What you do off your pages these days is almost as important as what you do on them. With author tags allowing you to build up personal authority across the net and social profiles enabling easier online reputation management, among many other tactics, it seems like there are more search engine optimization tools for off-site work than there are for on-site.

Here are seven of the avenues you should be thinking about pursuing as part of your organic search engine optimization.

1. Guest posting. You want an easy way to get your business name seen by your target market? Guest posting couldn’t be easier. Talk to us at SearchEngineOptimization.co.uk about this option.

2. Forum participation. Forum participation may require some effort, but it’s a good way to get your customers in the habit of coming to you with their problems.

3. Blog comments. Similar to forum participation, blog commenting gets your name out there as an authority.

4. Article promoting. Too many site owners publish on their own sites and leave it there. If you have a great article, get out there and promote it! This can help link build as well.

5. Microsites. This is an easy way to promote special events or aspects of your business.

6. Video link-baiting. Okay, this can be an on-site trick as well, but it can be helpful to market yourself in YouTube.

7. Socialising. The ultimate form of off-site SEO these days is social media optimization. If done well, it can achieve more than the above six tactics combined.

Some site owners who are thinking about investing in search engine optimization may not understand what the term ‘organic’ means in this context. Organic sounds healthy, but mental comparisons with organic vegetables may be misleading. While organic crops are often expensive products compared with conventionally grown ones, organic optimization is actually the cheapest and surest of way at succeeding long term in the online battle for traffic and sales. Defining organic optimization in the abstract is not as easy as using link building for explanatory purposes.

At Searchengineoptimization.co.uk we only employ organic techniques in our efforts to improve the performance of the sites we manage. In effect, this means that it can take a little time for our site improvements to yield positive results. However, patience and intelligent persistence are far superior to pushing too hard by inappropriate methods that risk sabotaging a campaign’s effectiveness.

Link acquisition is central to good search engine optimization, but it is not easy to accomplish. It is important to recall that quality and relevance are of prime concern. Any approach that uses the purchasing of links leaves a site open to a potential search engine penalty. This is because buying irrelevant links to increase PageRank has been classified by Google as an unethical ‘black hat’ technique.

In contrast, organic techniques give a site every chance of making real and enduring progress. It is possible to obtain authoritative links by following a content-based route. By making the site one that others wish to link to, it is possible to get a site appreciated more by the search engines. In addition, high grade content keeps users happy too.

By now most of us are clued up as to the importance of having a social media marketing plan or strategy and you are not anybody unless you have a Facebook profile or a Twitter page. There is a lot of debate as to how well marketing works via social networking sites, and one of the reasons it is difficult to answer this question is because the success of social media marketing is not very easy to measure.

The use of social networking sites from a business point of view can vary greatly depending on the nature of your business and what you want to get out of it, however, one of the most popular reasons why people use social networking sites is to increase their brand awareness and get their company, product or service offerings distributed to as many people as possible. When measuring the effectiveness of your social media marketing (SMM), you should not just focus on numbers. It is all about quality and taking a bit of time to look more closely at how your social networking is performing can help give you a good insight into what it is actually doing to benefit your company.

Using a tool such as social mention or Google Alerts can help you identify if your social networking is in the place it should be. Using these tools may help you discover that there are blogs or forums out there related to your industry and where you may even be one of the topics of conversation, however you are not even present within that area. This means you can then start posting blogs or just getting yourself known within these areas of the online social world and not waste as much time in areas which are not as significant.

Get to know your friends. Whilst in theory, the more people who are connected to you or follow you the better do learn to have a deeper understanding of who is actually connected to your profile. People might be following you on Twitter for example, but how many of them never comment on your tweets? If people are not paying any attention then you have to weigh up whether it is worth having them there at all. The same goes for spam or broken links, which is not only a waste, it can also have a negative effect on your image if somebody connects to a spam site via your page.

