5 Off-Page SEO Factors That Will Boost Your Small Business Rankings
off-page seo 101 for your small biz
In my last blog post, I talked about on-page SEO, one of the four major components of search engine optimization. In this post, I will dive into the next component, off-page SEO.
Off-page SEO is the content outside your website that helps boost its search engine rankings. Like on-page SEO, off-page SEO contains many factors that determine how search engines like Google pick up and rank your website. However, while it may sound daunting (especially for those who consider themselves non-tech savvy), incorporating and improving it is much easier than you may think.
Here are five off-page SEO factors that will boost your small business website that you can incorporate on your own, starting today:
Local SEO
Local SEO helps small businesses become more visible in the search engine results for their particular geographic area. By taking the proper steps to boost your local SEO, you also help to boost your business's visibility, brand awareness, and website traffic. Local SEO is a gold mine for small businesses with brick-and-mortar locations or whose services primarily focus on serving their local community.
How do you incorporate local SEO into your website?
Local SEO is much easier to incorporate than most think. One of the most important and easy ways to do so is by creating a Google Business Profile complete with your small business information. You can also help boost your local SEO by using local keywords in your website, creating quality content just for your local audience, and optimizing your website images. However, those are just a few of the ways. To learn other easy ways to include local SEO in your small business website, see my blog post with 8 tips for boosting your local SEO.
Off-page SEO is the content outside your website that helps boost its search engine rankings.
2. Social Media Content
Almost all businesses have a social media presence these days. But if boosting your SEO is your goal, you'll want to ensure your social media profile and pages are complete with your contact information and that you consistently deliver quality content.
Social media engagement is one of the most important off-page SEO factors. The more current, complete, and engaging your social media profiles are, the more likely it is to be picked up by search engines. A social media account with high engagement and social shares is a high indicator of quality content, so sites such as Google are more inclined to add it to their rankings.
How do you use social media to engage your audience?
Consistency is key if you have a social media profile for your business. Even if you can't post every single day, being consistent with the times that you post will help to keep your audience engaged. Additionally, encourage your followers to like and share the content that they find helpful.
But again, it is the quality content that will keep them coming back. My guide with 10 ways to create great content shares several tips and ideas to ensure that your small business social media content is informative, fun, and consistent so that your audience will feel compelled to engage (hence boosting your SEO)!
3. Reviews
Reviews are an important off-page SEO factor with a double benefit in that they can also help boost your local SEO. Not only are they essential for building credibility and trust among current and potential customers, but the positive ones show search engines that your small business is relevant enough to gain a place in its rankings. Website reviews also encourage users to explore your website further, improving its click-through and conversion rates.
What is the best way to ask for reviews?
If your reviews aren't coming in automatically, you may need to kindly give your customers a nudge to leave an honest review on your website. Offering a small gift in return, such as a discount coupon for their next purchase or appointment, may entice them even more. Never pay for reviews, or accept money in exchange for reviews.
Once the reviews start rolling in, make sure to respond to them, whether they are positive or negative. Doing so will build trust among your customers and those who may use your reviews as a deciding factor for using your business.
4. Backlinks
Also known as the process of "link-building," backlinks are the links from other websites that link to pages on your website (as you will see me do a couple of times in this paragraph). When a high-authority website links back to your website, it shows search engines that it is valuable and will boost your rankings. However, low-authority websites also increase your website visibility and click-through rates. SEMRush.com has an excellent Backlinks Analytics Tool to help you see where a website lands on the authority scale.
How can I build quality backlinks to my site?
Unlike internal links, when it comes to backlinks, you depend on other websites and business owners to link to your content. Here are a few ways you can make sure that your website is attractive enough to be included on someone else's site and shared in the appropriate context:
Regularly engage with high-quality websites and influencers to build a rapport and show them how your content can be valuable to their website.
Ensure that the websites that link back to your website are relevant to your brand and your products or services.
If your site appears as a backlink, check to make sure that it is used in the proper context and cited correctly.
5. Events
Event marketing is a fun and effective way for small businesses to engage and connect with their local community while gaining exposure, positioning themselves as experts, and paving the way for new customers or partners. It is also one of the factors that contribute to off-page SEO.
In addition to the in-person benefits of events, they also offer online benefits such as drawing people back to your website via the event landing page, social media engagement via event posts, shares, and likes, and brand mentions via hashtags. When done correctly, the above can do wonders for your off-page SEO.
How do I plan an event for my small business?
While event marketing can be highly beneficial to your small business, it takes time, energy, and strategizing to do it correctly. Hosting a successful event involves:
Doing the proper research to learn more about your audience.
Getting all of the many moving pieces organized and coordinated.
Using your marketing resources wisely.
Doing the appropriate follow-up after the event.
Check out my post on event marketing for small businesses to dive into the recommended steps for planning your first event.
As you can see, SEO isn't something to brush off if you want to see your small business website at the top of the search engine listings. To learn how LMR Consulting can help you improve your small business SEO, contact us to set up a free 30-minute consultation.