Off-page search engine optimization (SEO) plays a huge role in your website’s potential to be “discovered” online. The more relevant, authoritative inbound links you have on other websites, the higher your page will rank with Google and other search engines. It’s important to remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. Your on-page SEO is important, and should be established first; however, effective off-page SEO is key to bringing traffic to your website. The following tips are approaches on how to get started with an effective off-page SEO strategy:
Join online directories.
If you’re new to off-page SEO, offer an easy first step to get your website on the map and build an initial base of inbound links by submitting your website to online directories. Good places to start include local business listings like Superpages, blog directories like Blogcatalog, and review and rating sites like Yelp or InsiderPages. You can also get on various lists by simply paying Yext to do the work for you!
The continued importance of building links.
You may read that building links is an off-site SEO strategy of the past — this is inaccurate. According to Hubspot, inbound links continue to be the most powerful SEO asset to marketers. That being said, the quality of your links is completely dependent on the quality of your content. If your content isn’t worth sharing, your links — regardless of the quantity — are inconsequential.
Create quality, engaging content.
Speaking of quality content, any content you post online – be it a blog, article, image, or video – should be relevant and interesting to your audience. More importantly, it should provide value. Readers engaged by your content will more likely want to link back to your website to learn more about your brand. Don’t add content just for the sake of having more pages; focus on adding real value that others will want to reference.
Network within your industry.
Know your industry well enough to know who is well-respected and relevant. The more you can network to demonstrate your expertise and unique insights to those people, the more likely they’ll be to link to you once you’re established. Write guest blogs for other websites, link their content to your blogs, and make thoughtful contributions on social media. Don’t be afraid to follow other industry leaders, too. Even if they don’t ask for your latest blog, it’s still a good strategy to get on their radar.
Maintain a strong social media presence.
Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great tools for building inbound links and driving traffic to your website. Post often and regularly and use keywords and topics relevant to your audience. Make sure to use a variety of interactive content – videos, images, blogs, polls, and more – to link back to your site and engage your followers in creative ways. Successful social media management results in follows, shares, and (off-page) clicks to your site!
If your business needs assistance with SEO, contact Pulse Marketing Agency today for a free 30-minute consultation!
