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What Are Backlinks? A Complete Guide to SEO Backlinks

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A backlink is a link from one website to another. These website links, also called incoming links or external links, act as pathways that connect web pages across the internet. When someone links to your content, it signals to search engines that your page might be valuable or trustworthy which boosts your SEO.

What is a Backlink?

Think of backlinks as recommendations. The more high-quality backlinks you have from credible sources, the more likely search engines are to view your site as an authority.

local backlinks showing to the main website in the center and from relevant sources

High-Quality vs. Low-Quality Backlinks

  • High-Quality Backlinks: These come from reputable, trusted websites with strong domain authority (a score that reflects a site’s credibility). For example, a link from a well-known news outlet or an industry leader’s blog. You can easily check the authority of a domain using this free tool from ahrefs.
  • Low-Quality Backlinks: These come from spammy or irrelevant sites, such as random forums, directories with no clear purpose, or sites with poor reputations. Low-quality backlinks can harm your rankings because search engines may see them as manipulative or unnatural.

Why Are Backlinks Important for SEO?

Backlinks play a critical role in search engine optimization because they:

  • Help search engines discover and index new pages.
  • Pass link equity (or “link juice”) to your site, improving your rankings.
  • Indicate the relevance and authority of your content.

For example:

  • If a popular blog on gardening links to your article about “Best Organic Fertilizers,” it tells search engines that your content is valuable and worth recommending in search results.

Pro Tip: Focus on earning high-quality backlinks from credible sources to strengthen your site’s reputation and avoid penalties from search engine algorithms.

How Do Backlinks Work in SEO?

When a site links to your content, it:

  1. Creates a connection between the two web pages.
  2. Passes on link equity to the linked page, which can boost its ranking.
  3. Helps search engines understand the context of your content through the anchor text (the clickable text of the link).

Example: If the anchor text is “organic gardening tips,” search engines associate your content with that topic.

Key Benefits of Backlinks

  1. Improve Google Rankings: Sites with strong backlink profiles often rank higher in google rankings.
  2. Drive Organic Traffic: Backlinks can bring visitors directly from the referring site to your page.
  3. Increase Domain Authority: A diverse portfolio of quality backlinks builds your site’s authority and improves its ability to rank for competitive keywords.

How Backlinks Work And Their Role in SEO

Backlinks act as votes of confidence for your website. When a site links to your content, it signals to search engines that your page is valuable, which can help improve its rankings. This process is driven by search engine algorithms, which evaluate backlinks based on factors like quality, relevance, and authority.

High-Quality Backlinks Pass Link Equity

  • Link Equity (or Link Juice): This refers to the value or authority a backlink passes from one page to another.
    • Links from high-authority sites transfer more link equity than those from lesser-known or spammy sites.
    • The more link equity a page accumulates, the better its chances of ranking higher in search results.

Example: If an authoritative news website links to your blog post about “Sustainable Gardening Practices,” it passes significant link equity, improving your page’s visibility and credibility.

Low-Quality Backlinks Can Hurt Your Rankings

Not all backlinks are beneficial. Links from low-quality forums, irrelevant directory links, or spammy backlinks can signal manipulation to search engines and harm your rankings.

Pro Tip: Regularly monitor your backlink profile using a backlink analysis tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to ensure you’re only building relevant backlinks.

Dofollow vs. Nofollow Backlinks

Not all backlinks pass link equity. The distinction between dofollow and nofollow links plays a key role:

  • Dofollow Links: These are the default type of backlink and pass link equity to the linked page.
  • Nofollow Links: These include an HTML attribute (rel=”nofollow”) that instructs search engines not to pass link equity.
    • While they don’t directly impact rankings, nofollow backlinks can still drive traffic and add diversity to your backlink profile.

Example: A link from a blog comment section might be nofollow, but it can still attract visitors to your page.

How Anchor Text Affects Backlinks

The clickable text in a hyperlink, known as anchor text, provides context about the linked page to search engines.

  • Keyword-Rich Anchor Text: Helps signal what the content is about. For example, “best hiking boots for winter” as anchor text links directly to relevant content.
  • Natural Anchor Text: Avoid over-optimization. Instead, use a mix of branded, generic, and descriptive text to keep your backlink profile diverse and authentic.

Types of Backlinks

Not all backlinks are the same, and understanding the different types of backlinks can help you focus on building those that have the greatest impact on your search engine rankings.

1. Editorial Backlinks

  • These are links that you earn naturally when other websites find your content valuable and link to it.
  • Example: A tech blog links to your guide on How to Build a Custom PC because it’s detailed and helpful.
  • Why They’re Valuable: Editorial backlinks are considered the most trustworthy and impactful because they’re earned, not requested.

