Off page optimisation
13 March 2009
Off page optimisation is SEO techniques that you can carry out through external websites.
Links from external websites is a big factor in raising our Page Rank score.
We want to pick links from big, well known, frquently visited, high Page Ranking websites that have been around for quite a few years.
The older the website the more reliable search engines see it to be, because if it were a spam website it would probably only be round for a year and then close down.
Using off page optimisation enables a website to be at the top of Google for a keyword it may not even contain on it's page.
The beauty of inbound links is the link text that can be used for the actual link.
When writing a link in HTML we write:
<a href="http://www.google.com">Search engine</a>
Inside the <a> tag is where we put the link URL, in this case "http://www.google.com" and then between the open <a> and close </a> of the <a> tag is where we can put our link text, in this case "Search engine".
Even internal links on a website should still use optimised and relevant link text, and you should always avoid using "Click here" or "Read more".
If you enter "Click here" into Google you will see Adobe Reader comes up top - this is because so many websites publish PDF documents and want to give the user a way to download Adobe Reader if they don't already have it installed and so just link to Adobe using the link text "Click here".
In order for inbound links and off page optimisation to take full affect you need to make sure you has as many high Page Ranked relevant links to your website.
If you find that typing one search term brings you to the top in Google, then it's time to start optimising for the next keyword so make sure the next lot of inbound links you use the next keyword as the link text.
Avoid paying for links, as Google sees this as trying to cheat, and if you get caught your site is likely to get penalised.
Too many inbound links too quickly could also trigger Google to wave a red flag and investigate how we're getting so many inbound links so quickly.
Make sure all is legit and no link building tools are used, and try and avoid spamming websites as this is a low Page Rank inbound link and is more likely to downgrade your Page Rank, than to help you out.
First thing to do once a new website is built, or at the start of a search engine optimisation campaign, is to submit the website to the major search engines like Google, Yahoo and Windows Live Search.
Forum participation is another way of building good inbound links, as you can sign up to many forums and place your website link (with good link text) in your forum signature and get your website's link out on many websites very quickly and easily.
Publications such as articles, newsletters, ezines and press releases are all very good ways of also getting your links out there by submitting them to article directories and such.
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