentions—you need to make sure they come from the right sources.
If you associate your website with spammy, low-quality sources of information, Google will think it's one of them and rank it lower.
The exact way these connections are made is a well-kept secret, though Google has given us some useful insights.
It all comes down to the key off-page SEO factors, such as:
- Number and quality of relevant backlinks
- Anchor text leading to your page and its relevance to the topic and keywords
- Authoritativeness and trustworthiness of the websites sending users to your pages
The above factors define your website's authority and contribute to the other E-E-A-T elements.
While you can demonstrate expertise and experience by creating high-quality content, it needs to be "validated" by other websites that users consider reliable.
This validation happens through backlinks, brand mentions, recommendations, and other reputation signals.
By acquiring such signals, you'll join the ranks of industry-leading sources of information and show search engines that your content gives the user what they're looking for.
This is what Google is all about, so a high SERP rank will be a natural consequence.
11 techniques for an off-page SEO strategy
Off-page optimization involves other sites and content sources, so controlling the outcome is more challenging than on-page and technical SEO.
To minimize guesswork and fast-track your site's authority, follow these 11 off-page SEO tips.
1. Build quality links
A solid link-building strategy is the heart and soul of your off-page SEO efforts.
Backlinks are considered the most decisive off-page ranking factor.
The goal here is simple—get as many authoritative and relevant websites to link to your content. There are several ways to do this, which you'll learn about further in this guide.
Two things makes a strong backlink.
- One, the website linking to you must have mid to high authority themselves
- And two, the linking page should be relevant to yours
- Three, the keywords in the anchor text should describe your content
Look for authoritative websites in your niche.
The easiest way to do this is to Google the topic you're covering and see the best-ranking results. You can then try to get natural links by providing valuable content or actively acquiring links.
A good example is this article from Your Lifestyle Business that talks about starting a dropshipping business.
It has a backlink from HubSpot's article about small business ideas, which ranks on the first page for the "how to start a small business" query.
As HubSpot is an authoritative publisher and the article ranks highly, it passes link equity to the dropshipping article, improving its authority.
Consider how relevant the source page is, when you're building links.
You don't want a random article linking to you just for the sake of having a link, as such backlinks carry less value.
Look for topics that relate to yours as closely as possible, and make sure the link's anchor text is natural.
2. Publish data and research-backed content
A good way to acquire backlinks is to get someone to link to your content because they find it valuable.
Such backlinks are natural links because you don't have to ask for them explicitly.
The best way to increase the chances of reputable websites sending users your way is to publish original research.
These could be data-driven pieces, survey insights or industry reports.
Research findings, statistics, and other types of cold data build authority and position you as an expert on the topic, which can enhance your E-E-A-T standing with Google.
Here's what Google has to say about E-E-A-T.
There are two ways to approach data-driven content.
The first is to aggregate statistics from reputable sources to create a comprehensive round-up, like this Hootsuite article discussing TikTok marketing statistics.
Alternatively, you can conduct your own research and provide valuable insights the way we did in our article on keywords and their impact on search rankings.
If you have the bandwidth to gather such primary data, it's a better option to leveraging someone else's research because it demonstrates greater depth of expertise.
3. Enhance your E-E-A-T with guest posting
Acquiring natural links can take a while, and you shouldn't sit and wait for them.
In the meantime, you can use more active link-building techniques like guest posting.
Find a reputable website in your niche, and offer to write a guest post.
Here's a good example of a pitch for a guest post.
This creates a win-win for everyone involved—the webmaster gets a free article, and you get a backlink from a well-established site.
Many websites offer guest posting opportunities. Sometimes they will have a section dedicated to your guest post's guidelines.
If not, you can reach out directly to the editor or content manager and explore collaboration opportunities using an email finder like Hunter.
You can use AI writing tools to quickly generate drafts of your guest post to save you time and effort, and you can instead work on the AI content to improve it.
For example, here is an AI-generated guest post created by Surfer AI.
Since the content is already optimized for its target keywords, I don't have to spend hours writing and optimizing it.
You could have a guest post ready in 2 hours.
The best way to find websites that accept guest posts is to do a quick Google search.
Type in "intitle:write for us" into the search bar.
The search term can also include your niche and phrases like "write for us" or "guest posting."
Ensure your chosen website is relevant, as backlinks from poor-quality sites won't help your SEO efforts.
