You’re reading this because you Googled “what is the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?”
You might be attempting to rank your website. Perhaps your boss got mad at you because traffic’s down. Perhaps you’re a newbie, and you think that SEO is simply updating a post with 100 keywords in it.
So here’s the straight-up answer you’ve come for:
- On-Page SEO = EVERYTHING that you have control over on your OWN website to help Google understand what YOUR page is about.
- Off-Page SEO = All the stuff that occurs off your website or blog, but which tells Google you are a reliable and popular site.
Done. That’s the core.
But if you stop here? You are leaving money — and traffic — on the table.
Knowing the difference is one thing. And then using them together?
That’s where the magic happens. That’s where rankings climb. That’s when your phone starts ringing with the new clients.
And then, if you’re running a business in South Africa (or anywhere, really) and you’re not nailing both? You’re essentially whispering into a hurricane.
Let’s fix that.
What is On-Page SEO Anyway?
On-page SEO is preparing your shop window.
Here, by the way, is what that actually looks like:
Title Tags
Here is the clickable headline in Google’s search results. It’s your first impression. Make it punchy. Make it clear. Include your main keyword — but do not stuff it in like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Example:
❌ “Best SEO Services | SEO Company | Cape Town SEO | ProRank SEO”
✅ “Cape Town SEO Experts Who Get You Proper Results | ProRank”
See the difference? One of them screams, “I read a 2008 SEO guide.” The other says, “We know what you want.”
Meta Descriptions
This is the brief description that appears below the title in search results. It’s no longer a direct ranking factor, but its impact on whether people click is significant.
Think of it as your Tinder bio. Boring = left swipe. Intriguing = right swipe.
Imagine that you’re writing to a real human who’s skeptical and scrolling quickly.
Headers (H1, H2, H3…)
These aren’t just for looks. They’re signposts for Google. H1 = main topic. H2 = subtopic. H3 = detail under that.
Use them to organize your material in conversational form. Not like a legal document.
Using Keywords (But Not Like It’s 2012)
Sprinkle your keyword naturally. In the first paragraph. In headers. Maybe in the conclusion. Don’t force it. Google’s smart now. It knows synonyms. It knows context.
If you are writing about “SEO services in Johannesburg” 19 times, we don’t have to tell the search engine spider that this is what the page is regarding.
Say it a few times. Now say “Johannesburg Plumbing experts,” “local Plumbing agency,” and “fix plumbing issues in Johannesburg.” Google gets it.
Internal Linking
Link to your own pages. Not randomly. Strategically. If you’re writing about “on-page SEO,” then link to your “off-page SEO” page. Or your SEO “audit” service page.
It makes people stay on your site longer. It informs Google about your website’s structure. It’s free traffic juice.
Image Optimization
Give your image files descriptive names. Not “IMG_384729. jpg.” Try “cape-town-plumbing-experts-team. jpg.”
Add an alt text.
Why? Because Google can’t “see” images.
Alt text is what tells it what there is. Also: accessibility. Also, if your image doesn’t load, people can still see what the image is supposed to have been.
URL Structure
Keep URLs clean. Short. Readable.
Good: /seo-services-cape-town
Bad: /page? id=384729&cat=seo&loc=capetown
See? One looks like a professional. The other one is more of a glitch.
Quality of Content (The Big One)
Google doesn’t just want keywords. It wants value. Does your page provide a more accurate answer to the search query than others? You win.
Write like you are helping a friend. Not that you’re trying to game an algorithm.
Off-Page SEO is The Stuff You Don’t Control (But You Can Influence)
If on-page SEO is your shop window, off-page SEO is the people outside telling everyone how great your coffee is.
It’s word-of-mouth. Its reputation. It’s social proof.
You don’t control it directly — but you can sure as hell influence it.
Here’s what actually matters:
Backlinks
This happens when another website links to https://www.your-brilliant-site.com.
Not just any website. A relevant, authoritative website.
- A link from TechCrunch? Gold.
- A link from “Bob’s Discount Link Farm #7?” Garbage. Might even hurt you.
Google sees backlinks as votes. If your votes are high-quality, you will be more trustworthy.
But — and this is crucial — you can’t buy these.
Or at least, you shouldn’t. While the search engine doesn’t punish shady link schemes as severely as a bouncer in a club over-21s, it will not air on premium pages.
How do you get them?
- → Produce epic content that people want to link to.
- → Guest post on legit industry blogs.
- → Be in the local news (even small publications count).
- → Build relationships. Email. Network. Be helpful first.
Social Signals (Kinda)
Google Rank and Facebook Likes/Twitter Shares. Does Google rank likes based on why shares or X? Officially? No.
Unofficially? Probably. Indirectly.
Why? Because the more people who share your content, the more eyeballs see it. Some of those people will also link to it. Or mention it. Or, run a search for your brand name. All of that is a positive signal.
So don’t ignore social. Just don’t use it as a ranking button.
Post useful stuff. Engage. Be human. Don’t be all like “BUY MY SEO PACKAGE!!! ” into the void.
