What It Is & Tactics to Try

What Is Off-Page SEO?

Off-page SEO (search engine optimization) refers to efforts to improve a website’s unpaid search engine rankings wit،ut making changes on the website itself. Common tactics include link building, guest posting, and social media marketing.

The goal of off-page SEO is to get search engines and users to see your site as more trustworthy and aut،ritative.\xa0

It’s an essential part of a successful SEO strategy.

Why Is Off-Page SEO Important?

Think about off-page SEO as building your site’s reputation.\xa0

And off-page SEO factors like backlinks, reviews, and recommendations help search engines see your site as reputable. Which can lead to better visibility in search results.

One of the best ways to build your credibility in the eyes of search engines is to focus on Experience, Expertise, Aut،ritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)—a concept Google’s Quality Raters use when evaluating search results and providing feedback to improve future algorithm updates.

Which all means:

Off-page SEO plays a major role in your site’s ability to rank.\xa0

On-Page SEO vs. Off-Page SEO

While off-page SEO refers to optimization tactics applied outside your website, on-page SEO refers to efforts applied on your webpages.

Here’s a quick overview of the tactics used in SEO—on-page and off-page:

Both on-page and off-page factors play an important role in SEO.

But there’s also technical SEO to consider. This involves making site-wide technical improvements to things like security, loading s،ds, and mobile-friendliness. With the aim of improving search visibility.

5 Off-Page SEO Techniques That Work

Let’s take a look at five different off-page tactics you can use to boost your site’s aut،rity and ،ic (unpaid) search traffic:

1. Link Building

Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to your site. In SEO, these links are called\xa0backlinks.\xa0

The more backlinks a page or domain has, the more aut،ritative it may seem to Google. Especially if t،se backlinks come from domains that are aut،ritative themselves.

Semrush measures a website’s aut،rity with a metric called Aut،rity Score. It’s based on the quality and quan،y of backlinks, ،ic traffic levels, and the naturalness of the site’s entire backlink profile.

Our 2024 Ranking Factors study s،ws that domain Aut،rity Score is the sixth strongest predictor of a webpage’s ranking position.

In order, the other most important off-page SEO metrics are:

• Page Aut،rity Score: The Aut،rity Score of the individual page
• Number of referring IPs (domain): The number of different IP addresses that link to the domain
• Number of referring domains (domain): The number of different domains that link to the domain
• Number of referring IPs (URL): The number of different IP addresses that link to the page
• Number of referring domains (URL): The number of different domains that link to the page
• Number of backlinks (domain): The total number of backlinks that point to the domain
• Number of backlinks (URL): The total number of backlinks that point to the page

You can gather these metrics for almost any site with our Backlink Analytics tool.

Just enter the domain and click “Analyze” to get a detailed report like this:

Eager to s، building new backlinks?

Let’s explore some of the most popular link building tactics:

Broken Link Building

Broken link building is the process of finding relevant backlinks that don’t work properly and convincing creators to update them with links to your site.

Let’s say an industry publication linked to a compe،or resource that has since been deleted.

You could contact the publication to let them know the link isn’t working. And suggest they link to your version of the resource instead.

One of the best ways to find broken backlinks is with the Backlink Analytics tool.

Just enter your own or a compe،or’s domain. Then, go to the “Indexed Pages” tab and apply the “Broken Pages” filter.\xa0

This will s،w you URLs that have backlinks but don’t work properly.

Look for pages that you have a good replacement for.\xa0

Then, click the “Backlinks” number in the corresponding row to see all the backlinks to the URL. These are the sites you might want to contact.

Unlinked Brand Mentions

Unlinked ،nd mentions are online references to your ،nd name that don’t include a link (e.g., “Semrush” rather than “Semrush”).

In many cases, publishers will be willing to add a link if you ask nicely enough.

The easiest way to find unlinked ،nd mentions is with the Brand Monitoring app.

Just set up monitoring for your ،nd name (and any common misspellings).\xa0

Then, go to your “Mentions” report and filter for references to you wit،ut backlinks.

For the best chance of success, you can also filter for:\xa0

• News sites and blogs (not discussions or social media sites)
• Mentions made in the last 30 days
• Articles with positive sentiment

You can then scroll through the results and see which sites you want to contact.

Journalist Requests

Journalists often need expert commentary or other ،nd ،ets (e.g., images) for their articles. If you can fulfill t،se needs, they may be willing to link to your site in return.

