On-Page vs Off-Page SEO: What’s the Difference and Why Both Matter
- Radoslaw QA Solutions Ltd
- May 7
- 3 min read
Understanding the two sides of search engine optimisation
When businesses think about SEO, they often picture keywords or backlinks — but the truth is, there are two equally important sides to SEO: on-page and off-page.
At RQA Solutions, we help clients optimise both. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between on-page and off-page SEO, give examples of each, and show you why a balanced approach is key to long-term results.
What Is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO refers to all the actions you take directly on your website to improve its visibility in search engines. These elements are fully in your control and play a big role in how search engines understand and rank your site.
Key On-Page SEO Elements:
Title tags and meta descriptions – Help search engines understand what each page is about
Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) – Structure your content for both users and search engines
Keyword usage – Including relevant search terms naturally within your content
Internal linking – Connecting pages on your site to improve navigation and SEO flow
URL structure – Clean, descriptive URLs improve user experience and indexability
Image optimisation – Adding alt text and compressing images for faster load times
Page speed and mobile responsiveness – Crucial technical factors that impact SEO directly
Content quality – Unique, helpful content that answers user intent
When we optimise a website, on-page SEO is one of the first things we focus on — because without a solid foundation, it’s hard to gain traction.
What Is Off-Page SEO?
Off-page SEO involves actions taken outside of your website to build your site’s reputation, trust, and authority. While you have less direct control over these elements, they’re just as important for climbing the rankings.
Key Off-Page SEO Techniques:
Backlink building – Getting links from reputable sites that point to your content
Google Business Profile optimisation – Enhancing your presence in local search and on Google Maps
Online reviews and reputation management – Positive reviews build trust with users and Google
Social signals – Sharing your content on social media to generate traffic and engagement
Directory listings – Submitting your site to relevant, high-quality directories for local visibility
Brand mentions – Being talked about or linked to by authoritative sources in your industry
Off-page SEO is about building trust with search engines. If others are linking to and referencing your site, it signals to Google that your content is valuable.
Why You Need Both
Think of SEO like a house.
On-page SEO is the structure — your walls, floors, and roof
Off-page SEO is your reputation — what the neighbours say about your home
You need both to succeed. A site that’s perfectly built (on-page) but has no links or recognition (off-page) will struggle to rank. Similarly, if your site has great links but poor structure or content, visitors won’t stay — and Google will notice.
At RQA Solutions, we help businesses strike the right balance, so they can grow steadily and sustainably.
Our Approach: On-Page + Off-Page, Together
When we work on SEO for your business, we take a holistic approach:
Start with a detailed on-page SEO audit and fix technical issues
Research the best keywords and update your page content
Build backlinks naturally through content, directories, and outreach
Optimise your local presence on Google
Track everything — so we can keep improving
Final Thoughts
On-page SEO gives your website structure. Off-page SEO gives it authority.If you're missing one, your results will suffer.
The best SEO strategies combine both — and that’s exactly what we offer at RQA Solutions.
Want to Strengthen Your Website's SEO?
We can help you optimise both the inside and outside of your site — so your business gets the visibility it deserves. Contact us today to learn more about our complete SEO services.
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