Off-page SEO is stifling my progress

[katied772]

I have several websites with original content. I have a good understanding of on-page SEO and feel my sites are well-optimized.
When it comes to the off-page stuff, I am totally lost.
There is so much contradicting info. Some say you need tons of backlinks and you need to use every automated program to throw them out there. Others say just do some manual link building through blog commenting and posting articles on sites such as EZA.
I feel like I am frozen with indecision and as a result, my sites are not moving ahead.
I can put up the sites, write quality content and on-page optimize well but when it comes to this off-page SEO, I feel destined to remain a total newbie. I don't want to be in this same place tomorrow, next month and even next year. I have got to move forward but which way is forward?
There has got to be someone out there with the answer along with the track record to back it up.
Help please.

[JawadAshraf]

Originally Posted by katied772

I have several websites with original content. I have a good understanding of on-page SEO and feel my sites are well-optimized.
When it comes to the off-page stuff, I am totally lost.
There is so much contradicting info. Some say you need tons of backlinks and you need to use every automated program to throw them out there. Others say just do some manual link building through blog commenting and posting articles on sites such as EZA.
I feel like I am frozen with indecision and as a result, my sites are not moving ahead.
I can put up the sites, write quality content and on-page optimize well but when it comes to this off-page SEO, I feel destined to remain a total newbie. I don't want to be in this same place tomorrow, next month and even next year. I have got to move forward but which way is forward?
There has got to be someone out there with the answer along with the track record to back it up.
Help please.

I think you need ONLY this guide nothing else.

[johnw18]

Start out by writing unique articles and submitting them to EzineArticles (with a backlink to your site, using the exact keyword phrase you want to rank for).

Once you get the hang of that, write more articles and look for other article directories to submit to.

As for results, in my experience it has a lot to do with the competition level of the keyword(s) you want.

But EzineArticles is a good starting point.

[JamesGw]

You usually want in-context links, pepped with a few homepage and maybe profile links. Do guest posts, some blog comments, and syndicate some articles.

It's just a lot of work, but not a particularly difficult or arcane endeavor.

[John Williamson]

Just look for good quality, anchored, contextual backlinks from relevant pages with decent PR and you'll be fine.