On-page SEO is a well-known element of any successful B2B marketing strategy. Many seasoned marketers are able to clearly explain the value of on-page SEO and how to properly track efforts. What turns into a more nebulous, gray area for many marketers is off-page SEO. What used to be cut-and-dried off-page SEO tactics to build high-authority links in previous years have fallen out of regular usage with each new search engine algorithm update.
However, off-page SEO for B2B firms isn’t just about backlinks now. Rather, off-page SEO strategies have expanded to boost brand visibility, build trust, and expand authority in a niche industry.
In this overview of off-page SEO tactics for B2B marketers, we share the most effective off-page strategies to incorporate into a holistic digital marketing plan.
1. Quality backlink building for third-party validation
Thought leadership and guest blogging on industry websites: Drafting original thought leadership pieces and pitching them to be featured on high-authority industry blogs or in publications that your B2B audience trusts is still a crucial way to build backlinks. These published guest blogs must share in-depth insights and actionable advice to demonstrate your authority in the field and build credibility.
PR and media coverage: Specific, tailored PR campaigns focused on securing articles or features in news outlets, industry magazines, or websites builds backlinks to drive traffic to your website and boosts brand credibility. Creating long-term relationships with journalists can lead to organic mentions and links over time as well – especially if you can establish your brand as the go-to thought leader in your industry.
Content partnerships & co-branding: Another great avenue for building strong backlinks is through content partnerships. Working with a complementary business to create content like eBooks, webinars, or research studies harnesses the authority of both businesses – creating powerhouse pieces that drive high-traffic backlinks.
2. Brand mentions & reputation management
Unlinked mentions: Search engines have gotten savvier over the years and now recognize and attribute credit for unlinked brand mentions on other websites. By tracking and researching brand mentions online, you can see where your brand is mentioned and contact the sources to see if they are willing to include a link as well. While a link is ideal for getting traffic to your website, unlinked mentions still have value with search engines (which is good for your SEO).
Online reputation management: For B2B firms, trust is a major factor. It’s crucial to monitor and cultivate reviews on third-party review sites like Google Business, G2, Trustpilot, or Capterra. Search engines value both negative and positive reviews, although positive reviews build credibility (and thus better rankings). Since your target customers find reviews helpful when researching products or services like yours, the review sites may outrank your website for your ideal buying terms. Closely monitor reviews and respond to both positive and negative reviews. This responsiveness shows prospects that you are receptive and genuinely care about your clients.
Industry recognition and awards: We are often asked whether awards and industry recognition still matter – yes, yes, they do. Even if your firm doesn’t win, a nomination for an industry-specific award can generate high-authority backlinks from relevant, trusted sources. It also acts as social proof, boosting your brand’s trustworthiness with third-party validation.
3. Social media sharing and engagement
LinkedIn and X for B2B: Even today, LinkedIn is still the go-to platform for B2B sharing and engagement. Once you have created original thought leadership, case studies, or other valuable content, it’s important to share and engage in relevant conversations (e.g., commenting on posts, joining industry groups) about those topics. Doing so raises your brand’s visibility and builds out your reputation as a thought leader in the industry. The platform X is also effective for engaging with industry leaders, sharing insights, and building thought leadership. The setting is slightly different on X – but is highly relevant, particularly for tech firms.
Social proof signals: Sharing your own brand’s content and thought leadership is a great strategy, but it’s also powerful when your employees, clients, and partners get involved. It’s important to encourage employees and happy clients to share your content via their own social channels as it expands the reach of your brand.
4. Content amplification through influencers
Industry influencers & micro-influencers: Reaching out and building strong rapport with thought leaders who are influential in your industry can extend the reach of your content. As part of an off-page SEO strategy, these influencers can share your content with a wider, highly-specific audience. This tactic can generate valuable backlinks and direct traffic to your website.
One caveat is that many influencers know their worth and will charge a fee for promotions of products and services. The best-case scenario is partnering with an influencer in your market or an adjacent market who is interested in a partnership and working together rather than a clear promotional approach. These types of partnerships can include webinars, interviews, or panel-sharing at an industry event.
Podcasts & video interviews: Industry podcasts may not have as many monthly listeners as more general podcasts, but the benefit is the audience is relevant and interested in hearing your expertise. Securing appearances as a guest on industry podcasts or video series can give you additional exposure while building your authority in the field. Backlinks from podcast websites and video platforms like YouTube also help your SEO by showing credibility and relevance to search engines.
