What Are Backlinks?

Regarding digital marketing, Search Engine Optimization or SEO is one of the key factors for the success of online businesses.

Backlinks are an essential aspect of SEO that people often overlook. They are part of off-page SEO, but they have a significant impact on the number of visits to your website.

In short, backlinks are links from other pages that point towards your site. As simple as it may seem, Google employs a complex system to rank your website.

In this blog, we will explore all the details regarding backlinks and how you can use them to your advantage to reach the front page of Google.

What is Search Engine Optimization? 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of modifying your website to improve its ranking in search results, ideally placing it on the front page.

Just think back and try to recall when was the last time you opened the second or third page of Google when looking for something.

That’s right, almost never.

The saying goes that if your site is not on the front page, it doesn’t exist.

The higher you rank, the more visibility, clicks, and conversions you get.

On-Page vs Off-Page SEO

SEO is mainly divided into two parts. On-page SEO encompasses everything on your site, including content, keywords, title tags, and overall user experience.

Off-page SEO includes external factors such as backlinks, social media, and brand mentions, in short, every other page where your page is mentioned.

The more mentions your page has, the more trust Google has in your page and product.

Where Backlinks Fit in SEO

Backlinks are a crucial part, if not the most important off-page SEO signal.

They are digital recommendations for your website.

When a page that has authority in your domain posts a link to your content, Google thinks that your page is trustworthy and has value.

When learning how to do SEO on your website, you mustn’t forget about backlinks.

Over time, these mentions add up and your website ranks higher.

What Are Backlinks?

A backlink is a hyperlink from one website to another.

Whenever you see blue text in a blog, you can click on it, and it will take you to another page; that is a link.

If it takes you to a completely different website, that is called a backlink; if it points to the same website, it is called an internal link.

Different Terms You’ll Hear

Because languages are often referred to as living matter, you may meet a bunch of different words for the same term.

You may encounter backlinks referred to as inbound, incoming, or external links, but they all mean the same thing.

To avoid confusion, each link that leads to another page is essentially a backlink.

Why Backlinks Matter for Websites

Apart from their importance in SEO, they are suitable for other aspects.

Because backlinks are found on other websites, people who have not seen your product or page might click on it and get interested in what you offer.

This way, you get organic traffic from other sources.

Whenever you get posted by a brand that is important in your field, your product gains credibility and exposure to a new market.

Let’s explore their importance for SEO.

Why Are Backlinks Important for SEO?

After learning what backlinks are, it’s essential to understand why they are crucial for good SEO.

Google and other search engines treat backlinks as signals of trust and authority.

We will explore the various ways backlinks contribute to your page’s success.

Google’s Perspective

In its early stages, Google launched a system to rank pages, simply called PageRank.

PageRank analyzed the backlinks and used them as a measure of votes. Sites with a high number of votes ranked higher.

Nowadays, the system is somewhat more complicated, but backlinks remain one of the key factors in ranking.

Authority and Trustworthiness

Not all links are equal.

For example, many spammy sites provide backlinks for money, and you can get thousands of links for relatively cheap.

However, even hundreds of spammy links don’t compare to a single backlink from an authoritative site.

We’ve tested this and found that using spammy link providers can often be detrimental to your SEO, and it’s better to find and acquire links naturally.

Relevance and Context

Context matters too.

Google has a way to check and group sites by specific niches.

If the site you have a backlink on is within your domain of work, Google views that as a factor indicating that you are also a valuable resource in that field.

For example, if you are a site that provides financial services, a backlink on an authoritative health page won’t do much for your SEO.

Types of Backlinks

Backlinks come in various forms.

Some boost your SEO while others might harm it.

We’ll take a look at the different types of backlinks so you can know which ones to focus on.

Natural vs Unnatural Backlinks

Natural quality links happen organically when someone finds your content valuable.

You acquire most of these with time, but there are ways to accelerate the process. We will cover that later.

Unnatural backlinks, on the other hand, are links that you can acquire using manipulative tactics.

A few years back, Google didn’t handle these fake backlinks well, and it was possible to obtain value from link farms.

Now, each browser has a method to check and assign a value to each backlink, so link farming will not work.

