Off-page SEO is the engine that builds your site's authority and tells search engines your content deserves to rank. While on-page optimization gives you control over your own pages, off-page signals like backlinks, brand mentions, and entity recognition shape how Google and AI search systems evaluate your credibility.
The challenge is that most off-page tactics happen outside your direct control. You need a systematic approach to earn trust signals consistently.
This checklist breaks down 12 proven off-page SEO strategies you can start using today. From auditing your backlink profile to optimizing for AI search visibility, each step gives you actionable ways to strengthen your site's authority and improve your rankings.
What is off-page SEO?
Off-page SEO covers every optimization effort that happens outside your own website to improve its authority and search engine rankings. It centers on building trust signals that demonstrate your site's credibility and relevance to both traditional search algorithms and AI-powered answer engines.
Where on-page SEO handles keywords, meta tags, and internal linking, off-page SEO targets external signals like:
- Backlinks from authoritative websites
- Brand mentions and citations
- Entity recognition in Knowledge Graphs and AI Overviews
- Social proof and community engagement
These signals tell search engines that real users and reputable sources endorse your content. When Google (and increasingly, AI systems like AI Overviews) sees consistent trust signals pointing to your site, you get rewarded with better rankings and visibility.
Building off-page signals takes more effort than tweaking your own pages, which is why many marketers find this work intimidating. But with a clear checklist, you can tackle it step by step.
Off-page SEO checklist
Use the following checklist as your roadmap for building stronger off-page SEO. I cover all the key strategies you should implement, with specific tips and actionable steps for each one.
1. Audit your backlink profile
Each website has a backlink profile made up of external links pointing to its pages. This is an essential aspect of off-page SEO, and many experts agree that backlinks can make or break your website's performance.
With this in mind, your first off-page SEO task should be to assess your website's backlinks. You can do this in a few simple steps using Google Search Console (GSC). Here's how:
- Open GSC and choose your property (website)
- Click Links > External links
- Go to Top linked pages
You'll see a list of links much like this one:
GSC can also show you which websites are linking to yours alongside useful information like the number of pages leading to your site.
This information is useful for two reasons:
- You can see whether your backlink profile is made up of high-quality links from reputable websites (which is crucial to successful off-page SEO).
- You can identify the pages with the fewest backlinks and prioritize them in your link-building strategy.
When you go to Top linked pages, you can scroll down to identify those that deserve the most attention. You can then move on to the next stage: strengthening the page's backlinks.
Beyond discovery, you should also screen for toxic backlinks. Links from spammy, irrelevant, or penalized sites can actively harm your rankings. If you find harmful links, use Google's Disavow Tool to tell Google to ignore them. Regular backlink hygiene is just as important as building new links.
2. Build high-quality backlinks
There are many ways to acquire high-quality backlinks and boost your website's authority. Here are the most effective ones:
Guest posting. Find websites in your niche that accept guest contributions and let you link back to your pages. Focus on sites with genuine audiences rather than those that exist purely for link exchanges.
Reclaiming broken links. A broken link may result from moving your website content around. You can reclaim the link by asking the external website's owner to include the new URL.
Skyscraper technique. Identify which competitor pages attract the most backlinks, create a better version, and then reach out to websites linking to the original. Give them a compelling reason to link to your improved resource instead.
Claiming unlinked brand mentions. Some websites might mention your business without linking to it. Reach out and ask for a link. Tools like Google Alerts make it easy to find these opportunities.
Creating linkable assets. Whitepapers, free tools, infographics, original research, and calculators can attract natural backlinks by providing genuine value. A perfect example is Bankrate's mortgage calculator, which has a whopping 36,000 backlinks from 3,000 unique websites.
Digital PR. Pitch original data, expert commentary, or trend stories to journalists and publishers. When a reporter uses your insights in an article on a major publication, you earn a high-authority editorial backlink. You can also respond to journalist queries through platforms that connect experts with reporters.
You can earn backlinks naturally, but the process can take a while. So take an active approach and outright ask for them.
Here's an example of a guest posting pitch we received for the Surfer blog:
As long as you provide enough value, you can expect backlinks to start rolling in.
