Off page factors critical to search engine rankings

More than ever, so called 'off page' factors are influencing organic search engine rankings. Today, optimization is more than just tweaking pages, it includes exposing the site through various online channels, building reputable inbound links, and encouraging search engines to return regularly.

We are always surprised when we explain our methodologies to clients, they always say "search engines can know that?" As if the basic science of a search engine's ability to crawl and index the world wide web doesn't presuppose that it can read text that is colored the same as the background.

We are now employing a variety of off page technique to improve our site rankings. A blog is a great way to start. Relevant inbound links are important too (but there are a lot of myths about "link popularity" out there that may get you into trouble! RSS feed (site syndication), press releases, and forum participation have become part of our process.

Now some of these measures may not be necessary in all cases, but in very competitive markets it is well versed off page factors that tend to tip the rankings.