What Is Off-Page SEO? How To Do It & Strategies That Work

Updated by Chima Mmeje — April 4, 2025.

Off-page SEO (also called off-site SEO) includes actions taken outside your website to improve search rankings and influence how people discover and engage with your content. When combined with on-page SEO and technical SEO, it helps increase visibility, indexing, traffic, and conversions.

Common tactics for off-page SEO include earning brand mentions, building backlinks, and implementing a social media strategy. The goal is to establish a strong digital footprint that demonstrates why your site deserves to rank and attract visitors.

On-page SEO and off-page SEO are two essential components of a comprehensive search engine optimization strategy. 

On-page SEO focuses on optimizing a website’s content, structure, and HTML elements to improve search engine rankings. Conversely, off-page SEO involves actions outside a website to build authority, reputation, and visibility across the web.

On-page SEO includes techniques such as keyword optimization, meta tags, internal linking, and improving site speed. These efforts ensure that search engines can easily crawl and understand your content, leading to better rankings. 

On the other hand, off-page SEO techniques include earning backlinks from authoritative websites, gaining mentions and citations, and leveraging social media platforms to increase your online presence. 

The internet is a competitive space, and being discovered through search rankings, backlinks, or brand mentions is critical for visibility. 

A few reasons why off-page SEO is important for SEO include:

Links and mentions influence rankings

When a searcher looks for “wildflower meadow gardening ideas,” Google and Bing analyze which pages best match the query’s intent by assessing how many reputable sources link to or mention them. Studies show that 91% of web pages get no organic traffic, often due to a lack of backlinks. A well-planned link-building strategy improves rankings by earning high-quality citations.

An example of this can be seen in how HomesandGardens.com links to the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery. 

The nursery benefits from the authority of the linking site, increasing its chances of ranking for relevant terms. The link also exposes the nursery to a new audience, driving referral traffic and potential customers.

Off-page SEO influences your domain and page authority

Moz’s Domain Authority and Page Authority metrics help predict ranking potential based on a site’s backlink profile. 

While search engines do not disclose their exact ranking formula, a Moz study of search ranking factors found that sites with a better link profile performed better on Google SERPs. 

Off-page SEO efforts like acquiring high-quality links and brand mentions strengthen a website’s overall authority and help it compete in search results.

Improve E-E-A-T

Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines emphasize experience, expertise, authority, and trust (E-E-A-T) as crucial factors in evaluating content quality. Off-page SEO plays a vital role in enhancing these E-E-A-T signals through various tactics.

For example, participating in public speaking engagements or webinars showcases your expertise and authority within your industry, leading to increased trust from your audience. Guest blogging on authoritative websites not only earns valuable backlinks but also demonstrates your expertise and experience in the field.

Focusing on these off-page strategies can improve your website’s E-E-A-T signals, search engine rankings, and online reputation.

Off-page SEO involves strategies beyond your website that build credibility, improve rankings, and drive traffic. Below are the most effective tactics, broken down into actionable methods.

Content marketing

Content marketing is a crucial off-page SEO technique that involves creating and publishing high-quality, relevant, and valuable content to attract and engage a target audience. By publishing great content, businesses can earn backlinks, gain media attention, and demonstrate their expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

Effective content marketing can take many forms, including:

Guest posting

Guest posting allows you to share expertise with new audiences while earning backlinks from authoritative websites. When done right, it strengthens Brand Authority, builds relationships, and drives referral traffic.

To find guest posting opportunities, search for sites in your niche using Google search operators. For example, if you’re looking for physiotherapy guest post opportunities, you would search for:

• Physiotherapy guest post
• Physiotherapy write for us
• Guest post opportunities physiotherapy

To maximize the benefits of guest posting, target reputable sites that align with your brand's values and audience. Create engaging and informative articles that resonate with the host sites to increase visibility and credibility.

Webinars and podcasts

Speaking on industry podcasts or hosting webinars allows you to share expertise while earning brand mentions and backlinks. These formats reach engaged audiences, drive traffic, and increase visibility.

To maximize impact:

• Collaborate with industry experts to increase credibility
• Promote your sessions on social media and email to attract a larger audience
• Repurpose content into blog posts, infographics, or clips for additional reach

User-generated content (UGC) on forums like Reddit and Quora

Engaging in industry discussions on forums helps build authority while driving traffic to your website. Platforms like Reddit and Quora allow businesses to share insights, answer questions, and increase brand awareness.

Best practices for UGC include:

• Providing thoughtful, in-depth responses rather than self-promotion
• Linking to relevant resources where appropriate
• Engaging consistently to build a trusted presence

Repurposing content

Repurposing content allows you to expand your reach by adapting existing website content for different platforms.