3. Create a Wikipedia page
If you don't have a Wikipedia page for your business, you should create one sooner rather than later. Google uses Wikipedia as a reliable and frequently updated source of information to confirm an entity's data and establish its authority.
Specifically, Wikipedia is one of the many sources informing Google's Knowledge Graph—a massive database that the search engine uses to serve so-called rich results.
They show up in the form of panels or boxes alongside organic results and can do wonders for your site's visibility. Here's an example of a rich result:
Creating a Wikipedia page is free, and the platform offers a detailed guide on how to do it.
One important caveat: Wikipedia has strict notability requirements. Your business needs significant coverage in independent, reliable sources before it qualifies for a page. If you create a page that doesn't meet these standards, it will likely be deleted by Wikipedia editors.
When your page is live, Google's algorithm can start pulling data from it, increasing your website's authority and chances of getting a rich result.
4. Land Google's Knowledge Panel
Speaking of rich results, there's a special type of result that many consider the pinnacle of authority—a Knowledge Panel. It's a concise summary of the searched topic or entity displayed on the right side of the search results page, like so:
As you can see, the Knowledge Panel includes information from Wikipedia alongside other details Google could verify from its Knowledge Graph sources.
Knowledge Panels are generated automatically, so there's no direct way to land one. Instead, you can get it as a result of various successful tactics, such as:
- Having plenty of authoritative links to your pages from other sites with high credibility.
- Making sure your About or equivalent page is informative and accurately represents your business.
- Creating a large network of sources (podcasts, local news, etc.)
One concrete step you can take is implementing structured data (schema markup) on your website. Use Organization schema with SameAs properties that point to your social profiles, Wikipedia page, and Wikidata entry. This helps Google verify your entity and connect your brand across sources, which directly feeds the Knowledge Graph.
Getting a Knowledge Panel doesn't happen overnight. Still, the effort is more than worth it, as all of the above initiatives also improve many additional off-page SEO signals.
5. Analyze competitor backlinks
Competitor backlink analysis is one of the key off-page SEO fundamentals you'll want to master. It helps you unlock new backlinking opportunities by discovering websites willing to link to content in your niche.
The process is straightforward. Start by identifying your top competitors for target keywords. You can use keyword research tools to find relevant terms, then see who ranks highest for them.
Once you have a competitor URL, run it through a backlink analysis tool like Ahrefs Backlink Checker. It will show you the number of backlinks and unique linking websites.
As you scroll through the list, you'll see various websites from which you can acquire a backlink, as well.
If you already have an article targeting the given keyword, review and improve it to make sure it's better than the competitor's. If you don't, write a solid piece that offers more value and gives the site owner a reason to link to you instead.
6. Optimize your Google Business Profile
If you own a business with a physical location, focusing on local SEO should be one of your top priorities. In other words, you need to create a Google Business Profile (GBP) page and make sure it accurately represents your business.
Right off the bat, it should be said that the link to your site on the GBP page doesn't count as a backlink.
Still, a GBP page brings various benefits, most notably increased organic traffic as a result of better exposure. If well-optimized, your page will appear in the Google Map Pack, where it will be prominently displayed in search results.
The Map Pack only displays three local businesses by default, and you'll want to secure those prime spots. Here's how:
- Make sure to fill out all the necessary details (name, address, contact information, and working hours).
- Write a detailed description of your services and include the relevant keywords - without stuffing the description with them as Google might penalize you for it.
- Add compelling images and videos.
- Add a Q&A section that allows customers to engage with you.
- Gather customer reviews.
A particularly important aspect of GBP optimization is reputation management.
Specifically, you should encourage reviews because doing so helps Google understand users' experiences with you. If they're positive, you're more likely to appear in the Map Pack.
Make sure to also respond to all reviews—especially the negative ones.
This way, you can build transparency and trust with your audience, so both customers and search engines will see you in a more positive light.
7. Earn brand mentions
Even though Google's John Mueller confirmed that unlinked brand mentions weren't an SEO ranking factor, they can still indirectly benefit your off-page SEO strategy.
Mentions across the web boost your website's visibility, encouraging users to search for it online.
Not only does this help you generate more organic traffic, but it also contributes to your authority in Google's eyes.
