In our last post, we explored the world of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), delving into its definition and the crucial role it plays in increasing a brand’s digital visibility. We learned about keywords and their significant role in shaping a website’s SEO strategy. We looked at Nike’s successful use of keywords and how the athletic wear brand leverages them to ensure a strong digital presence. Today, we’ll expand on this and explore the two primary types of SEO: on-page and off-page SEO.
At its core, on-page SEO refers to the range of strategies employed on your own website to increase its visibility. This includes the optimisation of elements like website content, HTML source code, and site architecture. On the other hand, off-page SEO encompasses all the actions taken outside of your own website to impact your rankings within the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). This includes strategies like link building, social media marketing, and influencer marketing.
To illustrate this, let’s take a look at HubSpot, a leading marketing, sales, and service software company. HubSpot effectively leverages both on-page and off-page SEO to enhance their digital presence and establish themselves as a leader in their industry.
In terms of on-page SEO, HubSpot consistently publishes high-quality, informative, and engaging content on their blog. They ensure their content is rich in relevant keywords and that these keywords are incorporated naturally into the content. This approach not only increases the chances of their blog posts ranking highly in the SERPs, but it also provides value to their audience, enhancing their reputation and building trust.
Moreover, HubSpot pays careful attention to the technical aspects of on-page SEO. They ensure their website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, reducing the likelihood of users bouncing off their site. They also make sure their web pages load quickly, recognising that slow load times can negatively impact both user experience and SERP rankings. The HTML source code of their website is meticulously optimised, with relevant meta tags and alt text for images.
Turning our attention to off-page SEO, HubSpot has earned an impressive number of backlinks from reputable websites through the quality of their content and their strategic outreach efforts. Backlinks, essentially endorsements from other websites, signal to search engines that the content is valuable and trustworthy. This, in turn, contributes positively to HubSpot’s ranking on the SERPs.
HubSpot also leverages social media platforms effectively, frequently sharing their content on sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. This not only increases the reach of their content but can also lead to more backlinks if others share or cite their content.
Moreover, HubSpot works with a number of influencers in the marketing and sales field. By having these influencers share their content or contribute guest posts to their blog, HubSpot can reach a wider audience and further build their reputation, contributing to their off-page SEO.
Through effective on-page and off-page SEO, HubSpot manages to maintain a strong digital presence and consistently rank highly in SERPs. This doesn’t happen overnight, though. SEO is a long-term investment, requiring consistent effort and adaptation to the ever-evolving algorithms of search engines.
However, the rewards of a well-executed SEO strategy are significant, leading to increased visibility, higher web traffic, and ultimately, more leads and customers. As we explore further into the world of SEO, we’ll uncover more aspects of these strategies, and how brands can implement them effectively.
In our next blog post, we’ll delve into specific components of effective on-page SEO, such as anchor text, meta descriptions, and sitemaps. Stay tuned!