SEO Beyond Your Website: Off-Page Strategies
The fine-tuning of keywords and page content is just one piece of SEO. Sometimes it helps to step back and look at the big picture. Getting better search engine results is a whole lot more than what happens inside your website. Here's what you can do outside of your site to improve your rankings.
Inbound Links: Your Likeability Factor
Inbound links are links to your site from other websites — a local chamber of commerce, an industry-related site, a supplier, a blog you've contributed to. The more quality inbound links pointing to your site, the more search engines favor you. Think of it as a likeability factor: the more other websites "like" you enough to link to you, the more Google likes you too.
Ways to improve your likeability factor:
- Get listed in directories and local listings
- Comment genuinely on industry blogs
- Write guest posts for other sites in your field
- Participate in community and industry sites
For a deeper look at building smart inbound links, see Inbound Links: Building Your Website's Authority.
Socialize — But Make It a Conversation
Online socializing has become a significant SEO factor — not because Google directly counts social shares, but because active social presence amplifies your content and generates the links and mentions that do count. LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook — all are great ways to share valuable information related to your business and have real conversations with your audience.
The key word is conversations. Don't just broadcast information at people. Think of it like attending a party: we enjoy socializing with people who are genuinely interested in us, not just talking about themselves. Engage, respond, ask questions. That's what builds the kind of following that eventually links to your site.
Network, Present, Volunteer
This one surprises people: showing up in the physical world (or in live virtual events) drives SEO. As your name gets out there, more people search for you, visit your site, and link to your content. The chamber of commerce, industry meetups, professional organizations, speaking opportunities — all of these build the offline reputation that translates online.
A personal note: I do better when I'm helping put an event together, speaking, or volunteering for a specific task than when I'm just "showing up to network." Find the version of networking that works for you — the one that feels like participation rather than obligation. You'll be more effective and you'll actually enjoy it.
Online Newsletters
An email newsletter does double duty: it keeps you in regular contact with existing clients and drives traffic back to your website every time you send one. Each edition is an opportunity to link to your latest content, services, or resources. Consistent newsletters build the kind of engaged audience that visits your site repeatedly — and repeat visitors are a positive signal to search engines.
Build Authority by Sharing Your Expertise
Becoming known as the expert in your field is one of the most powerful long-term SEO strategies available. Are you an accountant? Share tax-saving tips. A web designer? Explain what makes a website actually perform. A photographer? Walk people through your process. The knowledge you have that others want to know is more than you think — share it freely.
Share offline through networking, presenting, and volunteering. Share online through blogging, guest posts, interviews, podcasts, and video. Every piece of content that demonstrates your expertise creates another opportunity to be found, linked to, and trusted.