Lastly, know what you want. Make some clear goals and know what you want to get out of your social networking. If you go into SEO or social networking with no clear idea then you will never know if it is working. Set some desired results such as how many people you want to have read a specific blog, this way, you have something to measure against. Also give yourself realistic timescales to achieve these goals, remember that a successful social networking presence takes time, so have goals relating to six months time for example.

For absolute beginners, it can be really difficult to make sense out of the extraordinary number of articles on search engine optimiszation which are present on the net. The diversity of the content on offer can make the reader feel a bit lost. Contradictory positions taken on things like link building strategies can engender a degree of confusion. Imprecise usage of terms, like a failure to explain grey hat SEO properly, can leave questions unanswered. Acronyms like SMO have also proliferated, providing further hindrances to easy comprehension.

The first step to getting more out of reading on SEO is arguably being clear about why possible problems have evolved over time. The main contributors to the debates on SEO on the net are practitioners in the field. They wish to share information, certainly, but they are also in competition. This competition means that some articles are basically clever advertisements. For example, the author might wish to make clear that clients know black hat techniques are best avoided, but they do not necessarily wish to elaborate on how opaque the search engine rules can be. The intention of such a simplistic article is to set up a ‘straw man’ of a completely unethical black hat firm which has absolutely nothing in common with the site on which the article is based.

A second step to getting SEO articles in perspective is to develop a sense of history. Articles in any media are considerably influenced by the times in which they are written. With regard to the sphere of search, change is occurring very rapidly as a consequence of remorseless innovation. It is necessary to be aware of the latest developments, but it is also valuable to reserve judgement about the importance of some of them. For instance, before a reader gets carried away by an article about Bing, they should be aware that Google has seen off many challengers before and its hegemony is likely to endure.

Another step for the newcomer to consider is to check out whether an argument or a piece of information is verified elsewhere on the net. There are problems with accepting things because a consensus has developed around them, but when it comes to technical tips making these observations can be valuable. For instance, finding out that many reputable authorities warn against the mass purchase of links can be a good way of judging whether the advice should be taken or not.

A fourth step for someone new to SEO to reflect on is based on working out which of the sites are great sources of SEO tips. The best sources actively encourage comments and are visited frequently by those in the industry. These sites do provide information at quite a sophisticated level, but once the basics have been grasped, there should be few problems of understanding. Hence it is worth establishing which sites they are and visiting them regularly.

Taking these simple steps and researching SEO can put a site owner in an enviable position. The most successful campaigns are where there is a healthy relationship between an informed client and a SEO company.

Search engine optimization is a complex field of theoretical and practical knowledge. Like many other areas of knowledge it is expanding and becoming more complicated over time. Nothing seems to stay the same; the major search engines jostle for market share, they change their algorithms, white hat methods are categorised as black hat methods and what used to work effectively are no longer productive techniques. Add to this whirlwind of development, the emergence of social media marketing and developing areas of possible interaction between SEO and SMO campaigns and it is easy for newcomers to become a little confused. Experience is essential in the mastering of SEO, but it has to be coupled with expertise and a remarkable openness to new concepts.

Excellence in SEO cannot be obtained from the study of textbooks. The volumes would soon be out-of-date and would in any case not provide an individual with a necessary edge on the competition. However, textbooks can help an individual appreciate some of the basics. Most individuals choose to learn about SEO online, tempted by the prospect of so much freely available information. The obvious difficulty with this approach is the quality of the data and its reliability. Caution and crosschecking are thus absolutely required when acquiring knowledge in this way – only trust the information when it is from a reputable SEO company.

When an individual is fully conversant with the fundamentals of the topic, it may be that they have a chance to put their theoretical understanding into practice. Once they are using SEO tools and putting SEO into action their progress may develop further momentum. Learning by doing is generally one of the most effective learning methods, and this principle is fully applicable in this discipline. However, because the world of search is in continuous flux practical knowledge cannot stand alone. It is really important for an individual to keep monitoring the sphere of search for new opportunities and challenges.

