Despite having a fast loading site, great content and being tidy with your On-Page SEO you are still on page two (or worse). Often the missing piece isn’t your site, it’s an off-page SEO checklist.
But search engines will also look at what others are saying online. Who is linking to you, mentioning you and authentic customers recommending you. This is known as Off-Page SEO. This off-page SEO checklist gives you 12 easy steps you can take, how to track your progress, common mistakes to avoid, a 90 day plan and a quick self audit. These are perfect if you’re in a small business, blogging or working on clients’ sites as a freelancer.
What is Off-Page SEO?
Say we had two bakeries selling the exact same cakes. One would have a beautiful presentation, but no-one has heard of it. The other, however, would be the place everyone in the area sends their friends to. In the same way, your content is the presentation, but your Off-Page Reputation will determine who recommends you.
This includes backlinks, brand mentions, reviews, local listings, social and collaborations. If you get a respected site to link to you then search engines will view this as a positive signal meaning your page is worth showing. If there are enough of these then your site will gain authority. This basically means your site looks trustworthy. An off-page SEO checklist simply turns all of these activities into tasks you can tick off.
On Page vs Off Page SEO
On-Page SEO is what you can control. Titles, Headings, Keywords and Content. Results will be faster.
Off-Page SEO is what others will do. Backlinks, reviews and mentions. These must be earned so will take longer.
Both aren’t great on their own. On-Page will make your site worth visiting and Off-Page will get people to want to visit. That second part is exactly what an off-page SEO checklist helps you with.
Why Should I Use an Off-Page SEO Checklist?
If two sites have similar content but one is supported by more reputable sites then it will have a better ranking. This is especially true for new sites as they will have little reputation to begin with. Having a good backlink will also send real traffic.
As Off-Page SEO doesn’t have an end goal it can be easy to put off. Having an off-page SEO checklist to follow will give you clear actions to complete each month.
The 12 Steps of the Off-Page SEO Checklist
1. Earn backlinks from relevant sites
Having one backlink from a reputable and relevant site is much better than lots of irrelevant backlinks. This is the core of any off-page SEO checklist. Before you try and earn backlinks ask yourself whether the site would bring you real traffic and whether it is relevant. If the answers aren’t yes then move on.
Start by creating something people will want to reference, such as a how to guide or mini free tool. Look at who is linking to similar pages and contact them. Keep your message short and friendly.
2. Guest Post
Create something really helpful for a site your customers visit and include a link to your site. Search for your topic and add ‘write for us’ to see what opportunities come up. Only pitch a couple of ideas. Don’t send them a poor article to get a backlink as they will quickly spot this.
3. Digital PR
Journalists and bloggers often look for experts to quote. Give them a quick tip, some stats or a local angle. Keep it short and simple. You want one sentence that can easily be quoted. Getting mentioned in a news or industry source will give you a strong backlink and credibility with real people.
4. Ask for backlinks from mentions
Sometimes people will write about your business but won’t include a backlink. Set up an alert for your brand name to find out when they have. Send them a polite message asking them to include a backlink. As they know you it will be one of the easiest wins.
5. Google Business Profile
If your business is localised then start here. Claim your listing. Ensure you add your address, telephone number, opening times, images and services. Choose the most accurate category. Ensure your business name, address and telephone number are exactly the same on all sites. Search engines get confused with small differences and this could impact your local visibility.
6. Add to a couple of quality directories
Avoid adding to hundreds of low quality directories. A couple of quality ones will be sufficient. In India Justdial and Sulekha are well known. Many industries will have their own quality listing. Ensure all information is the same as your website.
7. Be active on 2 social media sites
Although Google has said likes and shares don’t directly impact your rankings it is still a good idea to be active on social media. The more people can see your content the more likely it is to earn backlinks. Choose 2 social media sites that your audience uses, such as LinkedIn or Instagram. Post regularly over 3 months.
8. Answer Questions on Communities
Answer real questions on sites like Quora, Reddit or LinkedIn/ Facebook groups. Only include your link if it helps answer the question. Being helpful will build trust with the community. Those who leave links will get banned. A good answer can bring in traffic for months.
9. Collaborate with smaller creators
Collaborate with someone your audience follows. Maybe do a live session, review or guide together. Often a smaller creator with an engaged niche audience will be a better option. Backlinks from collaborations often look natural.
10. Broken links
Find pages on other sites that are linking to non-existent content. Suggest your page as an alternative. You will be helping them with their issue and may earn a backlink. Semrush can help you find broken links. The free Check My Links browser extension will allow you to quickly find broken links on one page.
