A backlink is a link from one website to another. They help users browse the Internet and visit other websites with the click of a mouse button. Satisfying the end user is no longer the main goal when building backlinks. Instead, the focus has shifted to their impact on search engines.
From Google's point of view, a linking site is equivalent to a recommendation, thus showing that the site is relevant to the user. Therefore, the higher the number of backlinks, the higher the ranking in search results. Google continues to improve its algorithm and punish abuse. In addition to quantity, the quality of backlinks is now decisive for rankings. This article reveals how to build strong backlinks and what to look out for.
What types of backlinks exist?
A backlink consists of the link target and the medium that links to it. With text links, a piece of text, the so-called anchor text, adds a hyperlink to the linked website. Alternatively, link a photo or graphic. Both types of backlinks are relevant for SEO and have a positive impact on rankings.
The difference between dofollow and nofollow backlinks has a much greater impact on rankings. If a referrer's HMTL source code does not contain additional attributes, it is automatically treated as a dofollow referrer. Some website operators link to resources on your website that you don't trust or for which they don't want to build valuable backlinks. In this case, the webmaster can insert the nofollow attribute in the source code, like this:
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<a href="https://example.org/" rel="nofollow">anchor text</a> |
Backlinks with this attribute were not included in Google's rating until 2019. This changed after an algorithm update. Social signals are a special type of nofollow backlinks. This term describes backlinks that originate from social media channels and direct users to your website. However, they are relatively less important for SEO. Therefore, social signals should not be your first choice when it comes to building backlinks.
As part of its guidelines, Google prohibits the creation of paid backlinks. However, using the attribute rel="sponsored", site operators can indicate whether the link was created in exchange for money or a free product. This prevents such backlinks from negatively affecting your website rankings. In forums and blogs, the rel="ugc" attribute identifies user-generated content that does not originate from the site operator.
What factors affect the quality of backlinks?
Google uses the PageRank algorithm to rate a website's link popularity. In the early days of SEO, the more links pointing to a website, the more relevant it was. Therefore, website operators started to focus on numbers and generated many backlinks with the help of so-called link farms. To this end, Google has updated the algorithm several times. The evaluation of backlinks is now much more complex and takes into account the quality of the link.
Google has improved its evaluation of backlinks by diversifying its ranking factors. The search engine does not reveal how strongly the individual factors are weighted. When building backlinks, it is recommended to consider all ranking factors and pay attention to organic link building.
Link Structure and Anchor Text
In most cases, a backlink consists of the linked URL and clickable anchor text. Choose meaningful words or phrases that reflect the linking site's relevance to the anchor text. With generic phrases like "this article" as anchor text, it's hard to categorize links by topic. It's best to avoid using the same text for every backlink. (You can read about why this can negatively impact your rankings in the "Most Common Mistakes in Link Building" section.)
Permissions of Linked Sites
The more authoritative the linking website is, the more positively Google will rate the quality of the backlink. However, building backlinks through the site may result in penalties if search engines classify the site as a link farm or link seller. This can lead to a drop in PageRank, the exact opposite of what you're aiming for. Therefore, please be aware of the seriousness of linked sites.
topic relevance
Google rates websites to show users relevant content in search results that is relevant to their search intent. Therefore, the topical relevance of backlinks can also affect rankings. If you want to build strong backlinks, choose sites with a similar thematic focus that link to relevant subpages of your site.
location of backlinks
Links placed for higher presence are rated more valuable by Google. Placing a link at the beginning of a page or at the heart of written content is especially relevant. Google assigns low relevancy to backlinks in the footer, navbar, or sidebar.
topicality of content
Google registers when there are no new backlinks for an extended period of time. The algorithm evaluates this as a sign that the website does not offer current or new content and thus loses its relevance to users. Therefore, it is recommended to build long-term and stable backlinks.
The Most Common Mistakes in Link Building
Building backlinks is an integral part of a company's online marketing and off-page SEO. For long-term success, the following mistakes must be avoided, as they will be penalized by Google, resulting in a drop in your site's ranking.
site selection
A common mistake webmasters make is choosing sites that generate backlinks. It is recommended to avoid the following types of sites:
Sites that have no thematic relevance to your content.
