On-page SEO vs Off-page SEO: Wherein lies the difference?

On-page SEO vs off-page SEO: Wherein lies the difference?

For an SEO campaign to be successful, both are equally important. In simple terms, anything that happens on your website, that can be directly controlled by you is referred to as on-page. On the other hand, off-page refers to anything that happens outside your website, things that may or may not be directly controlled by you. In this article, we will discuss in detail the techniques used in both types of SEO and their contribution to SERP placement.

In order to understand how on-page SEO and off-page SEO is different from each other, first, you need to have some basic knowledge about the workings of search engine algorithms. There are two crucial factors that search engines analyze while assessing your site compared to other sites on the internet.

  1. On-page shows what your page (or your site) is about.

  2. Off-page reflects how popular or authoritative your site is.

On-page SEO:

Most SEO amateurs primarily focus on on-page SEO, also known as on-site SEO. Not only it can be controlled easily but also it offers ample scope to make your web page appear more alluring to popular search engines like Google. Some of the most important factors determining
on-page SEO include:

  • PAGE CONTENT– The content on your page should not just be useful but also the reader-friendly. It means that besides being informative, the language of your content should not be very difficult for the reader to understand.
  • URL STRUCTURE– Adding keywords into your URLs can be beneficial. In case you are thinking of changing your old URLs, it is advisable to take the help of a professional.
  • HEADINGS– Headings should reflect the page content with accuracy. As they are the largest words on the page, headings are quite valued by search engines.
  • TITLE TAGS– Title tags need to be directly related to the content on your page. Each page of your site can be modified by putting the keywords in the title tags.
  • PAGE SPEED– Google is very concerned about the experience of the user. One of the prime factors determining UX(User Experience) is page loading speed. If your site consumes more than a few seconds to load, your grades can decrease because of it. This is because if your page can not be loaded quickly, it is likely for the web surfer to move on to another web page.

Off-page SEO:

Compared to on-page SEO, off-page SEO is quite complex to understand and to implement. This is because it often depends on factors that are partly or completely beyond your direct manipulation. Still, there are certain things that can be done to manipulate off-page SEO.

These are some of the most common elements:

  • DOMAIN AUTHORITY– “Domain Authority” is an all-encapsulating term for several indicators- all of which contribute to how productive, trustworthy and dependable a website is. Some of these indicators are –
  1. Quality of links
  2. Mobile-friendliness
  3. Truthfulness of contents
  4. Consistency of social sharing
  5. Good use of optimization
  6. Easy linkability
  • PRESENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA– It’s a well-established fact that websites with a visible social media presence have higher search rankings. If your site is popular on major social networks, it can prove quite beneficial for you. So, encouraging your readers to share your pages on the major social networking sites can be an effective strategy.
  • LINK EARNING– Google is keenly interested in who is linking to you. Even one good link-up can contribute immensely to earning a reputation.
  • COMMUNITY FORUM PARTICIPATION– If you are prominent in off-page communities and you actively contribute to their discussions, it will definitely result in minor SEO boosts. But, one should always remember that participation does not mean relentless self-promotion.
  • GUEST BLOGGING– This is a great off-page SEO technique. Being selected as a guest blogger for a famous website will give you added exposure to a vast audience.
Which kind of SEO is more important- ‘on-page’ or ‘off-page’? Watch this video it might help you to hire an SEO expert-

Some are of the opinion that on-page SEO is more important as without it one cannot have a web presence. While others are of the opinion that off-page SEO is more crucial as the majority of the content promotion is determined by it. In case you are wondering which one of the two is more important, let us tell you that both on-page and off-page SEO are important components of digital marketing in modern times. On-page and off-page SEO walk hand in hand to better your search engine rankings. A perfect balance between the two will help you achieve desired results.

S N Chatterjee
Author: S N Chatterjee

Founder and Author of BDN Groups. He can help you create a highly-effective online presence & conversion rate optimization.