5. Local SEO & Google Business optimization
Local listings: For regional B2B firms operating in a limited geographic area, optimization of the Google Business profiles is crucial. Local listings, like Google Business, provide local SEO signals and target region-specific search queries. Google Business, while crucial for local firms, is also useful for national and international firms since Google appears to assign credibility to those managed profiles. It recommends adding images or videos of office locations, products, and team members. Google users are also able to easily leave reviews for firms whether you’ve established a profile or not, so it’s best to be proactive in managing this social listing.
Niche directories: Ensuring your business is listed in trusted local and industry-specific directories, such as Clutch.co or Design Rush for creatives, can help improve brand visibility and build trust. Niche directories often have fantastic SEO, so your brand can benefit from being listed and not only sharing vetted third-party reviews but also get in front of those searching for your product or service at that time.
6. Engagement on niche forums and communities
Industry-Specific Forums: There are a lot of forums and online communities with niche interests and audiences, such as Reddit, Quora or an industry-specific forum. By participating in these communities with genuine commentary (not promotional pieces), you can build relevant backlinks, drive website traffic, and establish yourself and your brand as authorities on the topic.
The caveat for building a presence on a forum like Reddit is that it needs to have full-time monitoring and will require active management and participation. Reddit users are ready to pounce on brands and can be ruthless, so being genuine and relatable while avoiding self-promotion is essential to create a strong presence.
Answering questions & sharing resources: Being a helpful, educational resource for industry-specific matters goes a long way to build credibility and earn the trust of your target market. By engaging and answering industry-specific questions on platforms like Quora or Stack Exchange, you can earn backlinks to your website. Just ensure that your contributions are genuinely helpful rather than self-promotional.
7. Content syndication
Syndicating long-form content: Getting your content out to a broader audience through content syndication can increase your brand’s reach and build backlinks from reputable sites. By republishing on sites like Medium and as LinkedIn Articles using canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues, you drive more interest back to your website and get relevant backlinks.
Content aggregators: Once you have crafted valuable, educational content, submit it to niche-specific content aggregators or forums. Doing so increases visibility, especially in professional B2B communities, and drives relevant referral traffic back to your B2B website.
8. Review platforms
Review platforms: Third-party review platforms are a great way to provide prospects with trustworthy, vetted reviews of your company. By having testimonials on review platforms like G2, Capterra, and Clutch, you not only build up trust with prospects, but also create valuable back-links.
9. Video SEO & YouTube
Video content on YouTube: Video can be an integral part of an off-page SEO strategy, especially with the popularity of video-first content. Crafting high-quality videos on industry insights, trends, solutions, or case studies and publishing them to YouTube can build backlinks, drive organic traffic to your site, and lead to more engagement from your target audience. By properly optimizing the videos with relevant links and summaries, you build up your off-page SEO.
Repurpose for video platforms: Once you have video content, it’s helpful to take parts and samples of your content and share it on video-friendly platforms like LinkedIn to boost your reach and the engagement with your content.
10. Networking at industry events and conferences
Virtual & in-person events: This might not be as intuitive for off-page SEO, but attending (and ideally speaking at) industry conferences, webinars, and networking events can contribute to your off-page SEO efforts. These types of events provide opportunities to build quality relationships with other professionals and partners in your industry, which can result in partnerships, content sharing, and backlinks to your B2B website.
Sponsorships & partnerships: While this often requires a financial investment, sponsoring events or webinars puts your B2B brand in front of your target audience and often includes backlinks from the event website. Even if the backlinks are classified as “no follow,” they can be helpful in driving relevant referral traffic and building your authority with search engines.
Wrapping up
Today, off-page SEO for B2B companies is increasingly about building credibility, authority, and a strong reputation for helpful content. These off-page SEO tactics are best applied with the intent to build strong relationships and share expertise as an industry thought leader. Off-page SEO tactics and strategies can vary depending on your budget and resources but often include earning high-quality backlinks, creating social proof, leveraging content amplification, and building trust and visibility through genuine engagement.
Always focus on quality over quantity and be genuine in your approach, as search engines reward real, authoritative engagement over manipulative tactics.
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