2. Guest Blogging Backlinks

  • Earned by writing guest posts for other websites and including a link back to your site.
  • Example: Writing a blog for an industry site with a link to your related content, such as a resource page or detailed blog post.Pro Tip: Always ensure the anchor text and linked content are relevant to the guest blog’s audience.

3. Resource Page Backlinks

  • Links from pages that curate helpful resources on specific topics.
  • Example: A “Top 10 Gardening Resources” page links to your article about Organic Fertilizers for Vegetables.
  • How to Get Them: Reach out to website owners of relevant resource pages and suggest your content if it adds value.

4. Broken Link Building

  • This involves identifying broken links on other websites and offering your content as a replacement.
  • Example: You notice a gardening blog has a broken link pointing to an outdated resource about “Indoor Plant Care.” You suggest replacing it with your updated guide.
  • Why It Works: Webmasters appreciate help fixing broken links, making them more likely to link to your content.

Ahrefs got a great article on how to do broken link building which you should check out when you are looking for an easy way to get backlinks.

5. Directory Links

  • Links from online directories or local business listings.
  • Example: Adding your site to industry-specific directories like “Best Plumbing Services in Chicago.”

Pro Tip: Avoid irrelevant directory links from low-quality or spammy directories, as these can harm your site’s reputation.

Which Backlinks Are Most Valuable?

  • Focus on high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites that are relevant to your niche.
  • Avoid low-quality forum backlinks, link spam, and any links from unrelated sites.

How to Get Backlinks

Building a strong backlink profile requires a combination of proactive outreach, high-quality content creation, and smart link building strategies. Here’s how you can start acquiring backlinks effectively:

1. Create Link-Worthy Content

The foundation of earning high-quality backlinks is to produce content that people naturally want to share and link to. Examples of link-worthy content include:

  • Comprehensive Guides: In-depth resources like “The Ultimate Guide to Organic Gardening.”
  • Original Research: Publish data or surveys that others in your industry can reference.
  • Infographics: Visual content that simplifies complex topics.
  • How-To Articles: Tutorials or step-by-step guides.

Pro Tip: Regularly update your best-performing content to keep it relevant and continue attracting links.

2. Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is an effective way to earn editorial backlinks while showcasing your expertise to a new audience.

  • Write for reputable blogs in your niche.
  • Include a link to a relevant page on your site in the body or author bio.
  • Focus on delivering value to the blog’s readers, not just building links.

3. Use Broken Link Building

This involves finding broken backlinks on other websites and offering your content as a replacement.

  • Use tools like Ahrefs to identify broken links on authoritative sites.
  • Reach out to the site owner, point out the broken link, and suggest your content as a replacement.
  • Example: If a site links to an outdated gardening guide, offer your updated article on the same topic.

4. Collaborate with Influencers

Partner with influencers or industry leaders to share your content or link to it on their platforms.

  • Offer value, such as co-creating content or sharing their work, to build genuine relationships.

5. Build Links Through Resource Pages

Resource pages are compilations of helpful links on a specific topic.

  • Identify resource pages relevant to your industry.
  • Reach out and suggest your content as a valuable addition.
  • Example: A “Top Resources for Home Renovation” page links to your guide on DIY Plumbing Basics.

6. Avoid Black Hat Tactics

While building backlinks, steer clear of practices like:

  • Link Exchanges: Swapping links with other sites.
  • Paid Links: Buying links to manipulate rankings.
  • Link Schemes: Using networks of unrelated sites to create backlinks.

These tactics violate Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties, harming your google rankings.

Pro Tip: Always prioritize earning relevant backlinks from credible sources over shortcuts like spammy backlinks or low-quality forum backlinks.

Tools to Help Build Backlinks

  1. Ahrefs or SEMrush: Identify backlink opportunities and analyze your existing backlinks.
  2. Moz Link Explorer: Evaluate the domain authority of linking sites and discover new prospects.

Anchor Text in Backlinks

Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink. It provides context to users and search engines about the content of the linked page. Typically, it’s underlined and appears in a different color to make it stand out.

Types of Anchor Text

  1. Exact Match Anchor Text
    • The anchor text includes the exact target keyword for the linked page.
    • Example: Linking “best organic fertilizers” to a page about organic fertilizers.
  2. Partial Match Anchor Text
    • Includes a variation or part of the target keyword.
    • Example: Linking “tips for organic gardening” to a page about organic fertilizers.
  3. Branded Anchor Text
    • Uses your brand name as the anchor.
    • Example: Linking “YourWebsite” to your homepage.
  4. Generic Anchor Text
    • Uses non-descriptive text like “click here” or “read more.”
    • Example: Linking “read more” to a detailed blog post.
  5. Naked URL Anchor Text
    • The anchor text is the full URL of the page.
    • Example: Linking “https://yourwebsite.com/organic-fertilizers” to your guide on organic fertilizers.