There are many ways to earn brand mentions. Here are some of the most effective ones:
Newsletter partnerships. Collaborating with other brands in your niche on newsletters lets you tap into new audiences and expand your reach without too much effort.
Podcasts and webinars. Being a guest on podcasts and webinars is an excellent way to build authority and get brand mentions from authoritative sources.
User-generated content (UGC). UGC is an excellent way to get lots of exposure and mentions quickly. You can run contests, challenges, and similar campaigns to encourage users to create content with your products or services.
Press releases. Sharing your achievements through press releases gives you significant exposure through media outlets. You can create press releases for new products, funding milestones, and similar newsworthy events.
Influencer collaborations. Influencer marketing has always been one of the most effective ways to spread the word about a brand. Find influencers in your niche, and see if there's an opportunity for collaboration or a paid partnership.
Brand mentions matter even more in the age of AI search. Surfer's research found a moderately strong positive correlation (~0.41) between brand mentions on cited sources and how frequently AI systems like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews recommend that brand. In short, the more your brand appears in authoritative third-party content, the more likely it is to surface in AI-generated answers.
When you start getting brand mentions, you can track them with tools like Mention and Convosight. Such tools scour the web and social media platforms for any mentions of the provided keywords, so they can show you what others are saying about your brand.
You'll most likely find many positive mentions, so make sure to explore any opportunities for partnerships. At the very least, you can find partners who can give you proper backlinks.
8. Build local citations
Local citations are mentions of your business and its contact information around the web. Google uses them to verify your business details, so having various citations can boost your website's domain authority.
The easiest way to create local citations is to get listed in business directories.
You can find plenty of general ones like Yelp and Foursquare, which give your business and brand additional exposure on top of helping with local citations.
Ideally, you'll also get your business listed in industry-specific directories, which is especially important if you run a local business.
For example, if you search for dentists in San Diego, you'll see that PatientConnect365 offers such a directory.
Local citations are often called NAP citations because this acronym stands for the key information they should include: name, address, and phone number.
Your citations must be consistent across different websites and directories, or Google's algorithms may not be able to verify your business' credibility.
That's why it might be a good idea to use a dedicated tool to build and manage local citations. A good example is Brightlocal's Citation Builder, which helps identify and fix any inconsistencies.
9. Establish a social media presence
Being active on social media is essential to increasing brand exposure and expanding your audience.
While doing so doesn't directly impact off-page SEO, it unlocks numerous opportunities to boost your brand's and website's authority.
For example, social media links don't count as backlinks, but a solid social presence can encourage others to write about you on their websites and give you a proper link. You can also form many partnerships with influencers and other businesses from your niche, which can give you plenty of traffic that Google will see as a signal of relevance and credibility.
When developing your social media strategy, follow these tips to get it right from the get-go:
Understand your audience. You need to know which social platforms your audience uses the most so that you can choose the right ones. It's also important to know what type of content they enjoy the most so that you can match their needs.
Create platform-specific content. Each content type works best on a specific platform. For example, you can publish long-form content on YouTube and short-form content on TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Ensure two-way communication. While social media can be a marketing tool, you shouldn't forget about the social aspect. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, creating interactive content, and encouraging conversations.
10. Engage in forums and communities
No matter what niche you're in, you can find various forums and communities your audience frequents to discuss all sorts of topics.
Joining the conversation and providing valuable insights can do wonders for your reputation and off-page SEO.
If you decide to do so, make sure to focus on genuine discussions over promotion. While it's okay to add a link to your website when it makes sense, overdoing it can be seen as spam.
A perfect example of how you should approach forums is this Reddit post by StudioBinder:
As you can see, the post encourages conversation without directly promoting the brand. While there's a link to StudioBinder's YouTube video, it's not forced or out of place. Take the same approach, and act as if you were posting from your personal account.
If you do it right, your engagement in forums and communities can send many positive signals to Google's algorithms, giving you quite some off-page SEO points.
11. Optimize for AI search visibility
AI-powered search is reshaping how users discover content. Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity now generate direct answers that cite specific sources. If your brand isn't mentioned across the web, it's unlikely to appear in those answers.
The data backs this up. Surfer's AI Citation Report found that the top 3 cited domains (YouTube, Wikipedia, and Google.com) collectively account for roughly 58% of all AI Overview citations. That leaves about 42% of citations spread across everything else, meaning there's real opportunity for brands that build a presence on frequently-cited platforms.