Absorbing new ideas, industry news and novel techniques, is key to being a successful practitioner of SEO. These abstractions need to be made concrete through the techniques which are used to propel sites up the search engines results pages. Getting advances in the rankings is never enough, it is always necessary to check out the sites themselves so that bounce rates are minimised and sales maximised. This attention to the nuts and bolts of the topic should be supplemented with awareness of the social media. While the recipe for success of each site will inevitably be different, it is increasingly the case that multifaceted strategies are delivering the most positive outcomes.

As SEO and SMM become ever more sophisticated, as the pace of innovation seems to increase over time, it seems likely that individuals who pool their intellectual resources will be best placed to exploit the exciting new opportunities as they arise. Teamwork between individuals in the sector means that specialisation can be facilitated. It also means that it is simply more likely that important transformations will be properly interpreted. Furthermore, it also means that it is more probable that important subtleties in the various approaches can be respected. Teams are generally likely to achieve more than atomised individuals, however talented.

Most individuals who know a bit about search engine optimization realise that the regular addition of high grade content to a site is necessary for progress in the search engine results pages to be sustained. However, as in many spheres of activity, theory is one thing, practice quite another. Even if an online firm has obtained the services of a SEO company to provide the essential informative content, there can be a tendency over time for quality to slip towards the mediocre. This unfortunate tendency can only be checked by content monitoring and intervention where it is appropriate.

The limits of content planning

Content planning can help SEO copywriters avoid writer’s block and it can assist in the production process. However, even content which is adequately planned can become bland and tedious. If a site requires sixty articles per month to satisfy the users and the web crawlers, the occasional dip in quality is hardly shocking. Hence content planning needs to be supported by quite frequent evaluations.

Objective evaluations

It is best practice for an editor other than the author to keep an eye on the quality of the content over time. For example, it is important in most instances to regularly assess content for accuracy, usefulness and appropriateness of tone. Inaccurate content will not assist with online reputation management. The loyalty of users will not be secured by content which has little practical utility, unless it is particularly entertaining. If the tone moves away from what addresses the needs of the target audience, the consequences can be highly negative.

Effective lines of communication

There is little point in having a system of objective evaluation if feedback is not efficiently communicated to the copywriter. Copywriters can be sensitive about their work, so they respond best to criticism which is very much at the constructive end of the spectrum. Criticism can be particularly productive if it is sandwiched between two small nuggets of praise. If no praise is possible, an amicable remark can help ensure that the criticism is taken in the right spirit.

Continuous learning

The process of search engine optimisation is best conceived of as a perpetual struggle to get better rankings and more conversions. However, sales and profits will only improve for those online firms who are committed to continuous learning. While this includes learning about the technical aspects of SEO and discovering more about how to best exploit the social networking media, it is vital to recognise that the same applies to content. If content is churned out without sufficient thought, users are swift to discern the poorly constructed material. It is therefore prudent to keep content production under the microscope. Awareness of novel or unusual techniques can deliver tangible rewards, preventing content from becoming too formulaic.

Creativity, then, is to be embraced. Even for sites which feature goods or services of a mundane nature, the subtle application of creativity can promote the variety required. It seems odd that some site owners care so much about the appearance of a site, but pay relatively little attention to what it actually communicates.

Link juice is always in demand in the context of a continuous search engine optimization campaign. It is well understood that link building strategies should focus on the acquisition of high quality links. It is also commonly accepted that the mass purchase of poor quality links is a counterproductive strategy. However, it is not easy to establish how much link juice a specific link brings to a site and because the process is inherently problematic, it can only be performed in circumstances where it is considered to be of abundant utility. It is possible to test whether or not a link is having an impact in the search engine results pages. In this example, Google will be selected as the search engine because it has the most market share on an international basis.

