SEO: The importance of off-page optimization.
In our last post, we talked about the importance of on-page search engine optimization (SEO), or the elements applied to your website’s front end content and back end code to improve its findability. In this article, we discuss off-page SEO — the marketing factors that play into findability improvements. Let’s get started.
What is off-page SEO?
Off-page SEO are the promotional tasks and campaigns executed to improve a site’s organic search results. Off-page SEO helps you market your website and build brand awareness.
An often forgotten but important element to building a successful off-page SEO program is the creation of an editorial and scheduling calendar. Editorial calendars help ensure you consistently post relevant, quality content (think blogs & social media) and meet your promotional marketing schedules.
Off-page SEO elements
Listed below are the promotional techniques that you should consider when developing your off-page SEO plan.
Blogging
Creating a blog on your site is an excellent way to strut your stuff and build authority. Blogging is a fantastic way to get your employees to participate in promoting your business by sharing their knowledge and expertise. Blogging can also provide the content you need for a successful social media program. Two essential elements to blogging are one, consistency — if one blog post per month is all you can handle, then schedule that. One post each month is more meaningful and keeps your target audience engaged and interested in what you have to say than posting sporadically. And two, sharing your posts. Sharing is especially important when you first start blogging — if no one knows about your posts, they won’t be read and shared. A simple email message to your customer and prospect database is the perfect way to spread the word. Also, mentioning a new blog post on your social media channels will help to broaden your reach.
Social media
It’s time to get social, but only on the channels your customers and prospects participate (and contrary to some popular belief within industrial markets, your customer base does use social media). Social media is about forming relationships with your target audience by engaging them in two-way conversations — it is also an excellent way to share your content. Channels could include Google+ (which is also very helpful in improving your Google page rank), LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Photo sites like Instagram or Pinterest are excellent sites to showcase your products and services, company functions, and employees.
Link building
One of the best ways to improve your ranking is through high-quality link building. Link building should be a deliberate practice — it is always better to have a few links to reputable, authoritative sites than many links to sites that have nothing to do with your business. For industrial companies, reputable and authoritative sites would include suppliers’, distributors’, manufacturers’, and industry relevant online publications and associations.
Participating in industry forums and groups
Commenting and contributing to the conversation in industry groups and forums showcases your expertise, helps build your authority and establishes your company as industry experts. For example, if you are in the pump industry, you can join a pump group on LinkedIn.
Sitemap Submission
You always want to submit a sitemap to all search engines, and any time that you add web pages, your sitemap must be updated. Sitemaps tell search engines how to navigate your site to improve indexing, which in turn, can improve search engine page rankings. Most content management systems, like WordPress, have plugins that can automatically do this for you.
Local SEO
If your business depends on local customers, this should be on top of your list. Local SEO provides search results that are relevant to a searcher’s current location. You should claim your Google Places for Business page, complete all necessary information, and then link your Google Places page to your Google+ Local Page. One important factor to remember when submitting company information to Google is consistency. Choose an NAP (name, address, phone number) format and stick with it — search engines get confused when your listings are not consistent.
Directory submissions
Directory submissions can be free or paid, but you should focus only on submitting information to directories that are relevant to your business. Like local SEO, NAP consistency is important.
Press release promotion
Press releases are an excellent way to share broadly company information and product and service news. There are many press release submission sites, but don’t forget about industry association and publication sites. These sites typically better target the audiences that are important to your business.
Need help with any of the above off-page SEO elements? Give us a call, 360.834.2780, or send us an email, info@pumpmarketingsolutions.com — we’d love to help.