So how do you improve your AI visibility? Here are practical steps:
- Get your brand mentioned on websites that AI systems already trust and cite. Think authoritative publications, industry blogs, and well-known resource sites.
- Build entity recognition by creating consistent profiles across platforms: Wikipedia, Wikidata, social media, and business directories.
- Publish original research and proprietary data. AI systems favor content with unique, verifiable facts that can't be found elsewhere.
- Cover topics comprehensively. Surfer's AI Overviews study found that 52% of sources cited in AI Overviews also appear in the top 10 organic results, so strong traditional SEO and AI visibility go hand in hand.
Think of AI search visibility as the newest layer of off-page SEO. The same fundamentals apply: earn trust, build authority, and make your brand impossible to ignore across the web.
12. Align on-page and off-page SEO
Now that we've covered the key off-page SEO tactics, it's worth recognizing that none of them work in isolation. Your off-page efforts will fall flat if your website doesn't follow solid on-page SEO practices.
Specifically, you need to focus on the following:
Keywords. Make sure to target keywords with a high search volume without excessive competition (especially if your website is new). Aim for specific, long-tail keywords until you're ready to tackle the more general ones.
Page design. Each page on your website needs to provide an enjoyable user experience. Focus on page speed and responsiveness, as well as content structure to ensure readability.
Metadata. Each page should have a meta title and meta description that concisely and accurately represents its content.
Internal linking. Use internal links strategically to pass link equity from your highest-authority pages to those that need a boost. Make sure anchor text is descriptive and includes relevant keywords. A strong internal linking structure helps search engines understand your site's hierarchy and distributes authority where it matters most.
By combining the right on-page SEO practices with solid off-page optimization, you'll check all the boxes necessary for ranking high in SERPs.
You can also use tools such as Surfer's Content Editor to optimize your content. In the Content Editor you can see which keywords to include in your content and how often.
There you can also see how to best structure your page to ensure a great user experience.
You may manually apply these changes to your content, or use the Auto Optimize feature which does it for you.
Best off-page SEO tools
Besides the tools we've mentioned throughout this guide, you can use the following platforms to streamline your off-page SEO workflows:
1. Surfer
While Surfer is well-known for its on-page SEO capabilities, it can also assist your off-page SEO efforts.
Specifically, you can use Surfer's Audit to identify improvements in your:
- Page structure
- Page speed
- Metadata
- Keyword optimization
- Internal links
All your on-page SEO efforts will indirectly strengthen your off-page SEO as well. Well-optimized pages attract more organic traffic, earn more backlinks, and get cited more frequently in AI-generated answers.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the most comprehensive tools for off-page SEO analysis. Its backlink explorer lets you audit your own link profile, analyze competitor backlinks, and discover new link-building opportunities.
Key features for off-page SEO include:
- Backlink monitoring and new/lost link alerts
- Competitor backlink gap analysis
- Referring domain quality metrics
- Content Explorer for finding linkable content ideas
You can also track your domain's authority growth over time, which helps you measure the ROI of your off-page SEO efforts.
3. Majestic
If you're looking for a comprehensive tool designed specifically for backlink analysis, Majestic can be a solid option. It offers numerous insights into a website's backlink profile, such as:
- Backlink history that shows link growth over time
- Flow metrics that offer details about the quality and quantity of a website's backlinks
- A link graph for easy backlink visualization
Majestic also lets you assess a website's topical authority from the linking perspective. It analyzes both internal links and backlinks, showing you how many topic-specific domains and URLs link to a website. You can also see those domains and URLs, which lets you pursue backlinks from authoritative sources.
Build authority beyond your website
Off-page SEO is not a one-time project. It's an ongoing effort to build credibility, earn trust signals, and expand your brand's presence across the web. The 12 strategies in this checklist give you a clear path forward.
Start with a backlink audit to understand where you stand. Then work through the checklist systematically: build quality links, earn brand mentions, optimize your local presence, and position your brand for AI search visibility.
The sites that rank highest and get cited most frequently are the ones that show up everywhere their audience looks. Make your brand one of them.