Why Anchor Text Matters

Anchor text helps search engines understand the topic of the linked page, which can improve its rankings. However, it’s essential to use a natural and diverse mix of anchor text types to avoid over-optimization, which can trigger penalties.

Pro Tip: Focus on creating descriptive and natural anchor text. Avoid spammy practices like using the exact same anchor text repeatedly or inserting irrelevant keywords.

Best Practices for Anchor Text

  • Use descriptive, relevant text that accurately reflects the content of the linked page.
  • Avoid overloading anchor text with keywords; aim for variety (e.g., a mix of branded, generic, and keyword-rich text).
  • Ensure the link’s anchor text provides value to both users and search engines.

Example in Practice

Bad Example: “Click here” links to a guide about “How to Grow Tomatoes.”
Good Example: “Learn how to grow tomatoes at home” links to the same guide.

Tracking and Evaluating Backlinks

Monitoring your backlinks is essential to ensure they’re helping, not hurting, your SEO efforts. Regularly analyzing your website backlinks allows you to:

  • Identify and disavow spammy backlinks or links from low-quality sites.
  • Understand which high-quality backlinks are driving the most impact.
  • Spot opportunities to build more relevant backlinks by analyzing competitor profiles.

Tools to Analyze Backlinks

  1. Ahrefs Backlink Checker
    • Provides detailed insights into your backlink profile, including the number of links, referring domains, and the domain authority of linking sites.
    • Example: Use Ahrefs to find broken backlinks and reach out to site owners for replacements.
  2. SEMrush Backlink Analytics
    • Tracks incoming links and highlights potential risks, such as links from spammy domains.
    • Example: Analyze your competitors’ backlinks to discover link building opportunities for your site.
  3. Moz Link Explorer
    • Evaluates your page authority and helps identify the best backlinks contributing to your rankings.

How to Evaluate Backlink Quality

  1. Relevance: Is the linking site related to your industry or niche?
    • Example: A link from a gardening blog to your “Organic Fertilizers” guide is more valuable than one from a random forum.
  2. Domain Authority: Does the linking site have a strong reputation? Links from authoritative websites carry more weight.
  3. Anchor Text: Is the link’s anchor text descriptive and natural? Over-optimized or irrelevant anchor text can be a red flag.

What to Do with Insights

  • Fix Broken Backlinks: Contact webmasters to replace links pointing to pages you’ve moved or deleted.
  • Disavow Harmful Links: Use Google’s Disavow Tool to tell search engines to ignore spammy or irrelevant links.
  • Leverage High-Performing Links: Build on successful content by creating related articles or resources to attract more quality backlinks.

Pro Tip: Regularly reviewing your backlink profile helps protect your site from penalties and ensures you’re maximizing the value of your backlinks.

Conclusion: Backlinks as a Core SEO Strategy

Backlinks remain one of the most influential factors in search engine optimization. They act as endorsements for your website, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable, trustworthy, and relevant. However, not all backlinks are created equal—focusing on high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites is crucial for long-term success.

Key Takeaways

  1. Understand the Types of Backlinks: Prioritize editorial backlinks, resource page links, and links earned through guest blogging or broken link building.
  2. Avoid Black Hat Tactics: Stay away from practices like link schemes, paid links, and spammy backlinks, which can harm your google rankings.
  3. Track and Optimize Your Backlink Profile: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to monitor your website backlinks, disavow harmful links, and capitalize on opportunities for more quality backlinks.
  4. Use Anchor Text Wisely: Keep anchor text descriptive and natural, avoiding over-optimization.
  5. Focus on Earning, Not Buying: Create link-worthy content that naturally attracts relevant backlinks from other websites in your niche.

Action Steps

  • Start with a backlink analysis tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to evaluate your current backlink profile.
  • Create a plan for acquiring backlinks using strategies like guest blogging, broken link building, and creating shareable resources.
  • Regularly update and optimize your content to maintain its value and continue earning links over time.

Pro Tip: Backlink-building is a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on building strong relationships and creating content that naturally earns editorial backlinks over time.

Picture of Jonas Lindemann

Jonas Lindemann

I’m an experienced SEO professional with over a decade of helping over 100 businesses rank higher online, especially local businesses, e-commerce stores and SaaS. As the co-founder of LPagery, I specialize in practical, proven strategies for regular SEO and Local SEO success.

About The Author

Picture of Jonas Lindemann

Jonas Lindemann

I’m an experienced SEO professional with over a decade of helping businesses rank higher online, especially local businesses, e-commerce stores and SaaS. As the co-founder of LPagery, I specialize in practical, proven strategies for regular SEO and Local SEO success.

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