The main parts of off-page SEO
| Part | What it includes | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | Google reviews and trusted industry sites | Google says more reviews and good ratings can help local rankings |
| Business Profile | Categories, services, photos, posts and answers | It decides how you appear in Maps and the map pack |
| Citations | Your name, address and phone on directories | Consistent details confirm you are a real business |
| Backlinks | Links from relevant local and industry sites | Google's link systems read them as recommendations |
| Mentions | News stories, podcasts, awards and social posts | They build a reputation people can check |
Off-page SEO for a law firm
Good example. A personal injury firm collects reviews after each case closes and keeps its profiles on legal directories accurate. Its attorneys speak at the local bar association and comment in local news stories, which link back to their bios.
Bad example. The same firm buys hundreds of directory listings in one afternoon, half with an old address, and pays for links on unrelated blogs.
What you control and what you earn
You control your profile, your listings and how you ask for reviews. You earn links and mentions by doing work worth talking about. Google's spam policies forbid paying for links that pass ranking value, so shortcuts here tend to cost more than they bring.
Where to start
- Complete your Google Business Profile and choose accurate categories.
- Fix your name, address and phone on major directories.
- Ask every happy customer for a review, with a direct link.
- List three local organizations that could mention you.
- Pitch one useful story to a local reporter each quarter.
Off-page work builds on a solid site. See on-page SEO and local citations. Our local SEO service runs reviews, listings and local links for you.