Search engine optimization is important for the success of any online business. Every webmaster should understand what is SEO, how it works and the traffic potential it can generate for all website types. In this SEO guide you will learn: What is SEO? Why is SEO important? An introduction to SEO for beginners Best way […]
Like most things, the practice of content strategy has changed and evolved in the past decade. We currently live in a fast-paced world where people want short, quick information. Due to this, the practice of content strategy has had to evolve with the times, particularly with website content. According to an article from the Nielsen […]
1) Your design is outdated. It’s an unfortunate truth, but we all judge books by their covers. On his blog “Social Triggers,” Derek Halpern shared a fascinating study that backs up the impact a site’s design can have on its perceived trustworthiness. In the study, psychologist and researcher Dr. Elizabeth Sillence asked participants to review websites on the subject of […]
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To put it simply, off-site SEO is just as important as on-site SEO.
But when most people think of SEO, their mind usually wanders to on-site blog content, keywords, meta tags, etc.
While on-site factors certainly do contribute to your site’s SEO, it’s important to remember that not all SEO is performed on-site.
In fact, there are a number of things you need to be doing off-page to help you get the best possible rankings in search engine results pages. (SERPs)
In the following article, we’re going to cover some of the most effective off-site ways to improve your business’ SEO ranking.
Google actively rewards websites and businesses that hold sterling online reputations.
Therefore, the more positive reviews your business has on sites such as Google+, Yelp, and Facebook, the higher your local rankings will be.
In essence, sites with higher ratings are seen by Google as being reliable and trustworthy sources. Therefore giving them a better organic search position.
Having great reviews can help your local SEO in a few ways.
For example, Google pulls review information directly from Google+. So if your Google+ business page has more than 6 reviews. Then, your search results will feature stars that indicate your average review score.
These stars may not seem like much. But they can easily differentiate you from any competition that doesn’t have any reviews. Just check out how much more appealing Morley Butchers looks on Google with the star rating underneath their name.
Additionally, the more reviews you have from 3rd-party sites, such as Yelp, the higher you’ll appear in the results. After all, what looks better for your business when people find you online than a long list of positive reviews from happy customers?
To take full advantage of this, try to keep a review profile on all sites that are applicable to your business.
All local businesses should have at least a Facebook business page, a Yelp profile, and a Google+ page. Then if there are other specific directories that apply, add them as well.
For example, it’s a good idea for businesses that provide a service to list themselves on sites such as Angie’s List. Whereas doctors and healthcare providers should be listed on HealthGrades.
Learn more about improving your Google+ reviews here.
Google doesn’t actually know everything.
Big surprise, right?
However, it is very good at collecting and compiling information from all over the internet. And there are countless online directories that it scans to collect its information.
So if your business’ information isn’t up-to-date on these directory websites, it could affect your SERPs ranking.
Sadly, keeping track of these directories is pretty much impossible.
Fortunately, there are all sorts of directory management tools that can help you track, monitor, and update all of these directories at once.
For example, Yext is a powerful directory management tool that helps you manage multiple locations. This means your listing will always get seen by internet users looking for a location nearest them.
Most small businesses overlook the benefits of holding active accounts on all social media platforms. But promoting your brand online, especially on social media is vital if you want to grow your audience and reach out to new customers.
Essentially, the more pages your business has, the more pages there are that could show up in the search engine results.
Therefore, it’s important to keep active on all your social media accounts.
One good tip to help you build up your off-site SEO is to ensure that each social media profile you hold links back to your website.
Of course, every blog post you create should always be promoted across all social platforms.
Just keep in mind that these “backlinks” aren’t counted on their own. Instead, they are usually rated by their domain instead. So don’t think that posting about your recent blog post on Facebook will improve your SEO.
But still, these types of posts still make your website’s content more accessible to your potential audience. So even though posting on social media doesn’t directly improve your site’s SEO, it’s still vital if you want to generate traffic.
Read more about social media marketing here: https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/successful-social-media-marketing/
Links are one of the most important factors Google uses to rank your website. And the more backlinks there are pointing to your site, the more reputable it will look to Google.
An excellent method for securing backlinks is by creating guest posts on other reputable blog websites.
These guest posts usually contain a link that re-directs its reader back to your website.
There are many blogs, in practically all sectors of industry, that accept guest posts.
Just search for blogs in your industry that accept guest posts. Then reach out to see if they’ll allow you to write a post for them.
It might seem a bit nerve-wracking to reach out to other blog owners, but backlinking via guest posting is an SEO method that works for both parties involved.
For you, you gain a valuable backlink, providing your website with a source of traffic. And for the blog owner, they get a blog post written for free, that will help them keep their readers informed and engaged.
Another excellent strategy is to identify which sites your competition is backlinking from.
Tools such as Ahrefs can help you find your competitors’ backlinks. Once you’ve identified these sites, they should become your targets to try and obtain backlinks on.
Even if you feel like your site isn’t good enough, it’s still worth asking.
After all, you’ll never know if you don’t ask, right?
In the end, it’s important to remember that not all SEO is performed directly on your website’s posts and pages. And in fact, off-site SEO is just as important as your on-site SEO.
So by focusing on improving your online reviews, making sure your online info is up-to-date, promoting your brand on social media, and building up your website’s backlink profile, you’ll be well on your way to growing your online audience in 2019.
To learn more about how off-site SEO can help you grow your business, get in touch with The Hobo Marketing Company for a free consultation.
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