Although some aspects of on-page and off-page SEO are better understood than others, many people do not realize how important some of the less popular concepts are in terms of search engine optimization. It is more difficult to optimize some components of SEO than others. The overall level of difficulty depends on what that specific component is.

When it comes to on-page SEO, some of the most commonly known aspects are titles and meta descriptions. These two pieces of information, along with link structure, website design, keyword usage in blog posts and image optimization, can all affect rankings to an extent.

Although these principles are both important, and serve as a great starting point for SEO in general, they pale in comparison to the importance of off-page SEO. This includes off-site website links, reviews, social media profiles and other types of online content that are not on the actual site.

What is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO refers to aspects of a website that are directly controlled by the webmaster. This includes the title, meta description, keywords, page layout and link structure of a site. On-page SEO is not nearly as important as off-page SEO for rankings with search engines, but it can have an effect on rankings if done properly.

What is off-page SEO?

Off-page SEO refers to aspects of a website that are not directly controlled by the webmaster, but still affect rankings. Off-page factors include off-site (external) links, reviews, social media profiles and other types of online content that are not on the actual site. Although they have a great impact on rankings, off-page SEO factors are not entirely under the control of the webmaster, which makes them typically harder to control.

How do on-page and off-page SEO work together?

On-page and off-page SEO must be viewed as two different components that work in conjunction with each other. In other words, on-page optimization is only useful when implemented with off-page factors. For example, having a higher domain authority than another website may not have an effect on rankings if that other site has more backlinks.

It is beneficial to do both types of SEO. On-page optimization only serves to make it easier for external backlinks and other off-page SEO factors to influence rankings. For example, keywords in the title of a blog post are used to make it easier for search engines to discover what the content being presented is about.

What are some important things to consider with on-page SEO?

Two of the most important items that should always be considered are the title and meta description. These two pieces of information are used by search engines to discover what a page is about, along with the keywords being optimized. The title should be kept short enough that it doesn't get truncated in results pages, and it should also be descriptive of what the content on the page is actually about.

Although they are not as important as the title and meta description, keywords should be included in certain places on a page. These include: body text, headlines (H2 and H3 tags), and image alt text. This makes it easier for search engines to discover what a website is about without having to rely on off-page factors so much.

What are some things to keep in mind with off-page SEO?

When it comes to off-page optimization, the most important thing is building up a reputable online presence. This includes having profiles on various social media websites and review sites with original posts that link back to the main website. Links from other websites and reviews of the site in question can influence rankings in a big way.

Not all links are created equal, however; having 100 high-quality backlinks will have more of an effect on rankings than 10,000 low-quality ones. A link from a .edu or .gov website is also worth significantly more than one from a directory or unrelated blog. Finally, social signals like shares and likes for a website should also be monitored as they are considered by search engines to have an effect on rankings.

How can I accomplish both on-page optimization and off-page optimization?

Although it takes some work, trying to do both on-page and off-page SEO will yield the best results. The most important thing is to regularly update pages with new information. Search engines find sites more relevant when they are regularly updated, so building new content will help with rankings.

Also, building up an online presence by adding blogs and social media profiles to a website should be done regularly as well. This will not only help increase search engine visibility but also improve the general traffic to a site from other sources.

Off-Page and On-Page SEO: In Short

On-page and off-page SEO are two factors that have a big impact on search engine rankings. On-page optimization helps to make it easier for external off-page SEO factors to influence site rank, which can improve traffic from search engines. Although both on-page and off-page factors are important, the most important thing is to regularly update a website in order to keep it relevant in search engine results, and foster a strong backlink portfolio from high-authority, reputable sites.

Doing this, in conjunction with on-page best practices like headings, keywords, and metadata, is the single best way to grow traffic online.