We covered the on-page factors that directly affect the ranking and performance of your website. However, there are several indirect factors to keep in mind that can greatly influence your digital marketing plan. Some marketers consider SEO off-page factors to revolve around backlinks, but these off-page factors include much more. For example, if you are optimizing your website and seeing minimal results, then SEO off-page elements favored by Google’s algorithms could be the answer to your problem. Here are several key off-page factors that can make a difference in your digital marketing plan:
Link Building: The Gold Standard of Off-Page Factors
Google said that backlinking is in the top 3 of their biggest ranking elements. Link building is considered to be the string that connects one website to another. Backlinking allows sites to endorse each other and connect with high-quality content. By linking to quality authority pages, you give Google the go-ahead to trust your site and potentially rank higher than you did before.
Keep in mind different links hold different values. See the questions below to get a better understanding of how Google assigns values to links:
- How authoritative and trustworthy are the linked sites?
- Are the links relevant to your brand, niche, and content?
- Do the anchor texts resonate with your brand, niche, and content?
- How good is the backlink profile you are linking to?
- How recent or dated is the link?
The focus of backlinking as an SEO off-page ingredient is quality rather than quantity. You can use online resources to determine the authoritativeness of a site to discern if it is valuable enough for you. Or, to save on time, you can seek out a trusted SEO and marketing agency that knows best how to source links that will bear results.
Social Media Marketing
Google reported that social media engagements, such as likes and comments, have no impact on rankings. Nevertheless, businesses can use social media to bolster their approachability and trustworthiness. This SEO off-page factor is achievable through:
- Creating content that has a friendly tone and letting your followers know when new content is available.
- Establishing a relationship by consistently replying to comments (not just copy-pasting a sales pitch) and thanking them for reading your content.
When you do this, they will perceive your brand as a community rather than a shop focused on driving sales. By focusing on link building and using these SEO off-page tactics, you can capture the attention of webmasters.
Marketers can also implement targeted social media campaigns where they can place a bid for their target audience. By targeting a specific group of individuals who can relate to their product or service, marketers can yield better results.
Calculated Brand Mentions
Google wants to make sure its results are valuable to the person searching. Brand mentions are an important SEO off-page factor as they allow Google to trust you as a distinct business. You can be seen as a solution to a particular problem users encounter. Brand mentions can appear in different locations, such as:
- Review sites
- Social media platforms
- Articles pertinent to guest blogging
- Journals and other related forums
As long as the context around these mentions remains positive, Google will take a liking to your page. A general sense of positivity shows that you take the time to respond to negative comments or reviews. By following up, you present yourself as a responsible and accountable brand. Keep in mind 76% of prospective customers trust online reviews as if they are recommendations from family members.
Besides written mentions, you could appear as a guest on a relatable podcast, or even be lucky enough to go viral and achieve immense SEO off-page success.
The environment surrounding mentions will help Google crawlers understand users’ thoughts regarding your brand, and this could be a gateway for better ranking.
Investing in YouTube
YouTube is the largest search engine, only second to Google. You can consider utilizing it as a tool to grow your brand. Growing on YouTube can be a challenge. However, you may have a slight advantage with a solid brand, social media presence, and the understanding of SEO on-page and off-page constraints. By researching video marketing tips, accessing equipment, and forming a team you too can start a branded YouTube channel.
Over time, your video content can accumulate view counts and comments. Viewers can turn into loyal subscribers that search for your helpful videos and branded keywords on Google.
Leveraging Local SEO
Did you know that people spend over 80% of their disposable income within 20 miles of their residence? Local SEO, which includes word of mouth, works great for businesses who capitalize on selling their products and services within the vicinity of their physical offices. Good examples of local businesses capitalizing on local SEO are medical offices and law firms as they promote their services to people within their community. As an SEO off-page factor, local SEO allows Google to determine how relevant you are to a user whose search includes their nearby locations. Some of the proven tactics to improve this SEO off-page element include:
- Adding the name of your neighborhood, city, town, zip code, and address to your content
- Link building to other local websites with high-quality content and authority
- Including product/service keywords in GMB business title
If done correctly, local SEO generates traffic that can easily turn into customers. Your customers can then leave positive reviews, which Google can use to rank your site higher than before. In addition, by ranking locally you potentially have the advantage to maintain a loyal relationship with your customers as long as you continue to serve them well.On-page factors are the heart of ranking, but SEO off-page elements supplement them to create more impactful ranking efforts. You should continue to build and monitor your brand’s reputation. From mastering the art of link building to leading a vibrant social media presence, you can indirectly influence the algorithms to rank in a higher position than you did before.