Comparing 3 Main SEO Types: On-Page, Off-Page, and Technical

For Malaysian businesses, ranking on Google is no longer optional, but essential. Whether you’re a café in Petaling Jaya, an e-commerce store in Kuala Lumpur, or a law firm in Johor Bahru, your customers are likely searching online before they make a transaction. But here’s the challenge: SEO isn’t just one thing. To succeed in 2025, you’ll need to understand the three main types of SEO: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO.

Each type plays a different role in helping your website appear when Malaysians search for products or services. In this blog, we’ll compare all three, break down their pros and cons, and give you a practical view of which to focus on first.

Quick Comparison Table

(Sources: MDEC Digital Economy Report 2023, Google Search Central, HubSpot SEO Guide 2024)

What Is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO is about optimising the content and elements of your own website.

In Malaysia, this often means:

• Using Bahasa Malaysia and English keywords naturally in titles, headings, and body text.
• Writing content that answers local search intent (e.g. “best nasi lemak in KL” or “audit firm Penang”).
• Optimising meta descriptions, ALT text, and URL structures.
• Improving readability for mobile users, since most Malaysians browse on smartphones
• Building internal links that guide users between service pages, blog posts, and contact forms.

Ideal For: SMEs, service providers, and local e-commerce sites aiming to capture search traffic directly from Malaysian customers.

What Is Off-Page SEO?

Off-page SEO builds your website’s credibility outside your own site.

In Malaysia, this could look like:

• Getting backlinks from news portals such as The Star or Malaysiakini.
• Earning mentions on local directories (e.g., Yellow Pages Malaysia, FoodPanda listings).
• Collaborating with influencers or micro-influencers on Instagram and TikTok 
• Gaining social media shares on Facebook groups, which are still heavily used for local community recommendations.
• Online PR campaigns that position your brand as trustworthy.

Ideal For: Businesses in competitive sectors (law firms, tuition centres, real estate, fintech) that need to stand out with authority and trust.

What Is Technical SEO?

Technical SEO ensures your site’s foundation is solid so Google can crawl and index it properly.

This is crucial in Malaysia, where many SMEs rely on WordPress, Shopify, or custom sites that may not always be well-maintained. Technical SEO includes:

• Making your site fast (important since average mobile site load in Malaysia is slower than global benchmarks  (Source: Google Think with Google SEA Report 2023).
• Mobile-first optimisation (critical since >90% of Malaysians browse on mobile (Source: MCMC Internet Users Survey 2023).
• SSL certificates (HTTPS) for security. Many local customers won’t trust non-secure sites.
• XML sitemaps submitted to Google Search Console.
• Fixing crawl errors, duplicate pages, or broken links.

Ideal For: Growing e-commerce stores, corporate websites, and portals where performance and stability affect conversions.

Services Offered By On-Page vs Off-Page vs Technical SEO

1. Focus & Features

• On-Page SEO → Keywords, content depth, headings, local intent.
• Off-Page SEO → Backlinks, influencer/PR mentions, directory listings.
• Technical SEO → Site speed, crawlability, mobile optimisation.

2. Pricing in Malaysia (if outsourced)

(Source: The Egg 2024, SEO pricing averages from Malaysian agencies; corroborated by HubSpot SEO Pricing Report 2024)

3. Difficulty Level

• On-Page: Easier to implement with an in-house content writer.
• Off-Page: Harder, needs outreach, PR, and networking.
• Technical: Requires developer + SEO specialist.

4. Time to See Results

• On-Page: 3–6 months for visible keyword rankings.
• Off-Page: 6–12 months for authority building (Source: Ahrefs SEO Study 2023).
• Technical: Immediate improvements once fixes are applied.

Pros & Cons Summary

On-Page SEO

Pros

• Full control over optimisation. You can directly edit content, keywords, and meta tags without waiting for external approval.
• Budget-friendly for SMEs. Many Malaysian businesses handle on-page SEO in-house using tools like Yoast or Rank Math.
• Targets local intent. Helps your site rank for Bahasa Malaysia or English keywords such as “hair salon JB” or “audit firm KL.”
• Immediate content impact. Updating meta titles or improving readability can yield visible engagement gains in weeks.

Cons

• Time-intensive. Consistent blogging, keyword research, and content updates require ongoing effort.
• Competitive landscape. Popular niches in Malaysia (e.g. finance, e-commerce, property) are highly saturated, making ranking harder.
• Dependent on strong technical setup. Even well-written content underperforms if site speed or mobile optimisation is weak (Source: Google Think with Google SEA Report 2023).