DoFollow vs NoFollow Links

The most significant difference is that DoFollow links pass significantly more authority and serve as a vote of confidence for the website. In contrast, NoFollow links have a lesser impact on SEO (although they still have some influence).

Here’s a simple video outlining how they work:

DoFollow links indicate to Google that the site mentioned in the backlink is of value and that the original poster approves of the content.

This instructs the PageRank system to consider that site and rank it higher.

NoFollow links instruct Google not to follow the link, but Google still takes it into account.

When you insert a link into your page, it is a DoFollow link by default. However, if you want it to be NoFollow, you need to add the ‘nofollow’ attribute in your HTML.

Editorial Links vs Self-Created Links

Editorial links are backlinks that your website earns naturally.

For example, let’s say you have a website promoting healthy recipes and fitness. When another popular nutrition blog references it in its own article, that’s called an editorial backlink.

On the other hand, self-created links are those that you add yourself. Some examples are:

• Submitting your site to online directories
• Leaving links in blog comment sections or forums
• Adding your link to your own social profiles or Web 2.0 pages

Self-created links are not all bad, but compared to editorial links, they carry much less SEO value. The reason for that is that they are not earned, and anyone can create them.

Overusing these links can harm your SEO, and a key to good SEO is a balance between both.

What Makes a Good Backlink?

Once you know the types of backlinks, the next step is to realize which ones bring value to your website and which can harm your SEO.

By focusing on factors such as authority, relevance, placement, and diversity, you can build a healthy backlink profile.

Authority of the Linking Site

The authority of the website hosting a link to your site is an essential factor.

One link from a website that is an authority in your niche is worth more than 1000 spammy links.

Due to numerous attempts to cheat the system using spammy links, Google now views them negatively, and using them may harm your SEO.

Relevance of Content

Domain authority is necessary, yes, but relevance is a key factor.

For example, obtaining a link from a popular health blogger is more beneficial than getting a link from a popular finance page.

In Google’s eyes, it’s essential for the traffic to your website to be interested in what you offer.

Anchor Text Optimization

Anchor text is the clickable part of the link.

Descriptive, relevant anchor text helps Google understand the content of your page. However, overusing exact-match keywords can give the impression of spam.

A natural mix of branded, generic, and keyword-rich anchors is most effective.

Placement of the Link

Links placed in the body of an article carry more weight than ones placed in footers or sidebars.

For example, you can hide these links, where many people will not see, and still expect good SEO, without mentioning them in your blog.

When creating backlinks, focus on having them mentioned in the body, as both people and Google will see them more effectively.

Diversity of Link Profile

While not crucial, it is still a worthy factor to mention. When building backlinks, focus on finding them from various sources.

Do not get hung up on one type of source; instead, try to obtain backlinks from various sources, such as blogs, news sites, forums, and different domains.

Diversity signals a healthy organic growth pattern.

How Backlinks Boost Google Rankings

Before we go into how to acquire good backlinks, let’s explore how they actually help.

We reviewed how Google views every backlink as a vote of confidence for your website, but it’s not just about the numbers.

Google evaluates who is linking to you and how those links connect to your content.

PageRank and Link Equity

PageRank is Google’s original system for measuring the importance of web pages based on incoming links.

Each page has a certain amount of “link equity” or authority to share.

When a high-authority page links to another, it passes some of its authority or equity to the linked page.

This is often referred to as “link juice.” The more quality equity your page receives, the higher its ranking potential becomes.

Think of high-authority pages as reservoirs filled with liquid; each backlink is a pipe that brings that liquid to your site. The more backlinks you have from big reservoirs, the more liquid (users) it brings in.

User Experience Signals

Getting a backlink on a relevant page is crucial because Google also measures the time people spend on your site after reaching it by a backlink.

Google also measures whether those customers come back.

With credible backlinks, the chances that people stay on your site are higher, which is why you should utilize them.

Examples of Ranking Improvements with Backlinks

Let’s say a small site sells handmade candles.

Initially, it doesn’t rank well, but after publishing a guide about eco-friendly wax and securing backlinks from sustainability blogs, its ranking soars.

That’s how strategic backlinks can boost your visibility in just days.

Safe Link-Building Practices

Backlinks can occur naturally, but for someone starting out, the chances of getting a natural backlink are low.