Local Citations & Directories
Especially if you’re an order-to-door type of business (think SEO agency in Cape Town).
I mean, getting listed in local directories — HelloPeter, Ananzi, Yellow Pages, and Google Business Profile is the way to help Google determine if you’re real. That you have an address. A phone number. Reviews.
Inconsistency kills here. Your Name, Address, and Phone number are varied on different sites using NAP? Google gets confused. Confused Google = lower rankings.
Fix it. Everywhere. Stay committed like your morning coffee.
Reviews (Google, HelloPeter, etc.)
Reviews are social proof on steroids.
- Good reviews = trust.
- Bad reviews = red flags (unless you manage with professionalism — then it’s an opportunity to show people you give a crap).
Request reviews from satisfied customers. Don’t bribe them. Just ask nicely. Perhaps forward the email with a direct link in your Follow-Up.
And respond to all reviews. Even the bad ones. Show you’re listening. Show you’re human.
Why Most Businesses Fail at One (Usually Off-Page)
Here’s the brutal truth:
On-page SEO? Most small businesses nail it… and then completely ghost out on off-page SEO.
Why? Because on-page feels controllable. You’re in, you edit, you publish. Done.
Off-page? Feels fuzzy. Feels slow. Feels like yelling into the wind.
So they ignore it.
Big mistake.
Imagine that you built the loveliest little coffee shop in all of Cape Town. Great signage. Perfect menu.
Comfy chairs. Killer cappuccinos.
But you never tell anyone. No Instagram. No local events. No partnerships. No reviews.
You’ll sit there. Alone. With perfect coffee. And zero customers.
That’s what you get when you neglect off-page SEO.
You can have the well-optimized page in the world for “best plumbing services in Durban” — but if people aren’t linking to you, sharing you, reviewing you? Google’s gonna assume you’re not that great a human anyway.
And it won’t rank you.
How On-Page and Off-Page SEO COMBINE to Boost Your Site’s Authority
Think of it like this:
→ On-page SEO informs Google what your page is about.
→ Off-page SEO shows Google how other people feel about it.
You need both.
Example:
You write a blockbuster 3,000-word guide: “The Ultimate SEO Guide for South African Small Businesses.”
- On-page: You have a great title, headlines, keyword sprinkles, internal links, and a fast load time.
- Off-page: You try selling it to MyBroadband. They link to it. You share it on Facebook groups. Someone tweets it. A few local blogs mention it.
Result? Google sees:
This page is so on about SEO for SA businesses (on-page).
Many credible sources consider it valuable (off-page).
Rankings soar. The traffic comes pouring in, and the leads start calling.
That’s the combo.
Common Myths (Busted)
Let’s dispense with some nonsense you’ve likely heard:
❌ “Injecting 100 Meta keywords still matters.”
Nope. Dead since 2009. Stop wasting time.
❌ “The more backlinks you get, the higher your rankings will be.”
Quality over quantity. A link from Mail & Guardian > 100 links from spammy blog networks.
❌ “Social shares do directly increase rankings.”
Not directly. But they get you to visibility, which gets you links, which do improve rankings. So… kinda.
❌ “On-page SEO does not have to be refreshed.”
Nope. Google updates. Trends change. Competitors get better. Get your pages audited every 6 months.
❌ “Off-page SEO is all about backlinks.”
Not really. Citations, reviews, brand mentions — social buzz: It all matters.
How to Perform Your Own Self-Audit of On-Page & Off-Page SEO (DIY with Free Tools)
Here’s how to check yourself:
🔍 On-Page Audit Checklist:
- Are your title tags keyword-optimized and human-friendly?
- Do your meta descriptions sound engaging (not generic)?
- Do they use headers (H1, H2, etc) sensibly?
- Is your content actually helpful? Or just keyword-stuffed?
- Is there good image naming and alt text?
- Are URLs clean and readable?
- Are you linking to other relevant pages on your site?
🌐 Off-Page Audit Checklist:
- Google your brand name. What shows up?
- Analyze your backlinks (you can do this for free with tools like Ubersuggest or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools). Any spammy ones?
- Do you have a uniform NAP in local directories?
- Do you have Google reviews? Are you responding to them?
- Is your content being shared? Are people talking about you?
- Spend 30 minutes on this. There are at least three things to fix. Guaranteed.
When to Call in the Pros (Like Us 😉)
Look. You can do this yourself.
But if you are a business, your time is worth money. And SEO is a long game. It’s technical. It’s ever-changing. It’s so easy to spend months on out-of-date techniques.
That’s where we come in.
At ProRank, we’re not some faceless global agency. We’re South African.
We know your market. We know Google’s quirks here. We’ve helped plumbers, lawyers, dentists, e-commerce outlets, and yes – even other marketing agencies – in ascending to the top of page one.
We don’t promise #1 overnight (of course).
But we do the right strategy. We do audits. We fix your on-page. We build your off-page. We track. We tweak. We report.
I believe your business can get through Google nicely. You got this!
(But if you don’t? We got you.)