The tactic under discussion involves finding a page which is already indexed by Google. It is necessary to get some phrases relating to the page title and elsewhere. The page should be ranked quite near the top, but not at the top of the search engine results pages. Pages which are ranked more highly than it should not possess the same phrase in their title; otherwise the test would prove ineffective. A similar failure would occur if the words in the domain names of the higher pages contained precisely the same phrase. Having made these qualifications, the remainder of the evaluative test can be described.

If the relevant text is put on a new page which is subsequently indexed by Google it should be possible to discern whether or not it has a positive impact on the position of the site. In other words, a skilled SEO consultant will be able to discover if link juice is operating. If it moves in an upward direction, it may be provisionally assumed that it does (although changes in the search engine results pages may be flowing from other factors like search engine penalties, for example). To make the link work efficiently, the correct procedure is to ‘repoint’ the link. ‘Repointing’ is essential in instances where a query is competitive, because this militates against a single link having a profound effect in the search engine results pages.

An experienced SEO consultant can use this somewhat tricky technique to ascertain if a link passes benefits to a site. Indeed, they can even get an approximate sense of the quantity of link juice involved. To achieve this it is necessary for them to run the test for about a fortnight. A fair bit of recording is required from the individual concerned to help substantiate the results. Given the complexity of the task and its time-consuming nature, it is not a procedure for everybody. However, if a link attracts attention as being potentially beneficial, but if there is a degree of doubt about its usefulness, the test can be a worthwhile procedure.

Effective link building strategies need to be conducted sensibly in order to yield positive outcomes. Links are central to an evolving campaign. In certain circumstances, evaluating the value of a specific link can be done, but often it is not a practical technique.

In the world of search engine optimisation, link building strategies are often debated. This is because link acquisition is a fundamental part of SEO strategy. While much of the ongoing discussion has revolved around the ethics and potential penalties associated with link purchasing, the actual mechanics of obtaining high value links can sometimes appear to be slightly neglected. Even where this topic is directly addressed within the SEO industry, the emphasis can be placed on ‘linkbait’ or high grade content. This emphasis is not incorrect, but sometimes more developed strategies can produce additional benefits.

When thinking about SEO, it is always wise to recall that ‘one size does not fit all.’ Strategy should be squarely based on the needs of a specific site. Despite this point, generalisations are possible and lessons learned from one site can be applied in a modified form to another. These lessons can be passed on in blog or article form. It is always best to be clear about the terms which are being used if this process is going to have a significant chance of working successfully.

Linkbait is content which is controversial or amusing which is intended to capture a lot of attention for a site. Some forms of it can be frowned upon if considered sensationalist for the sake of it – the content must back itself up with meaningful and intelligent copy. High grade content is a descriptive term which is here interpreted as being designed to attract the attention of users and web crawlers alike. The highest grade of content is necessary to give a site the status of an authority in its sector. The aim of linkbait and high grade content is to give the user an incentive to make a link. Mass link buying is widely seen as a risky and largely ineffective and unethical tactic, so other forms of encouragement are often adopted when building SEO links.

For a considerable time period, SEO experts have stressed the importance of natural links. Links should be sought which contain plenty of link juice. In other words, quality really counts when it comes to links. What many people want to know is to how to get added impetus in their quest for the right type of links. They do not think the production of good quality material is always enough to get a swift and impressive result. It is arguably a bit passive to produce great content and wait for others to act. An example of a less reactive strategy is provided.

If a site was providing affordable city breaks to European destinations, it could have a league table in which the merits of each city were measured from a tourist perspective. For example, Amsterdam might score well for its cycle hire options, while Brussels could score highly for its very attractive centre. The city authorities of the highest ‘achievers’ could be told about their success and their sites (both tourist and governance) could thus have an incentive to link to the holiday site.

Link building strategies have to be imaginative and dynamic if they are going to beat the competition and bring you the search engine optimization results that you want. Linkbait and high grade content can deliver sometimes, but a further push can make an additional difference.

