Off-Page SEO Elements for Optimum Web Presence
Many webmasters or site owners consider off page SEO as simply building backlinks. But, that perspective is a good bit archaic at best. Off-page SEO factors are defined as those ones that are out publisher’s direct control. Most search engines are using these ranking factors because they learned that depending on publisher-control signals do not always deliver the best results. The online world now also consists of many web pages that looking at on-page clues is no longer enough. Therefore, it is a must now to consider more signals to see and show the best pages for specific searches. For web owners, this means considering those off-page SEO factors that will make their web pages the best ones in their specific niche and searches.
What are these off-page SEO factors that you need to look at, integrate and improve, if needed?
The List of Top 10 Off-Page SEO Factors
1. Quality Backlinks
Quality backlinks are those earned by sites, and they can be acquired depending on three essential factors….
These are relevancy, trust and authority of the website. The combination of these three would always equal to a quality backlink. It is an essential factor because the larger the quantity of the quality backlinks you have, the better the site’s chances to benefit from improved ranking as well.
Quality backlinks can be achieved by ensuring one key factor, which is to create quality unique and engaging content. There are several means these backlinks can be achieved through creating a high quality content marketing strategy including website, apps, product reviews, guest blogging, testimonials, infographics and more.
2. Social Media Engagement
This strategy is a known activity or effort that contributes to generating brand awareness, resulting to directed traffic to a website. The end result is always boosted SEO. It is an off-page SEO factor that has to do with the algorithm. In fact, most researchers now are agreeing that Facebook “Likes” as well as other similar social signals are noticed by search engine algorithms and bots. It then contributes positive power to the site.
Hence, as one of the top off-page SEO factors, it is now important for web owners to have active social media accounts, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google +, that must be linked to your site through share buttons.
Another quick tip: Theme your profiles so that all include your logo, slogan or main keyword. Include LSI keywords in your social media content. Back this up my creating social bookmarking sites that contain links to these social discussions.
3. Local Exposure/Local SEO
Local SEO is especially vital for businesses that have an actual physical store, location or branch. It is also important to include in one’s internet marketing strategy considering that most search results now, both made from mobile devices and desktop, are influenced by location. Integrating local SEO to one’s marketing campaign has become more important than ever now that the searching landscape as well as the intent of searches is continuously changing.
Some other reasons that could prove the importance of local SEO as an off-page SEO factor is the fact that 97% of online users are looking for local services and goods over the web. A statement provided by gybo.com also states out of five searches, there is one search that is local. Make sure your local communities can find you!
4. Local Citation
Citation is the case when a particular brand or website is mentioned by at least two different sources. Currently, Google is evaluating citation to help in further improving the search’s quality. In this off-page SEO factor, it is included on the top list because local citation is one of the factors that contribute to local search visibility.
Today, experts believe that this factor is one of the key ranking factors contributing to local search. A greater number of local citations plus consistent NAP (Name, Address and Phone Number) may highly result to high local ranking.
The good thing about this factor is that your business may have already acquired citation even if it is not actively listed to any local directories yet. Such is easily achieved if you maintain accurate business information and consistent NAP.
5. Business Reviews
This is an important factor because it is one of those ways that helps in instilling trust and confidence in a brand. Aside from assisting in brand trust and confidence, it is also one of those key off-page SEO strategies that helps with conversion and serves as a vital local search ranking factor. One statement that would prove its importance is the survey conducted by BrightLocal in 2013. The survey showed that 79% of consumers do trust online reviews better than personal recommendations.
6. Title Tags
Title tags have long been a vital SEO factor, which remains the case up to this year. Being a relevant part of SEO campaigns, it is essential for web owners to create title tags that read like a headline in newspapers than just a simple cluster of keywords. To achieve newspaper headline-like title tags, being descriptive with it needs to be applied while also efficiently incorporating keywords.
7. Faster Load Times
Google has made a significant amount of effort in enabling faster load times in relation to search results. If that is the case, it only shows that web owners must also make the effort and investment to do the same. After all, faster load times have a significant impact on a site’s popularity, one you would ensure to maintain and even improve more. You can check your initial page load times via Pingdom.com for free.
8. Organic Link Building
The past 5 years showed a huge change concerning how links have been shared across the web as well as between sites. Google also made significant effort in preventing people from utilizing links in order to manipulate the algorithm to gain higher SERPs. Right now, it is still one of the top off-page SEO factors that must be applied in campaigns. But this time, it must be obtain organically to further benefit from them. This, web owners, can achieve by creating engaging and high quality content shared among interested people.
9. Mobile Responsiveness
Mobile media marketing and optimization has long been the talk of the SEO world, which now makes it not unusual to find it as one of the top off-page SEO factors. It is already important, but it becomes much so as the year 2015 began. So, if you want to secure your SEO ranking, it is best to start and have a prepared mobile marketing plan as soon as possible to increase your competing edge.
10. Web Presence
There was once a rumor that Google has factored in those sites that most people are frequently visiting in relation to SEO, but they deflected. But times have changed, and now, it may already be the case. Hence, if you want to ensure of your web presence and make it more engaging, you must make a way for it to be mentioned as well as linked to the major site players. Again, this factor also emphasizes the use of organic strategies to gain the best results – web recognition.
While the above top 10 off-page SEO factors have worked for us, there are many others that we employ. Be sure to check out our SEO and Online Marketing pages for more detailed information on increasing SERP results and long-term website traffic.
Perhaps, you’ve already taken care of your SEO campaign’s needs for on-page SEO factor integration needs. Now, it is time to take care of the off-page SEO factors integration. That’s how you can balance your site’s SEO needs while also ensuring greater ranking results.