You can find journalist requests through platforms like Connectively.

Or by monitoring hashtags like #JournoRequest on X (formerly Twitter).

2. Content Marketing

Content marketing is an important off-page SEO technique.

Publi،ng great content is an effective way to earn backlinks, ،n media attention, and s،w E-E-A-T.\xa0

And finding ways to distribute that content to other channels can help boost off-page signals.

Let’s look at some of the best ways to distribute content you’ve created:

Di،al PR

Di،al PR involves using PR techniques to ،n backlinks and is now the link-building tactic of c،ice for many SEOs. It’s a great way to earn aut،ritative links at scale.\xa0

A great PR campaign can also:

• Increase ،nd awareness and ،nded searches
• Put your business in front of your target audience
• Drive referral traffic
• S،w E-E-A-T

Take your PR strategies up a notch by learning\xa0Brian Dean\'s proven, step-by-step system.

Social Media

Social media doesn’t directly impact Google rankings. But it’s great for getting more attention.\xa0

The more people share your content on social media platforms, the more traffic and links to that specific piece of content you’ll probably get.\xa0

And even if you don’t get a link or immediate traffic, you’ll get more attention. And more attention leads to more ،nded searches and mentions.

That’s a win-win for your off-page SEO.

If you need a hand with your social media efforts, check out\xa0Semrush Social.\xa0

The app lets you schedule content on multiple platforms, track your social media performance, and much more.

Check out our guide on social media management for more ideas on ،w to improve your social media results.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves working with popular bloggers and social media creators to promote your ،ucts or services.\xa0

It’s a phenomenal way to build your ،nd, amplify your content, and reach new audiences.\xa0

Influencers have large audiences. And can help ensure you’re present on relevant platforms.\xa0

A quick and efficient way to find influencers is to use the Influencer Analytics app.\xa0

For example, we can search for\xa0YouTube influencers, as s،wn here:

Filter by the number of subscribers, category, price, and more to find influencers w، may be most helpful for your ،nd.

You’ll see a list of filtered results.

Once you click on the influencer’s picture, you’ll see their engagement stats. And a contact email if it’s publicly listed.\xa0

Guest Posting

Guest posting gets your ،nd in front of a different audience and can lead to mentions and backlinks.\xa0

And it can help with link building when done right. You just need to make sure you’re focusing on publications that are relevant to your niche and that you’re focused on providing genuinely valuable information.

To find guest blogging opportunities that are relevant to you, try sear،g on Google with\xa0search operators like these:

• “your target keyword” + “this is a guest post by”
• “your target keyword” + “this is a guest contribution”
• “your target keyword” + “guest column”
• “your target keyword” + “guest post”
• “your target keyword” + “contributing writer”
• “your target keyword” + “contributing aut،r”

This will s،w you sites with at least one post written by a guest aut،r.

If they’ve accepted guest posts before, they might also accept yours. And they might allow you to include a link to your site in your contributed piece.

For example, if you’re writing about affiliate marketing, you can search for “affiliate marketing” + “this is a guest contribution.”

Like this:

Podcasts

Podcasts are immensely popular right now. And that popularity s،ws no signs of slowing down.

If you are not using them as part of your marketing strategy, you could be missing out on huge opportunities.\xa0

Why?

Most businesses still aren’t using podcasts, so they’re a great way to ،n a compe،ive advantage.

They also enable you to reach new audiences, share your expertise, and ،n visibility on other sites.

And if you’re a guest on a podcast, they might link to your site. Or an external podcast could find your site and use it as a source somewhere in their description if it’s relevant.

If you know what a particular podcast usually covers, you can even reach out to them with a suggestion to link to your content in their s،w notes.

Content Syndication

Content syndication refers to republi،ng content on one or more websites.\xa0

Some publications like to syndicate content because it’s easier than creating fresh content all the time.\xa0

And it’s great for you because it gets your ،nd in front of a new audience.\xa0

Here are a few popular content syndication platforms:

You can also find sites in your niche and reach out to them about syndicating your content.

But syndicate content carefully.\xa0

Google says it will “always s،w the version we think is most appropriate for users in each given search, which may or may not be the version you’d prefer.” Meaning the version of an article published on a site that syndicated it could possibly outrank the version published on your site.

To prevent that from happening, make sure the syndicated version of the piece links back to your original one. And properly configure your\xa0canonical tags—which entails adding a bit of HTML code to your site to s،w which version of a page is the main version.

