What is SEO Off-Page, Backlinks, GMB & Google Search Console?

1. What is Off-Page SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is divided into two parts: On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO.

Off-Page SEO means all the activities done outside your website to improve your site’s rankings in Google search results.

Examples of Off-Page SEO:

• Creating backlinks
• Social media sharing
• Forum submissions
• Guest posting
• Influencer outreach

Off-Page SEO helps Google understand how popular or trusted your website is across the internet.

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2. What are Backlinks?

Backlinks are links from one website to another. If a website links to your site, that’s a backlink for you.

Backlinks act as a “vote of trust” from other websites. The more quality backlinks you have, the better your site ranks in Google.

Types of Backlinks:

• Do-Follow Backlink: Passes SEO value to your site. Good for rankings.
• No-Follow Backlink: Doesn’t pass SEO value directly but still brings traffic.

Qualities of a Good Backlink:

• Comes from a high-authority website
• Relevant to your niche
• Looks natural (not paid or spammy)

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3. How to Remove Bad Backlinks?

Sometimes, your site may get toxic or spammy backlinks from low-quality sites. These can harm your rankings, so removing them is important.

Steps to Remove Backlinks:

1. Find Toxic Links:
   • Use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz to find low-quality backlinks.
2. Request Removal:
   • Contact the website owner and politely ask them to remove the backlink.
3. Use Google Disavow Tool:
   • If they don’t remove it, you can tell Google to ignore those links using the Disavow Tool.
   • Create a .txt file with the list of bad domains.
   • Upload it to Google’s Disavow Tool.

⚠️ Be careful while disavowing. Don’t accidentally remove good links.

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4. What is GMB (Google My Business)?

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool by Google that lets you create a business profile and show up on Google Search and Maps.

Benefits of GMB:

• Shows your business name, location, hours, and contact details
• Helps you get customer reviews
• Increases visibility in local searches
• Builds trust with potential customers

Example:
When someone searches “best salon near me,” salons with GMB profiles appear in Google Maps and top results.

How to Set Up GMB:

1. Visit Google My Business.
2. Add your business name, location, and phone number.
3. Verify your business via postcard or call.
4. Add photos, services, updates, and manage reviews.

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5. What is Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is a free SEO tool by Google that helps website owners track their site’s performance in search results.

Main Features of Google Search Console:

• See if your pages are indexed by Google
• Check which keywords your site ranks for
• Submit your sitemap
• Get reports on mobile usability and Core Web Vitals
• Find out about security issues or manual penalties
• Monitor backlinks to your website

How to Use It:

1. Go to Google Search Console
2. Add your website URL
3. Verify ownership using an HTML file, tag, or domain verification
4. Submit your sitemap
5. Regularly check reports and fix any issues

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Conclusion:

To grow your website’s visibility and traffic, you must understand the basics of Off-Page SEO, backlinks, and tools like GMB and Google Search Console. Removing bad backlinks and managing your online presence through GMB and Search Console can help you rank higher on Google.

Whether you’re a blogger, business owner, or marketer, mastering these basics is essential for long-term online success.