![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/man-frustrated-with-computer-800px.jpg\")
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You and your website are in a serious relationship \u2014 even if you don\u2019t know it. And relationships are work. Every move you make on your site has an impact on its rankings and your business. So you owe it to your website to be fully engaged.<\/p>\n
Although many websites are feeling the impact of COVID-19 on their traffic, there are other reasons sites aren\u2019t getting organic traffic. Here\u2019s what you can do about it.<\/p>\n
Are you \u201ccasually\u201d doing on-page SEO? Here\u2019s a reality check: You don\u2019t have to go all-in, but you do have to be least imperfect compared with the competition.<\/p>\n
There are lots of things you can do to improve on-page SEO (content is No. 1, but we\u2019ll discuss that later). But here are some things you should do every time:<\/p>\n
Something\u2019s not quite right with your off-page SEO, and you may or may not know it. This can negatively impact your rankings.<\/p>\n
SEO 101: Identify and resolve server issues quickly. Use a server tool<\/a> like ours or check out Google\u2019s tools<\/a> to identify things like server error codes. And don\u2019t forget to set up a custom 404 error page. (Got a Microsoft IIS server? See this post<\/a>.)<\/p>\n And if you are not running with HTTP\/2, you have really missed the speed boat. Do this now if not already done (free test here<\/a>).<\/p>\n When Google said<\/a> its AI-powered RankBrain was among the top three signals in its algorithm, people got confused. There are no specific RankBrain SEO<\/a> ranking factors, per se. In many cases, it\u2019s business as usual.<\/p>\n But business \u201cas usual\u201d doesn\u2019t mean \u201cdo nothing.\u201d RankBrain is a search result relevant to steroids.<\/p>\n Its purpose is to better understand the meaning of content and the intent behind a search query. For a query, RankBrain determines if users click on shopping or informational sites more and then biases the results towards those preferred types of sites. In other words, it has become difficult for a shopping site to rank for an informational query. Once RankBrain better understands intent, it can apply the Google algorithm signals that deserve the most weight for that query.<\/p>\n That said, content is still the primary focus. Understanding the intent behind queries and delivering on that with our content is critical. Looking at our content from not just a page level but a site level is mandatory.<\/p>\n Experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Four words that have big implications for how Google assesses and IMO ranks our websites.<\/p>\n Google is not shy about giving clues on how it assesses E-E-A-T, but much of it is still misunderstood. What we do know is that content and trust are integral. Here are some things to know …<\/p>\n Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any of the other factors discussed here. Users know good content when they see it and will likely want to direct other users to it. This could be through blog posts, social media services, email, forums, or other means. Organic or word-of-mouth buzz is what helps build your site’s reputation with both users and Google, and it rarely comes without quality content.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u2013Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Expertise and authoritativeness of a site increases its quality. Be sure that content on your site is created or edited by people with expertise in the topic. For example, providing expert or experienced sources can help users understand articles\u2019 expertise. Representing well-established consensus in pages on scientific topics is a good practice if such consensus exists.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u2013Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n What does it mean to have a trustworthy site? In its SEO Starter Guide, Google opines:<\/p>\n Users feel comfortable visiting your site if they feel that it’s trustworthy. A site with a good reputation is trustworthy. Cultivate a reputation for expertise and trustworthiness in a specific area.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Provide information about who publishes your site, provides the content, and its goals. Shopping and other financial transaction websites should have clear and satisfying customer service information to help users resolve issues. News sites should provide clear information about who is responsible for the content.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Using appropriate technologies is also important. If a shopping checkout page doesn\u2019t have a secure connection, users cannot trust the site.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Each of those recommendations gives us clues into how to build a trustworthy site and brand \u2014 be an expert both online and offline, focus on customer service and accountability, and ensure transactions are protected.<\/p>\n As mentioned earlier, there are other things at play, too. Like brand sentiment. Brand sentiment can help Google understand what kind of business you are, beyond just what you say you are. For more, read about sentiment as a trust signal.<\/a><\/p>\n These five main categories \u2014 on-page, off-page, server level, RankBrain influence, and E-E-A-T \u2014 cover most of what we do in SEO.<\/p>\n If you would like help pinpointing how to improve your site’s rankings and traffic, contact us for a quote<\/a>. An SEO Audit<\/a> or other SEO services could provide the guidance you’ve been missing.<\/p>\n Understanding how off-page SEO impacts website rankings is essential for any digital marketer or website owner looking to increase their online visibility.<\/p>\n The Basics of Off-Page SEO<\/strong><\/p>\n Off-page SEO refers to all the activities that take place outside your website but directly impact its performance in search results. These activities include backlink building, social media engagement, online reputation management, and content marketing. Search engines like Google consider these external factors as indicators of a website’s authority, credibility, and relevance.<\/p>\n Social Signals and Brand Building<\/strong><\/p>\n Social media has become a significant player in off-page SEO. Your social presence and engagement can indirectly affect your website’s rankings. Search engines use social signals such as shares, likes, and comments to determine the relevance of content. A strong social media presence will not only increase SEO rankings but also your online reputation.<\/p>\n Online Reputation Management<\/strong><\/p>\n Managing your online reputation is crucial for off-page SEO. Negative reviews and unfavorable mentions can harm your website’s credibility. Monitor your online presence regularly and address any negative feedback promptly. Encourage customers to submit positive testimonials and reviews; doing so can strengthen your website’s credibility by way of increased online reviews.<\/p>\n Content Marketing and Guest Posting<\/strong><\/p>\n Off-page SEO involves creating high-quality, informative, and shareable content. Guest posting on reputable niche websites will showcase it and give you valuable links; make sure that its value aligns with that of your audience.<\/p>\n Off-page optimization is an integral component of digital marketing and can have a substantial effect on website rankings. By prioritizing quality backlinks and cultivating social media presence, off-page SEO can improve website performance on search engine result pages and ultimately boost its performance overall. For long-term success in SEO, be mindful of off-page SEO practices, adapt to industry trends quickly, and prioritize quality over quantity.<\/p>\n Step-by-Step Procedure: How to Leverage Off-Page SEO for Better Website Rankings<\/strong><\/p>\n This article was updated on December 21, 2023. \u00a0 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You and your website are in a serious relationship \u2014 even if you don\u2019t know it. And relationships are work. Every move you make on your site has an impact on its rankings and your business. So you owe it to your website to be fully engaged. Although many websites are feeling the impact of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":80074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1474,1232,1110,1481,1632],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<\/a>4. You\u2019re Overthinking RankBrain<\/h2>\n
<\/a>5. Your E-E-A-T is Beat<\/h2>\n
Content<\/h3>\n
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Trust<\/h3>\n
Last Thoughts<\/h2>\n
<\/a>FAQ: How does off-page SEO impact website rankings, and what should I look out for?<\/h3>\n
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