To repurpose content effectively:

• Turn blog posts into YouTube videos: Summarize key points in an engaging format with visuals and narration.
• Create podcast episodes: Expand on blog topics with a podcast episode.
• Share bite-sized insights on social media: Convert key takeaways into Twitter threads, LinkedIn posts, or Instagram carousels.

Develop infographics or slideshows: Present data visually for platforms like LinkedIn.

For example, Moz turned this webinar with Mike King into a blog series and shared the key takeaways in a social media carousel shared on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Social media

Google will directly surface the latest tweets from brands and people within the organic SERPs for some navigational queries.

Meanwhile, Google also allows direct links to social platforms within the Google Business Profile listings of local businesses

And, of course, when your social media campaigns become popular and you earn a good amount of followers, your social profiles become a central off-page driver of brand awareness and traffic to your site.

Beyond using social profiles to build links to your own content, your off-page SEO efforts can get a real boost when influencers (people or brands that have developed a large amount of social media popularity) link to or mention your organization, members, or content.

In the following example, the influential brand, Patagonia, is linking to an institution that is holding a large-scale bird counting event. 

Patagonia’s willingness to share a third party’s content with their followers means they are sharing their influence with a third party, which can result in traffic, links, and increased brand awareness.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a powerful off-page SEO technique that promotes your brand and content by leveraging the reach and credibility of influencers within your industry. 

By partnering with influencers, you can tap into their established audience, earn social mentions, and gain backlinks from their platforms.

How to use influencer marketing for off-page SEO:

• Partner with niche influencers and industry thought leaders who have an engaged audience.
• Ask influencers to create product reviews, guest blog posts, or video testimonials linking back to your site.
• Use influencer endorsements to build trust and encourage organic shares and mentions.

Link building

Link building is a cornerstone of off-page SEO, vital for enhancing a website’s authority and search engine rankings. It involves acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own, which act as endorsements of your content’s credibility and relevance.

A few off-page link building strategies to implement include:

Digital PR

Digital PR involves earning media coverage through press releases, journalist outreach, and newsworthy content. Unlike traditional PR, digital PR focuses on gaining backlinks and brand mentions that enhance search rankings.

A few tips to implement successful digital PR campaigns include:

• Create data-driven reports, surveys, or studies that journalists find valuable
• Use tools like HARO to connect with reporters looking for expert quotes
• Engage in newsjacking by contributing timely insights on trending topics

Brand mentions

While links are a major focus in off-page SEO, unlinked brand mentions also contribute to search engine’s perception of your site’s reputation. 

Google’s John Mueller has stated that unlinked mentions don’t pass link equity, but Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines highlight citations and peer validation as indicators of credibility.

How brand mentions support off-page SEO:

• Signal credibility to search engines
• Reinforce a brand’s reputation
• Drive direct traffic and increase brand awareness

For example, even if Homes & Gardens had only mentioned Duchy of Cornwall Nursery without linking, the reference would still support the business’s reputation and search visibility.

To increase brand mentions:

• Build relationships with industry bloggers and influencers
• Monitor mentions using tools like Google Alerts
• Reach out to sites that mention your brand and request a link where appropriate

Broken link building

Broken link building is the process of finding inactive links on external sites and replacing them with relevant content from your website. This helps the website owner maintain a good user experience while earning you a high-quality backlink.

Steps to implement:

• Use tools like Moz Link Explorer to find broken links
• Contact the site owner and suggest replacing the broken link with your relevant resource
• Offer valuable content that seamlessly fits into their existing page

HARO and journalist requests

Platforms like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connect experts with journalists looking for credible sources. Responding to these queries can earn your website high-authority backlinks from news sites and publications.

Best practices include:

• Providing concise, well-researched answers with expert insights
• Being responsive and timely, as journalists work on tight deadlines
• Tracking your responses to build ongoing relationships with media outlets

Local SEO is the process of optimizing a website’s online presence to increase traffic, visibility, and brand awareness in a specific geographic region. This is particularly important for businesses that rely on local customers, such as restaurants, retail stores, and service providers.

Local SEO strategies to improve off-page include:

Local reviews

Customer reviews influence local search rankings and help establish trust with potential customers. Positive ratings on platforms like Google, Yelp, and industry-specific directories can improve visibility.

Strategies for generating local reviews:

• Ask satisfied customers to leave honest feedback
• Respond to both positive and negative reviews professionally
• Regularly update your review profiles to reflect recent feedback
• Use positive reviews in marketing materials to build credibility

Citations

Citations refer to online listings of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across directories. 