4. Land mentions in the media
Acquiring off-page SEO links isn't the only way to boost your E-E-A-T—unliked brand mentions and citations can also be quite helpful.
While they don't directly pass link juice like backlinks do, Google still recognizes them as signals of authority and a positive reputation.
News outlets, local business registries, and various other third-party sources of information can help you get new eyes on your brand and website.
If you're unsure how to leverage them, you can try HARO.
It stands for Help a Journalist Out, and it started as an initiative to connect journalists with credible sources of information on different topics.
With time, marketers realized HARO could be an excellent off-page SEO method since you can register as a subject matter expert and answer the queries published by journalists.
When you do, they'll quote you as a source and link to your website, which gives you both backlinks and mentions.
Another way to land a media mention is through a press release.
There are various platforms where you can publish one, and you may land an unlinked mention.
PR platforms like PR Newswire even have packages you can use.
A press release can relate to any important announcement or milestone related to your business. Press releases are not long-term ranking material but practice these steps when creating one.
- Linking to your website (if doing so is allowed)
- Using the right keywords in the press release
- Writing a catchy headline that generates clicks and traffic
Many media outlets use nofollow links, so you may not get a backlink from a press release.
You can still enjoy a boost in reputation and reap the benefits of unlinked mentions, which benefit your off-page SEO strategy in the long run.
5. Partner with relevant businesses
Connections within your niche can go a long way toward helping you improve off-page SEO.
One of the best ways to forge such connections is to contribute to roundup posts—articles where industry experts share their knowledge on a topic.
For example, this roundup about blogging mistakes gathered insights from 20 bloggers, each of whom was cited and got a link to their website.
Finding relevant roundups works similarly to identifying guest blogging opportunities.
You can Google roundups in your niche to find websites that publish them and reach out to the site owner. Alternatively, you can use social media platforms like LinkedIn to connect with other business owners and suggest a collaboration.
Another way to leverage connections is to get interviewed by industry experts.
A written interview published on someone's website gives you more backlinking opportunities, but podcasts should also do the trick.
You might get a link in the transcribed article, and even if you don't, the interview will boost brand mentions and searches.
Finally, you can collaborate with a large brand in your industry to gain traction.
You can bundle your service or product with someone else's to allow both sides to tap into larger audiences.
Either way, partnerships can significantly increase brand credibility and exposure. Promoting your collaborations can generate plenty of backlinks and unlinked mentions.
6. Boost your E-E-A-T with positive reviews and testimonials
Google trusts users to determine whether a business is trustworthy.
At the same time, people generally trust their peers more than ads when making purchase decisions. With this in mind, online reviews can make or break your reputation and off-page SEO.
Here's what Google has to say about reviews in its Search Quality Rater Guidelines.
Look for independent reviews, references, news articles, and other sources of credible information about the website or content creators. Is there independent, reliable evidence that the website or content creator is experienced, has expertise, is authoritative, or is otherwise considered trustworthy? Is there independent, reliable evidence that the website or creator is untrustworthy?
- Google's Search Quality Evaluation Guidelines, page 27
There are plenty of sites where your customers can leave reviews.
While such reviews might not be a direct Google ranking factor, they can promote branded searches and enhance your overall reputation.
Besides dedicated review websites, your customers might publish testimonials on their blogs, so you can get backlinks without too much effort.
This can happen naturally because someone enjoyed your product or service, or you can encourage testimonials by offering something in return.
Online reputation management is a core part of maintaining a positive reputation online.
Of course, not everyone will love what you do.
As you start making a name for yourself, you'll inevitably encounter negative reviews.
It's crucial to manage them wisely, which you can do by following these tips:
- Respond to the review timely
- Express gratitude for the review and let the customer know you've understood their concerns
- Apologize if needed and publicly announce the steps you'll take to improve the customer's experience
7. Create infographics
Infographics have a similar effect as statistics and data-backed content—they demonstrate expertise and can be an excellent tool for building links.
Plus, shareable visuals are more appealing than plain text, which enhances user engagement.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some interesting health related infographics on their website.
If you want to create captivating infographics, that others will want to share, make sure to do the following:
Craft an eye-grabbing title—Make your infographic's title short and punchy (similar to how you'd write an article's meta title).
Use as little text as possible—Infographics should never contain huge paragraphs of text. Let the visuals tell the main story and use short copy for context and clarification.
