On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO and Why You Need Both

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for any business advertising its services online. SEO involves adjusting your website to make it more user-friendly and thus more appealing to Google’s algorithm. When Google’s algorithm crawls your website, it will analyze pages to see how helpful they are to searchers. If the algorithm likes what it finds, it boosts your website higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). The goal of SEO is to get to the first page of Google search results when people search for keywords related to your business. To increase your chances of ranking that high, you’ll need to use both on-page and off-page SEO techniques. Let’s learn about on-page vs. off-page SEO and why you need both!

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO involves making changes to your website to optimize it for Google’s “crawler.” For instance, increasing your site’s loading speed and making it more mobile-friendly are examples of on-page SEO techniques. Here are other common SEO elements marketers like USA Link System add to websites to increase the chances of ranking higher:

Meta Descriptions

Have you ever read the two short lines of text that appear beneath links on SERPs to determine whether you should click on a site? If so, you were reading a meta description. Meta descriptions describe the purpose of a page, blog, or article. They often include keywords. Keywords are words or phrases people plug into search engines to find specific results, such as “inexpensive winter boots,” “eco-friendly businesses,” and “care tips for house plants.” SEO experts like our team members can research what keywords your target audience is searching for and incorporate them into your meta descriptions.

Alt Text

The alt text describes images when they do not load. This allows site users to understand images’ purpose without needing to see them. Alt text is another great place to plug in keywords. For instance, if your keyword is “lead generation” and you have a picture of a marketer on the phone, you might describe the image like this: a marketing expert uses outbound lead generation techniques by calling prospects.

Internal Links

Links are an important part of SEO. Internal links are especially important, as they increase the navigability and user-friendliness of your site. An internal link connects to another page or piece of content on your website. Say you’ve written a blog about the new winter coat styles in 2022. If you then linked back to your product page with your new line of winter coats, you’ve created an internal link. Internal links need to be strategic, so it’s better to let an expert like USA Link System determine how many you should have and where they should go.

What is Off-Page SEO?

Off-page SEO means promoting your website and content using tools like social media. The goal of off-page SEO techniques is to get noticed by other websites and influencers so they will mention your company and link to your content. When another company mentions you or links to your content (called a backlink), it increases your website's authority and credibility. The more quality backlinks and mentions you have, the more likely Google will rank your site higher on SERPs.

Is On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO More Important?

Both on-page and off-page SEO are important. One will not be as effective without the other, so it’s important to create a marketing strategy that includes both. SEO techniques are not easy to implement on your own, so you should hire professionals to assist you. If you make mistakes when trying to optimize your site, it can hurt rather than help your search engine ranking. That’s why we discourage DIY SEO.

Get the Best SEO Services With USA Link System!

Are you ready to rank your website higher on search engines? We’re ready to assist you. Our team of SEO experts has all of the latest tools and techniques to boost your search engine rankings. Contact USA Link System today for the best SEO services!