SEO: Off-page optimization

Some of us are familiar with the difference between on-page optimization and off-page optimization.

On-page optimization relates to the changes one makes on the webpage itself, including changing the layout, text, link subpages together, etc.

Off-page optimization relates to external issues, such as the quality and quantity of pages linking to one's website.

Brad Callen, in one of his latest posts, mentions the most important issues regarding off-page optimization:

• Anchor text uses in your link
• The title of the page your link is on
• The page rank of the page your link is on
• The “theme” of the website your link is on
• The age of the website linking to you

And so on.

The good news is that this method is highly effective. The bad news is that webmasters do not always have anything to say about how their "link partners'" affairs are handled.

I can ask my "link partner" to put a certain keyword in the anchor text linking to my website. I can not, however, make him do it. It is his choice. But if I respect his wishes regarding that issue, he will respect mine. This is thus of mutual interest to both. However, if my website is "stronger", he will benefit more. Also, I can't change titles, themes and age of another website.

Thus the real question is:

Can I find a link partner that owns a website that is stronger than mine?

This is really the question of success and failure.

White hat

When I started the SEO process of the website of Allra Átta vefumsjónarkerfi and internetráðgjöf I faced some problems. First I must mention that traditional SEO methods to not always work in Iceland, due to language and a small market. Second, that page had a terrible score on Google. No SEO work had been done for a long time, and issues such as dynamic URLs and other problems added to my woes.

Yet, in just a few weeks I managed to not only get the main 10 keywords to the first page of Google / Yahoo SERPs, but most often to the top five. Actually, I had many no. 1 seeds.

I believe that White Hat methods proved successful. I linked to Allra Átta on my own blog (with average ranking from 1-6 on the most read blogs in Iceland - and perhaps in the top 30-40 list in the country), and opened a few blogs, such as this one, on blogspot.com, where I link, with an appropriate anchor text, to Allra Átta homepage and/or subpages.

This actually works.

I do not believe that off-page optimization alone can do the trick. The website needs quality content, intra-links, SEO friendly text and the proper use of keywords.

But with successfull on-page and off-page optimization combined this website skyrocketed on Google. This could also do the trick for you.