Off-page search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most crucial factors of a successful digital marketing strategy. This powerful SEO technique can help increase your website’s ranking on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). 

Off-page SEO goes deeper than just using high authoritative links to increase brand visibility, awareness, and search traffic. For instance, brand mentions are also an essential part of your off-page SEO strategy as Google considers them as positive trust signals and affirmation of your brand's authority.

In this post, we have rounded up the ins and outs of an effective off-page SEO so you will have a clear and better understanding of it, its importance in online marketing, and the different activities that show Google and other search engines have a trustworthy and authoritative website. Read on and discover the techniques used by successful digital marketing companies in Toronto and across Canada on how to stand out from your competitors in the SERPs and drive sales growth to your digital space in 2021.

Effective Off-Page SEO Techniques in 2021

Off-page SEO is a hypernym for indirect SEO-related tactics or actions done off your website to boost your search engine rankings. While many think that off-page SEO is just about building backlinks, it also has other activities that do not involve doing any changes or publishing content on your website but can last for many years and continue to increase the domain ratings of your website in the search engine's eye. 

These activities include:

• Link Building - Considered as the backbone of any off-page SEO strategy, link building uses links from high-quality websites to help to build the authority of your business online. Link building is all about quality over quantity and understanding the link gap between your website and your competitors. 

• Guest Blogging - Using guest blogging as one of your techniques benefits both link building and reputation building. It helps you get relevant website traffic and increases your online authority, as well. It works by reaching out to reputable bloggers belonging to the same niche as yours and contributing to their website in exchange for a backlink. For instance, if you are running a security guard training business, being featured on a website of a popular Ontario security license can help boost the reputation of your brand. 

• Influencer Marketing - Also known as influencer outreach, this type of off-page SEO technique is almost similar to guest blogging, only that you collaborate with popular influencers instead of bloggers to promote your business on digital platforms in exchange for money or by offering your products or services for free. Paying online influencers to mention your brand or share your content on their social media accounts has the same effects on SEO as other reputation drivers.

• Setting Up Social Media and Director Profiles - Creating a business directory and social media profiles on authoritative sites can help boost the online presence of your business. This off-page SEO strategy also shows Google and other major search engines that you have a legitimate business with a strong web presence. Moreover, you can link back your business profiles to your website and build your backlink portfolio. If you are running a brick-and-mortar business, setting up a Google My Business page makes your brand appear as a rich result in the SERPs. Make sure to include the name, address, and phone number (NAP) of your business to ensure that your ideal clients can easily contact you when they need your product and/or services. 

• Content Marketing/Distribution Strategy - This off-page SEO technique involves proper planning and execution to effectively market your content. It includes regular publication of content, social media sharing, and using relevant hashtags related to your content. 

• Podcasts - Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular, gaining more audiences who do not have time to read blogs or watch videos. This strategy is a highly effective way to reach new potential clients, show your expertise, and increase search engine visibility. If you are not using podcasts as part of your strategy, then your business could be missing out on huge opportunities.

• Encourage Your Customers to Write Reviews - Your online reputation can make or break your ability to attract new clients. Studies reported that online reviews have a significant impact on customers' buying decisions. Unfortunately, this off-page SEO strategy is massively underrated. As TrustPilot says, "Perhaps the most underrated benefit of collecting reviews is that, when implemented properly, reviews can help Google better understand your site. The common understanding is that Google uses them to derive brand signals, which can boost your site’s domain authority and eventually your position in search." Having great reviews on your website and third-party platforms helps position your business as a brand, as well as increase conversion and establish trust.

• Uploading Videos on YouTube - Creating and uploading video content on trending topics relevant to your business is another effective off-page SEO tactic you should never miss. Make sure to take some time to conduct thorough research on what your target audience is searching online and analyze your competitors what type of videos they create to bring in more audience. 

• Broken Link Acquisition - Finding sites with broken links opens up your business to many link-building opportunities Some websites link to pages that have been removed or taken down later. This presents you with an opportunity to replace the broken link on their website. Use the Check My Links tool to find sites relevant to your industry with broken links. If you discover a broken link leading to a resource on your site, make sure to notify them of the broken links. 

When working on your off-page SEO strategy, patience is always the key. These tactics do not work overnight and often require time, effort, and expertise. Sometimes, hiring a reputable Toronto or Vancouver SEO company can help you manage your website and SEO campaign while you focus on other important aspects of running your business.

We hope that this short blog provided some helpful insights on off-page SEO strategies. If you have more tips in mind, do not hesitate to share them with us in the comments.