Off-Page SEO

Pros

• Builds domain authority. Backlinks from reputable Malaysian sites (like The Star or NST) tell Google your business is credible (Source: SimilarWeb 2024).
• Increases visibility and trust. Strong off-page signals make customers more likely to click your site over unknown brands.
• Boosts referral traffic. PR mentions and influencer collaborations drive visitors even outside of search engines.
• Long-term ROI. Quality backlinks often retain SEO value for years.

Cons

• Harder to control. Results depend on third-party platforms, journalists, and content partners.
• Costly for new brands. Building authority through PR or influencer campaigns can exceed RM5,000/month (Source: The Egg 2024).
• Risk of spam links. Cheap link-building services can trigger Google penalties if links come from poor-quality sites.

Technical SEO

Pros

• Improves site performance. Faster page speed and mobile responsiveness improve user experience (Source: Statista 2024).
• Ensures crawlability. Proper XML sitemaps and internal linking help Google index your pages efficiently.
• Enhances site security. HTTPS certificates and structured data signals increase user trust.
• Future-proofs your website. A technically solid site adapts better to Google’s algorithm updates.

Cons

• Requires technical skill. Small businesses often need help from developers or SEO specialists.
• Potentially higher setup cost. Full audits and fixes can range from RM3,000–RM8,000 depending on site complexity.
• Not a quick fix. Technical improvements enhance stability but need ongoing monitoring to sustain gains.

The Bottom Line

Each SEO type serves a distinct but complementary purpose:

• Technical SEO lays the groundwork. It’s the “infrastructure.”
• On-Page SEO fills it with high-quality, keyword-driven content.
• Off-Page SEO builds your brand’s credibility and authority.

Together, they form a complete SEO ecosystem where content, trust, and performance reinforce each other. This is the winning formula for ranking on Google Malaysia in 2025 (Source: MDEC Digital Economy Blueprint 2023).

Which SEO Type Should Malaysian Businesses Focus On?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Every business needs a mix of on-page, off-page, and technical SEO to grow online visibility in Malaysia. However, certain industries benefit more from specific SEO types based on customer behaviour and competition levels.

1. On-Page SEO: Ideal for Content-Driven and Local Service Businesses

Industries such as hair salons, tuition centres, accounting firms, cafés, and clinics gain the most from strong on-page SEO. When customers search phrases like “hair salon KSL City JB” or “audit firm near me,” on-page optimization ensures your website appears with relevant keywords, structured headings, and localised content. For example, a clinic in Shah Alam that regularly updates its blog with “health tips” or “flu vaccination info” will build relevance and visibility faster than one relying on a static page.

Why it matters: Malaysians are highly search-dependent. Over 70% of consumers research products and services online before purchase (Source: MCMC Internet Users Survey 2023).

2. Off-Page SEO: Best for Competitive and Authority-Based Industries

Industries such as real estate, legal services, fintech, higher education, and automotive rely heavily on trust signals and authority. Backlinks from credible Malaysian sites like The Star, NST, or niche directories (e.g. PropertyGuru, Carsome, iMoney) can dramatically improve ranking and reputation. For instance, a fintech startup mentioned on Digital News Asia will build stronger trust than competitors with no media footprint. Off-page SEO also fuels brand awareness through collaborations with local influencers and PR campaigns.

Why it matters: Google uses backlinks as one of its top three ranking factors (Source: Ahrefs 2023). In Malaysia’s competitive markets, visibility alone isn’t enough. Authority drives conversions.

3. Technical SEO: Critical for E-Commerce, Portals, and Corporate Sites

For larger websites (think e-commerce, logistics, property portals, insurance, or universities), technical SEO is the backbone. These sites often have hundreds of product pages, images, and dynamic elements. Without technical optimisation, slow load times or broken links can kill conversions.

For example, a Shopee store that loads within 2 seconds outperforms slower competitors by over 30% in conversions (Source: Think with Google SEA 2023). Similarly, an education portal with optimised sitemaps and HTTPS certification earns higher user trust.

Why it matters: 90% of Malaysians access websites via mobile devices, so speed and mobile-friendliness directly impact ranking and bounce rate (Source: Statista 2024).

‘Technical SEO is your house structure, while on-Page SEO is the furniture and design, and Off-Page SEO is your reputation in your neighbourhood.’

Conclusion

On-page, off-page, and technical SEO are the three pillars every Malaysian business needs to rank well in 2025. Whether you run a small tuition centre in Shah Alam or an e-commerce store selling nationwide, each SEO type plays a role in visibility and trust.

Most businesses should begin with technical and on-page SEO, then scale with off-page authority building.

Done right, a holistic SEO approach when assisted by a trusted SEO agency, ensures your business is discoverable, trustworthy, and competitive in Malaysia’s increasingly digital-first economy (Source: MDEC Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint 2023).