Offline SEO

[Plumb Spares Direct]

I imagine this has been asked a million times but what is the perceived value of offline versus online SEO? What are the most efficient offline SEO/marketing techniques?

 

[SEOpie]

By 'offline', I presume you mean 'offsite' or 'off-page', pertaining to the act of increasing the number of business citations/mentions and backlinks, right?

As most will tell you, it's the combination of on and offpage SEO that is needed to compete in the more competitive niches.

For many 'targeted keyword terms' it can just be a case of producing a great website, with good quality content. This could rank well organically with very few external links, but also generate organic links by itself simply by being a good site.

Often, however, it requires a more active approach to try to build a link profile that has a chance to reach higher positions for more competitive keyword terms.

Obviously there are such techniques as sponsored and guest posting, selective directory submission, content outreach, and so on.

The different methods available have been mentioned quite a lot on here in the past:

• http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/how-do-you-get-quality-back-links.366206/
• http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/organic-seo.355893/
• http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/what-do-seo-companies-do.344185/
• http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/back-links-and-where-to-get-them.352327/

There will be some who claim that you should only focus on your own website, and essentially just hope to gain organic backlinks in the future. In reality, this very rarely works and requires really great, well written, and marketed content, (along with a decent budget!) to even hope to have a chance.

 

[webgeek]

1. Do your keyword research.
2. Test your theories about what will convert into paying customers by running some PPC ads using those keywords.
3. Do the SEO to optimise for those converting keywords, using content + optimisation + backlinks (on occasion).
4. Lead capture those people who don't buy, because they aren't quite ready or don't quite trust you enough - by offering great downloadable content in exchange for their email.
5. Email nurture them, sending small summaries of what great stuff you're posting on your site, with links so they come visit the site, get info that is valuable/interesting to them.
6. Include Call to Action sections on your content pages, so that when people are finally ready, they'll click the link to buy, see a demo or try a free trial.
7. Thank them, show them where more great content is on your site, tell them what to expect next, and then stay in touch with them to keep building them as a customer for life.
8. Kill them with kindness and great service, keep your prices reasonable and kill them with kindness and great service.
9. Thank them again for being a valued customer and ask what you could do better.
10. Do it better.
11. Rinse, lather, repeat.