Sites with a lot of backlinks; Google may rate them as link farms.
Sites that sell backlinks or exist purely for backlinks.
Sites with no added value, clear topical relevance, or less than 400 words.
link exchange
Companies often support each other through networking, partnerships, or some other type of cooperation. When building backlinks, it is possible to syndicate and reciprocally link to your own website. However, Google in its Webmaster Guidelines prohibits and penalizes reciprocal linking—even if the two linked sites have a high level of authority and deal with similar topics.
This can be circumvented. Agree with at least two other website operators that you each link to a different website. This means that there are no reciprocal links: site A links to site B, site B links to C, and C links to A. So, every website gets a new backlink and nothing reciprocal linking happens.
Poor anchor text optimization
Ideally, the anchor text is meaningful in terms of content and includes the linking page's keywords or other relevant keywords. However, Google may penalize you if you use the same anchor text every time you link to your site. It is best to change the anchor text as often as possible and use natural and appropriate words such as brand names or URLs in addition to keywords.
Tip
Naturally, you have limited influence over how others design your backlinks. However, it's worth writing to other webmasters and asking them for better anchor text.
Build backlinks from unindexed sites
Backlinks from non-indexed sites have no effect on ranking in search engine results. However, the site may no longer be indexed due to violations of the webmaster guidelines. In this case, building backlinks to this site should be avoided.
Inorganic Backlinks
Google's algorithm not only evaluates each backlink individually, but also evaluates the totality of all backlinks linking to the website. This holistic view can assess whether a link profile was created organically, or if it indicates that many backlinks were created manually and on behalf of website operators.
A natural link profile includes a percentage of nofollow backlinks. Google may penalize a site if it is (almost) entirely dofollowed backlinking to it. For the same reason, it is recommended to build backlinks indefinitely. Also make sure that the linked sites are diverse and don't correspond to just one type of site, such as a forum or web directory.
Building Backlinks: The Three Best Ways
There are many ways to build backlinks. Basically, it's up to you to decide which options to use and which ones work best for your website. Always remember quality over quantity and avoid Google penalized mistakes. In the following sections, we'll walk you through the most common ways to build backlinks.
generate your own backlinks
Web directories allow webmasters to build backlinks and link to their own websites. Although Google rates these backlinks relatively poorly, it is one of the easiest options for creating a limited number of backlinks yourself. Here, too, the principle of relevance applies. If possible, choose an industry-specific directory. Local directories have higher weight for location-specific search results. Only generic web directories with a Domain Rating of 50 or higher are recommended.
A blog with a comment section allows you to build your own backlinks. Many website owners already link their sites this way. Therefore, comments with the nofollow attribute are now automatically inserted. These types of backlinks may be considered a ranking factor (albeit fairly unimportant). Most importantly, they help present a natural link profile. Learn more about linking to blog posts through pingbacks and trackbacks in our dedicated guide.
Posts in forums are rated higher than blog comments. The challenge of putting a link here is to get around the trained moderators who recognize and block such backlinks. To be able to successfully build backlinks in this way, it is necessary to be an active member of such forums and contribute regularly.
Build backlinks with good content
Generating organic backlinks often requires creating dedicated content. This content is called a linkable asset. Creative and useful content, lists, contests, entertaining articles are especially suitable. Infographics require more effort, so they are more likely to get links from other website operators. Make it free for others to use and ask them to link to your site in return.
Ideally, other website operators can share your content without an active request. However, it's not uncommon for a mention to have no active link after it. It is recommended to regularly search the Internet for in-text references to your content or website and to request a backlink from the respective website operator. In this research, you have the opportunity to check the correctness of existing backlinks and the quality of anchor text. If you need to request a change, please contact the site administrator.
Build Backlinks Using Guest Posts
Guest posts are an especially great way to build backlinks and increase brand awareness at the same time. Choose the right site for your guest post using the decisive quality criteria of your backlinks. Check ahead of time that the site is relevant and relevant to your topic – even if it’s a high-quality blog. Also score outgoing links to your site. Question whether backlinks provide added value and lead to reputable websites.