Leave enough white space—Your infographic should balance compelling visual elements with sufficient white space to ensure they're not too crowded.
Use 2–3 colors—Choose a simple color palette consisting of the main/background color and one accent color. Ideally, the color palette will match your brand visuals to ensure consistency.
8. Use social media
The more traction your brand gains online, the more authority it builds in Google's eyes. Of course, this is true if your social media mentions are positive and come from reputable sources.
A strong social media presence is crucial for brand awareness and can attract website traffic.
Even if you only get a handful of high-profile sources talking about your brand, this can snowball into many positive off-page SEO signals.
Google's search evaluation guidelines mention social media 47 times in the document with various instructions, even instructing evaluators to browse through social media comments to determine reputation.
Direct links from social platforms are primarily nofollow links, so they don't pass equity to your website.
Besides popular social networks, leverage YouTube to maximize your reach.
Remember that social media signals will not directly impact your search traffic but rather, help establish your credibility which in turn can improve your website's search standing.
9. Don't skip local SEO
Local SEO is crucial for ranking high in search results and contributes to your off-page SEO strategy in two ways.
The first one is your Google Business Profile (GBP).
It appears on SERPs and Google Maps, and a well-optimized GBP is an essential ranking factor for local results.
To optimize your GBP, write a compelling description of your business, use the right keywords and enter accurate information like your contact details and working hours.
Your Google Business Profile must look credible and have as much information as possible for potential customers. Follow Google's own suggestions to optimize your GMB here.
Another way local SEO supports your off-site strategy is through NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) citations.
These citations appear on review sites, business directories, and other websites, boosting your brand presence.
Your NAP citations must be consistent across all websites, as Google may cross-reference them to ensure that you are a real business.
You can use online tools like Brightlocal's Citation Tracker to check for issues and update your listings as needed.
10. Leverage offline marketing channels
Offline marketing and SEO might not seem to go together at first, but don't underestimate the power of such unconventional tactics.
Events and other in-person networking opportunities can indirectly boost your online reputation and presence, helping your off-page SEO without too much effort.
The way this happens is pretty simple.
You attend events and meet some industry experts, and they start talking about you or collaborating with you.
Besides starting fruitful relationships, you can get backlinks, mentions and opportunities with their audience or followers.
To reap these benefits, find meet-ups and speaking engagements in your area. You can even sign up as a speaker to share valuable knowledge, which can skyrocket your reputation and authority.
Sponsorships are another outstanding offline tactic to try, whether you're being sponsored or supporting another business.
Either way, you can significantly boost exposure and online mentions, so this is worth exploring.
11. Track your branded searches and mentions
Monitoring brand mentions serves two purposes:
- Tracking the progress of your SEO efforts
- Discovering new backlinking opportunities
While unlinked mentions are valuable, they can't beat an actual link to your website.
You should identify such mentions and approach the website owner for a link. The easiest way to do this is by leveraging tools like BuzzSumo, which offers detailed brand monitoring that can uncover unlinked mentions without too much legwork.
You can also use Google Search Console to track branded search data.
Go to the Performance report, and you can filter out branded searches to see the search terms associated with your brand and the traffic they generate.
A rise in the variety and quantity of these searches is a clear sign of increased brand awareness.
Key takeaways
- Off-page SEO improves your search rankings through backlinks, mentions, and other signals outside of your own website.
- Focusing on off-page SEO is crucial for meeting Google's E-E-A-T guidelines and positioning your website as an authoritative source of information.
- Authority by association is the key idea behind off-page SEO—if trustworthy, reputable websites form connections with your site, it will also be seen as authoritative.
- You can get backlinks naturally by consistently creating high-quality content, most notably data-driven pieces. Alternatively, you can actively seek backlinking opportunities through guest posting, collaborations, and landing media mentions.
- Don't limit your off-page SEO to online marketing efforts. Attend events and speaking gigs to network with industry experts, get backlinks, and draw attention to your brand.
- Keep track of brand awareness and unlinked mentions. Don't hesitate to turn such mentions into backlinks by asking the website owner for a link.
Conclusion
The importance of off-page SEO can't be understated. Google is all about delivering high-quality information to users, and you need to show that your website provides it.
Surround yourself with reputable websites, and you'll be considered one of them.
Off-page SEO may take a while to yield results, so stay patient and look for new opportunities to boost your authority.
Take it one backlink at a time, and you can get those prime spots in search results.
