Encouraging customers to write positive reviews on Yelp and other websites is actually quite simple. It starts with selling a great product and being the best at customer service — two things we’ve already covered. You can also take the extra step of asking customers for feedback. Put Yelp buttons on your website and in follow-up emails for purchases. Also make sure you’ve made profiles for your business on Yelp, Angie’s List and other relevant online directory sites.
5. Start a Blog
Blogging is unique on this list because it’s beneficial for both on- and off-site SEO. Google’s algorithm loves websites that are regularly refreshed with unique, high-quality content. Well-written blogs do this well. In addition, blog posts that are helpful, informative or simply entertaining are great for sharing on social media and industry-specific websites and forums; they also provide substance for email campaigns to reconnect with customers. All of this is helpful for off-site SEO.
Make sure to update your blog on a regular basis — nobody likes a blog that’s gone stale. Experiment with different types of content, too. Create short how-to guides, post about community involvement or share your thoughts on an infographic from a relevant trade publication. The possibilities are endless.
6. Get Active on Social Media
Social media isn’t just a fad. Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms have become interwoven in our lives. In fact, a Pew Research Center study from 2013 to 2014 found more than half of internet users had profiles on at least two social media platforms. In addition, 70 percent of Facebook users check their feeds daily, the study found.
This means your customers are most likely using social media. You should be, too. Focus your social media efforts on just one or two platforms (you can’t go wrong with Facebook). Don’t hesitate to interact with commenters, and be proactive about addressing complaints. Post regular updates that show the human side of your business. Share your videos and blog posts. You can even hold social media contests to build your followers and expand your reach. All these things can help drive interest and help your off-site SEO.
7. Produce YouTube Videos
You don’t need to be a professional videographer to reap the benefits of YouTube. What’s more important is creating videos that are valuable to your customers. Think in terms of guides, tutorials or demonstrations of your newest products.
Videos are the most engaging types of content online. You can share your videos on your website, your blog and on social media. Chances are, others will share them, too.
8. Volunteer in Your Community
Good things happen when businesses get involved in their communities. They get local media coverage, social media mentions and great material for their blogs and marketing campaigns. People often notice when businesses get involved, leading to generous bumps in word-of-mouth publicity.
Don’t wait around for the perfect community event. Take the initiative and start your own! This is the best way to guarantee the coverage and mentions that generate positive off-site SEO signals. Think of how your business benefits your community and build an event around that.
Conclusion
Off-site SEO is critical to your overall marketing strategy. Yes, it’s important to have clear meta tags and headers that match your primary keywords – but all those webpage optimization tactics are more likely to impress bots than actual humans. A concerted effort to boost your off-site SEO will eventually lead to higher-quality inbound links and better brand recognition, producing a plethora of digital signals that establish your website as unique, valuable and credible. That can have a profoundly positive impact on your website’s search rankings.
Want more tips to improve your SEO? Click here to grab a copy of our Ultimate SEO Checklist.
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