Consistent citations reinforce your legitimacy and improve Google’s local search rankings. Structured citations (Google, Yelp, Apple Maps) and unstructured citations (blogs, news sites) help strengthen visibility

A few ways to build local citations include:

• Ensure your NAP is consistent across all platforms
• List your business in relevant directories like Yelp, BBB, and industry-specific sites
• Use citation tools like Moz Local to track and manage listings

Google Business Profile

Optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most impactful ways to improve local SEO.

Steps for improvement:

• Keep business details accurate and up-to-date
• Upload high-quality photos showcasing your business
• Add relevant business categories to enhance search visibility
• Utilize Google Posts to share promotions or events
• Monitor insights to understand customer interactions and improve strategies
• Include a compelling business description with targeted keywords to improve search relevance

Event marketing

Event marketing is a dynamic off-page SEO strategy that involves promoting your brand through various events, whether online or in person.  Engaging in event marketing can amplify your off-page SEO efforts by driving traffic, increasing social media engagement, and improving your site's credibility to search engines.

Speaking engagements

Public speaking at industry events, conferences, and summits builds credibility and often results in high-value backlinks.

To maximize speaking engagements:

• Apply for panels, keynotes, or expert discussions to showcase your expertise
• Request event organizers to link to your website in promotional materials for increased visibility
• Prepare engaging presentations and materials to leave a lasting impression on the audience
• Network with other speakers and attendees to build valuable industry connections

Sponsorships and partnerships

Sponsoring events or partnering with organizations in your niche helps boost visibility while earning backlinks from event pages.

Effective strategies include:

• Sponsor industry-specific meetups, virtual conferences, or charity events to enhance brand visibility
• Collaborate with local organizations to gain mentions in press releases and community newsletters
• Leverage co-branding opportunities with complementary brands to expand your reach

Awards and industry recognition

Industry awards

Winning awards in your field enhances credibility and provides backlink opportunities from award pages.

Ways to leverage industry awards:

• Apply for relevant awards in your niche
• Feature awards prominently on your website and marketing materials
• Use press releases to announce achievements and gain backlinks
• Highlight award wins in email campaigns to showcase credibility

Featured lists and rankings

Securing a spot in "best of" lists and rankings can greatly amplify your visibility and establish your brand's credibility. These lists are often compiled by reputable industry websites or publications and serve as a trusted source of information for consumers seeking top providers in various fields.

To get featured:

• Identify industry websites that publish top provider lists
• Reach out to the content creators with valuable insights
• Ensure your online presence and reviews align with the selection criteria

Do you want to get better at doing off-page SEO? Check out this chapter in the Beginner’s Guide to SEO.

Off-page SEO is more than just backlinks. A well-rounded strategy includes brand mentions, influencer collaborations, local SEO, and content marketing to improve rankings and credibility.

Next steps:

• Use Moz’s Link Explorer to analyze your backlink profile.
• Explore guides on E-E-A-T and content marketing for deeper insights.
• Implement 2-3 off-page SEO strategies from this guide to improve your search visibility.

What is off-page SEO?

Off-page SEO is a strategy that involves actions taken outside of your website to improve your search engine rankings. This includes building backlinks, acquiring citations and social mentions, and fostering partnerships with authoritative websites. It enhances the perception of your site's expertise, trustworthiness, and relevance, helping you achieve higher visibility in search engine results.

How does off-page SEO impact rankings?

Off-page SEO signals, like backlinks and brand citations, help search engines assess a site's credibility and authority, which can improve rankings. Search engines use backlinks, citations, and mentions to gauge a site's relevance and quality. A website with high domain authority (DA) and quality backlinks is more likely to appear in search engine results for relevant queries.

What is an example of off-page SEO?

Earning backlinks from authoritative websites, getting brand mentions in news articles, and engaging in influencer marketing are all examples of off-page SEO

What is more important: on-page or off-page SEO?

Both are essential. On-page SEO ensures content is optimized for search engines, while off-page SEO builds trust and authority to improve rankings.

How can I earn backlinks to my site?

You can earn backlinks by creating high-quality, relevant content that others will want to link to, contributing to third-party publications, sponsoring events or organizations, and performing outreach to other sites for link-building opportunities. It's essential to focus on quality rather than quantity. The best links are from reputable, relevant sites.

How do I check my off-page SEO?

Use tools like Moz’s Link Explorer to analyze your backlink profile, monitor brand mentions with Google Alerts, and review citations with Moz Local.

• Backlink Basics - Moz Academy
• The Beginner's Guide to Link Building