11. Promote your content
Quality content rarely gets promoted by itself, which is why this step is on every good off-page SEO checklist. Once you have published, ensure you add to your email list, social media and share with your audience. Checklists, templates and original data are most likely to be referenced. Focus on these.
12. Get reviews
Although this is last on the off-page SEO checklist it is very important. Ask happy customers to leave you a Google Review. Send them the direct link via WhatsApp or email to make it easy for them to reply. Reply to all reviews. A calm and polite response to a negative review can actually build trust.
The Off-Page SEO Checklist in a Nutshell
- Earn backlinks from relevant and reputable sites.
- Guest post on sites your audience uses.
- Give tips and local stories to journalists.
- Ask for backlinks from mentions.
- Complete your Google Business Profile.
- Choose a couple of quality directories.
- Be consistent on 2 social media sites.
- Be helpful in communities.
- Collaborate with smaller creators.
- Fix broken links.
- Promote all your content.
- Ask for reviews.
Try this – 10 Minute Self Audit
Before working through the off-page SEO checklist, find out where you are at. Open up a notepad and answer:
- Search your business name and see if your website comes up first. Are your social media profiles coming up?
- Search your name + city. Is your Google Business Profile coming up with the right information and recent images?
- Go to Google Search Console and look at your links. How many sites are linking to you? Are any of them relevant?
- How many reviews do you have on Google? When was the last one?
- Search your brand name in quotes + review. Are people talking about you?
Whatever answer seems the worst is where you should start. Do this every 3 months.
How to Track Your Off-Page SEO Checklist Progress
Every month track:
- Referring Domains – how many different sites are linking to you.
- Quality of Backlinks – are they relevant and reputable?
- Rankings – where are your key pages ranking for your target keywords?
- Organic Traffic – how many people are visiting from Google? See this in the Search Console.
- Branded Searches – how many people are searching for you?
Use the free Links report in Search Console. If you want to dig a little deeper then Semrush is great. You won’t see any changes straight away, it will take a couple of months. Compare each month to the previous.
Tools to Make Your Off-Page SEO Checklist Easier
- Google Search Console – Free. Shows who is linking to you.
- Google Alerts – Free. Tells you when you’re mentioned.
- Google Business – Free. Manage your local listing and reviews.
- Semrush – Backlink and broken link research. The free version is limited.
- Check My Links – Free browser extension to find broken links.
Start with the free tools. Only upgrade if you hit a real limitation.
Common Off-Page SEO Checklist Mistakes
Even with an off-page SEO checklist in hand, shortcuts can be tempting. Avoid these:
- Buying bulk backlinks. Paid packages are the quickest way to get penalised. It can take months to recover.
- Using the same anchor text. Vary your anchor text. Use your brand name and natural phrases.
- Leaving spammy comments and swapping links. Irrelevant sites won’t add much.
- Giving up after 4 weeks. Off-Page SEO takes time.
Myths to Ignore
- More backlinks = better rankings. A couple of quality backlinks are better than lots of poor ones.
- Off-Page SEO = Backlinks only. Reviews, mentions and listings also count.
- Social likes = impact rankings. They don’t but will help people find you.
- It will only take a month. It is an ongoing process.
90 Day Off-Page SEO Checklist Plan
- Month 1 – Complete your Google Business Profile, directories and social media.
- In Month 2 – Ask for reviews, find mentions that aren’t linked and start answering questions.
- Month 3 – Write one guest post and promote your best content.
Repeat. Track your progress.
Off-Page SEO Checklist Example: A Bangalore Bakery
Let’s say you have a small bakery in Indiranagar with a brand new website and you follow this off-page SEO checklist.
- Month 1 – Owner completes Google Business Profile, adds images of her cakes and adds to Justdial and Sulekha.
- Month 2 – Sends regular customers a message on WhatsApp asking for reviews. Contacts local food bloggers who have already mentioned them and asks for a backlink.
- Month 3 – Writes a guest post for a food blog in Bangalore called ‘5 Cake Trends in Bangalore’. Shares on Instagram.
Nothing is complicated. Just ensure you’re consistent. After a couple of months people searching for cakes locally will start to find you.
What to Start With
Don’t try to do all 12 points on the off-page SEO checklist. Start with 3 Google Business Reviews and 1 guest post per month. As these become a habit then add more. The aim is to become a recommended business. Save this list somewhere and work through it each month.
Need help with SEO for your business? See our services.