Do you know how much your off-page SEO affects your website ranking? Getting your optimization techniques right could mean the difference between landing the top spot in Google search results and never getting on the first page at all.
This article will go over everything you need to know about off-page SEO optimization techniques and show you how to incorporate them into your website’s SEO strategy.
Definition of Off-page SEO
Off-page SEO optimization refers to actions taken outside off your own website to increase its search engine ranking.
In essence, off-page SEO factors like link building tell Google how other websites perceive your site.
Optimizing your website for off-site factors will increase your website’s visibility, authority, and trustworthiness – both in Google’s eyes and the eyes of your potential customers.
Essential Off-page Optimization Techniques for Your Website
Creating Shareable Content
If you want to build authority and trustworthiness in your niche, you’ll need to create excellent, shareable content first.
Since so many off-page SEO optimization techniques are related to link building, you need to regularly come up with content that is truly share-and-link-worthy.
To accomplish that, do your research and try to fill any gaps you see in the content that’s already out there.
What questions are your customers always asking you? What questions are your competitors not answering on their websites? Is there an entertaining angle or spin you can put on the content that’s already out there?
Creating this type of content will help you generate backlinks naturally.
It will also help your credibility when you reach out to influencers to do more direct link-building.
Link Building
1. Influencer Outreach
When you have created great content, it is time to reach out to influencers and ask them to link to it.
Make sure your content is relevant to the influencers’ interests and provides real value to their audience.
Keep your ask brief and respectful of the influencer’s time – after all, many of them receive hundreds of these types of pitches per day.
If you can, try to build a relationship with them before making the ask, for example, by interacting with them on social media.
If they recognize your name, they will be more likely to give you a shout-out and get you that link you are after.
2. Directory Submissions
Choosing a high-quality directory in your niche to submit your content to is a great way to generate high-quality backlinks.
This technique takes some time to deliver results, but they are usually very long-lasting.
Keep in mind that some directories are paid, while others are completely free.
3. Contribute as Guest Author
You can work with other bloggers to contribute to each other’s blog or try your hand at landing a guest author spot in one of the most popular sites in your niche.
The higher the ranking (that the blog is) you work with, the more “SEO juice” the backlink will carry.
4. Infographic/Image Submissions
You can share your images or infographics on some of the most popular image sharing sites like Slideshare or Infographic Reviews.
Make sure your images are properly optimized before submitting them. This includes optimizing their titles, descriptions, and tags.
5. Article Submissions
Submitting articles to major article submission sites could get you a good link or two.
6. Question and Answer Websites
If you are not answering your customers’ questions on Quora yet, it’s time to do so!
There are other question and answer websites out there as well, but Quora is one of the most popular sites and your best bet for getting started.
First, look up some of the most popular questions people in your niche are searching for.
Then, create content that answers these questions and post an in-depth answer – with a link to your blog, of course.
7. Social Media Engagement
Due to the traffic that major social media websites get, Google now considers them as having increased authority.
While most social media links are nofollow links, they still carry some SEO juice and should not be ignored in the link building process.
8. Social Bookmarking Sites
Social bookmarking sites help people organize and store bookmarks to online content.
Since these websites are updated very frequently, search engines tend to favor them.
Submit your content to sites like StumbleUpon and Digg to drive more traffic and easily improve your off-page SEO.
How Handmade SEO Can Help
Mastering off-page SEO techniques is by no means an easy job.
If you would like to learn more about the SEO strategies and techniques that would work best for YOUR website, check out our free Digital Marketing Assessment.
It includes a complete SEO audit of your site that will tell you exactly what you need to do to outrank your competition and land that coveted top spot in Google search results.
Did we mention it’s completely free?