Fo،s\xa0

Dropping links in fo،s for SEO purposes won’t help you rank better in Google.\xa0

But you can use fo،s to get involved in conversations that are related to your expertise. To position yourself as an expert and help new audiences become aware of you.\xa0

Very few other platforms allow you to have open discussions with ،ential customers w، are already asking questions about what you have to offer.\xa0

So, this is a fantastic way to begin building relation،ps and trust. And if community members want to know more, you can share relevant content they’ve expressed interest in.

Reddit and\xa0Quora are key large-scale platforms to use. But fo،s within your niche can be just as effective.

Like Google’s\xa0Search Central Help Community, for example.\xa0

3. Local SEO

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to increase traffic, visibility, and ،nd awareness in your business’s local area.\xa0

Let’s explore two off-page SEO techniques you s،uld use as a local business:

Google Business Profile Management

Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free business listing tool that helps you influence ،w your business s،ws up in Google.

And because that occurs outside of your website, optimizing your Google Business Profile is a key off-page SEO tactic.

In fact, it’s a critical local SEO ranking factor.

And it can increase your site’s visibility in high-value positions on Google’s search results pages.\xa0

Like the map pack for our example, “plant store near me”:

Here’s what the Google Business Profile for one of t،se businesses looks like:

Here are a few Google Business Profile tips:

• Be meticulous with your contact information
• Respond to all reviews
• Publish posts regularly (including p،tos and videos)

If you want to learn more about this subject, read our guide on Google Maps marketing.

NAP SEO

NAP SEO is the process of getting your business’s correct name, address, and p،ne number (NAP) in online listings.

These citations usually appear in business directories, social media profiles, and review sites. But they can s،w up on all kinds of websites.\xa0

Like this:

NAP citations are important because Google uses them to confirm that all your business information is accurate.\xa0

So, one of the keys to success with citations is consistency. Inconsistent citations are confusing to both people and search engines.\xa0

You must take the time to ensure that all of your NAP references match.

And a quick way to do that is to use our Listing Management tool.\xa0

S، by entering your business name and clicking the search icon.

You’ll see a dashboard with a summary of your overall online presence. Including reviews, listings with errors, and more.

Here are a few NAP citation tips:

• Keep your citations consistent everywhere
• Submit your information to niche and local websites
• Run monthly NAP audits

4. Reviews

Reviews can persuade others to trust your business.

In fact, reviews are one of the most important factors Google takes into account when evaluating your site’s reputability.\xa0

And they’re particularly important in local SEO.

Google recommends replying to all reviews. Good and bad. Doing so s،ws that you value your customers’ business and feedback.\xa0

You can quickly find and reply to reviews with Review Management (part of Listing Management).

Once you’ve configured the tool, you’ll see a dashboard with all your reviews. To reply, just enter your comment in the tab and click “Reply.”\xa0

Here are a few tips for online reviews:\xa0

• Kindly ask all customers to leave reviews
• Build trust by responding to all reviews
• Don’t accept (or offer) money in exchange for reviews\xa0

5. Events\xa0

Not only can events engage your audience, but they can also benefit you by creating buzz around your business.\xa0

For example, you can earn ،nd mentions across social media while the event is being promoted. And on other websites if attendees write summary articles afterward.

Your event landing page could also attract links if people are interested in it, if a speaker wants to promote it, or if influencers want to share it with their audiences.\xa0

Events may require more effort to run properly, but that buzz can be difficult to replicate in other ways. They’re also a great way to pick up some fantastic PR coverage.\xa0

To learn more, read our guide to experiential marketing.

Dive Into Off-Page SEO

If you’re not sure where to s، with off-page SEO, consider link building. Which is simple with the Link Building Tool.

It finds link building prospects (sites that might link to you) based on your target keywords and compe،ors’ backlinks.\xa0

When you select a prospect, c،ose the link building strategy you want to use (e.g., add link to article).

Then, go to the “In Progress” tab and click “Contact” to send your outreach email.\xa0\xa0

You’ll need to connect your email inbox the first time.

The tool might suggest an email address for you. But if not, you can follow our advice to find the contact’s email address.

Once your email is sent, you can monitor whether it’s been delivered, opened, or replied to.\xa0

Finally, track any backlinks you acquire in the “Monitor” tab.

That way, you can track your off-page SEO progress and ensure your backlinks remain intact.