Off-page SEO is probably one of the most confusing yet important parts of a digital marketing strategy. 

The more you research, the more confused you will get. Google recommends that you only focus on creating high-quality content and acquiring backlinks naturally. But when you check the backlinks of any high-ranking website, you will find in-organic backlinks. 

In a nutshell, off-page SEO is all about acquiring backlinks.

And because backlinks play a pivotal role in the rankings of your website, they are an essential factor that you cannot overlook. 

Here is what Google’s John Mueller said about the importance of backlinks:

But lately, Google rarely discusses Off-Page SEO, and when they do, they only share guidelines on what not to do. 

It is understandable why so many beginners get confused about Off-page SEO. Let us help you by giving some clarity. 

What Is Off-Page SEO?

Off-Page SEO refers to any and all activities you do outside of your website to positively impact your website’s authority and improve the rankings within search engine results pages (SERPs).

There is a general consensus in all major marketing and website optimisation communities that backlinks play a vital role in a website’s ability to rank. 

What Is The Difference Between On-Page SEO And Off-Page SEO?

On-Page SEO refers to optimisation tasks that you perform on your website for improved rankings and visibility. On the other hand, Off-Page SEO refers to promotional activity outside the website, including guest posts, directory submission, bookmarking, social sharing, and pdf sharing on other websites.

Even though the primary goal of both On-Page & Off-Page SEO is to improve the website’s organic ranking along with other SEO metrics, they are completely different. 

Check out the image below for a better understanding:

Different Types Of Backlinks

While most types of backlinks help your website rank higher and get more organic traffic, a few can negatively affect your website. Let’s briefly discuss the 10 types of backlinks:

Editorial Backlinks

You get editorial backlinks when a reputed website cites your content as the source of information. 

Guest Blogging Backlinks

There are quite a few websites that allow you to contribute content or guest posts in return for a do-follow or no-follow backlink.

Webinar Backlinks

Websites often include webinars along with a link and mention of the brand to provide additional information to their users. 

Free Tool Backlinks

Creating a free tool is probably the most effective and efficient way to acquire backlinks organically. Create a free but useful tool and promote it to a similar audience to your own to get free tool backlinks. 

Acknowledgement Backlinks

Some websites publish acknowledgements when a brand helps them in their endeavour. For example, when you make a donation or sponsor an event. A simple backlink analysis of your competitors can help you in finding opportunities for creating acknowledgement backlinks. 

Guest Post Bio Backlinks

Some websites accept guest posts, but they do not allow backlinks within the content. They usually offer a backlink in the author bio section. 

Badge Backlinks

It is a creative but unpopular way to acquire backlinks organically. If you are an authority in your niche, you can create a badge to recognise smaller websites in your niche. For example, if you are a thought leader in food reviews, you can create a badge for up-and-coming food bloggers. When these bloggers use the badge on their website, you can ask for a backlink. 

Press Release Backlinks

Publishing newsworthy announcements and putting out a press release can help in acquiring press release backlinks. 

Comment Backlinks

Publishing genuine and relevant comments with a backlink to your website is a great way to add variety to your backlink profile. Make sure you add value with your comment and do not spam.

Profile Creation

Creating profiles on platforms that offer a do-follow or no-follow backlink is also a safe way to acquire backlinks. 

Off-Page SEO is useful for promoting your website and increasing your organic traffic, earnings, domain authority, page authority and rankings. Make sure you create and follow an off-page seo strategy as it ensures you are always on track.