Web content is crucial to your business and company as a whole. The web is one of the most popular places for members of the public to learn information or find out facts about a company. Potential business companies will also use it to compare products and services, and competitors will scour to find out information about you.

Avoiding duplicate copy is essential for many reasons but is particular important in terms of search engine optimization. Duplicate copy is not welcomed too well by search engines and can result in negative effects for your website when people are running searches. There are a few reasons why websites with the same copy are sometimes not popular within search engines and unfortunately this can result in your web page not showing up as well within online searches.

A good search engine has a reputation for providing searchers with a useful and varied selection of web pages for their search. For this reason, web pages with the same copy may not always be included in the search results, as the search engine may only select one of the links. There is little you can do to ensure it is your copy that is selected, so is best to avoid duplication altogether.

Web pages with duplicate copy will also not rank very well within a search engine, so even if your company does show up, it may be on a much later page, resulting in less clicks and traffic.

There are several areas where it can be difficult to avoid duplicate SEO copy but it is worth putting in a little bit of extra time to combat this problem. If you have a website which requires you to include descriptions of products, items or services then it can sometimes be impossible to avoid duplicate copy, particularly if you are selling other branded products on your site. Where possible, try to re-write your copy of products or at least include an introduction and then detail the actual product descriptions later.

Site mirroring and plagiarism are also common culprits for duplication. There are many sites which offer details of specific industries or services in one place, and these companies may mirror content on your site as part of their web content. Plagiarism is also very common unfortunately amongst web sites, especially with the increasing number of news sections on websites. There are several SEO tools you can use such as Copyscape and Plagiarismchecker websites and these are invaluable in identifying where someone is stealing your content and passing it off as their own.

Of course, there will be some instances where duplication is avoidable. Any important news headlines or press releases about your industry or company will usually have to appear consistent across the board. There is little that can be done about this and in these instances it is completely understandable, however, avoiding duplicate copy in as many areas as possible will ensure you have effective search engine optimisation and a higher search ranking.

Using long tail key phrases as part of your search engine optimization strategy is something that can bring great results even in really competitive industries. There are usually a few really common searches that are performed all the time, a handful of fairly common ones, and a huge number of less frequently searched upon combinations. Picking up the frog example, the common searches would be something like ‘frogs’, ‘British frogs’, and ‘tree frogs’. Then there would be some directly related to commerce, like ‘buy frogs in London’ and ‘live frog food’.

After the obvious search terms, there are a huge number of rarely searched upon terms forming the long tail. These rare searches could be specific species like ‘Painted belly monkey frog’ or ‘horned toad’, or they could be location specific, like ‘buy frog food in Llandudno’, or something entirely different. The long tail is growing all the time. SEO experts estimate that up to 25% of all searches performed today will be new and unique, and belonging to the long tail of some topic.

When choosing which keywords are best for your site and your SEO strategy, it’s very tempting to go for the terms that are most commonly searched on. However, the most common terms are also what the most other websites will be targeting. Particularly if yours is a high competitive industry, the long tail can be an excellent resource.

While keywords which are long tail are less commonly searched for, traffic levels may still be quite significant. Because they are more specific, they are also more monetisable. Conversion is the ultimate goal of SEO, after all. If a user searches for ‘buy live frog food in Llandudno’ and your North Wales pet shop can rank well, the chances it will result in a sale are very high. If you can provide an information page on horned toads, that will get you a higher percentage of the traffic for that search than a page on general frogs, because there are thousands of those and most search traffic will go to the top few. There is less competition and the user goes straight to relevant content. If you can find the right long tail keywords, they can make a huge difference to your SEO.

The same theory also works when buying advertising space or running a PPC campaign from search providers like Google. Long tail keywords are often cheaper because they are less commonly used and competition for them is low. Opportunities to leverage the long tail of search distribution do exist, so it is well worth including some long tail terms in your keyword plan and create excellent content on your landing pages.