However, there are multiple ways to acquire them. Here is how to create links that boost your SEO:

Guest Posting on Relevant Sites

Guest posting remains the most effective way to earn backlinks.

The way it works is you write an article for a reputable site that needs new blogs. In your blog, you include a link to your site that is naturally embedded in the text.

Focus on writing high-quality blogs that people want to read, and encourage them to explore your page.

Creating High-Quality, Shareable Content

Once you get started, a good way to focus is on writing content that people want to see and find extremely valuable.

People will share your content without you having to ask for it.

For example, detailed tutorials, case studies, and other similar types of content are likely to be shared.

Building Relationships and Networking

Emails can only get you so far. Building connections is a way to open the doors to collaboration where both parties can benefit.

Build trust with real people to get organic links over time.

Broken Link Building

Many websites are rarely updated, and often, some links become inactive.

If the link is in the same niche as you, you can contact the blog poster to inform them that the link is broken and request that they replace it.

The site owner fixes the problem, and you get a good backlink, which is a win-win for both parties.

Tools like Ahrefs or Check My Links can help identify opportunities.

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and PR Links

Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connects journalists with expert sources.

By responding to queries and offering credible insights, you can earn backlinks from major media outlets.

These PR-based links are powerful because they’re high-authority and editorially placed.

Hire an Agency

Agencies already have the connections and experience with backlinks and can help you find quality links.

At VP Media, we focus on pairing sites with high-quality blog posters to maximize traffic and SEO for you.

Internal Linking for Better SEO

They are technically not backlinks, but it would be unwise not to know how they work.

These are links on your own site that connect different parts of your site. You need to make an internal linking plan.

Each blog should link to similar blog posts on your site.

Practices to Avoid (Toxic Link Building)

We learned that not all backlinks are helpful; in fact, some backlinks can harm your visibility.

Avoid the following practices that try to cheat Google’s system.

Buying Links in Bulk

Paying for hundreds of backlinks might sound like a shortcut, but Google’s algorithm is designed to detect it.

Purchased links often come from spammy networks that offer zero long-term value and can lead to penalties.

Link Farms and PBNs (Private Blog Networks)

A link farm or PBN is a group of sites created solely for the purpose of linking to each other.

Google knows these sites exist and de-indexes them, but they just make new ones.

If your site is one of them, your page might get de-indexed, and your posts will not appear on Google.

Over-Optimized Anchor Text

When building links, try to change the anchor text where the link is located.

For example, if every link to your site is called “best running shoes”, Google will flag it as spam.

Mix the anchor text to avoid this.

How to Analyze and Monitor Your Backlink Profile

The only way to monitor your backlinks is by using tools.

Keeping track of who links to you also helps identify harmful links before they become a problem.

Tools to Use 

Google Search Console is one of the most valuable tools you need to use when managing a website. It gives insights into almost every aspect.

You can find how many impressions your site got, what the ranking is, find every backlink you have, and even find new keywords.

Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush are also effective ways to stay on top of things.

Identifying Harmful Links

Sometimes, spammy links occur naturally, and you may need to remove them.

Look for websites that lack authority and attempt to compromise the system, then flag them for removal.

Google’s Disavow Tool allows you to tell Google to ignore specific backlinks.

Use it only when necessary, for instance, if you’ve been attacked with spam links.

Tracking Growth Over Time

Check your backlink profile every month and monitor the results.

Many extensions and apps allow you to export that data into a table of your choice, where you can easily analyse it.

The Future of Backlinks in SEO

SEO is evolving rapidly with the rise of AI and the introduction of new algorithms. However, backlinks remain a crucial factor in SEO.

The way they work is solid, and regardless of how the internet evolves, they will continue to be useful.

Here is what the future holds for backlinks, at least our prediction.

Google’s AI and Link Evaluation

Google now uses AI to analyze the links each website has, and it can find the exact correlation between the two sites.

Previously, they had a general idea of the topics of the sites, but now they can more accurately rank links.

This means that manipulative tactics have a lower chance of being effective.

Brand Mentions vs Links

Even unlinked brand mentions can influence SEO.

If your brand is mentioned repeatedly across credible sources, it still builds trust signals.

The algorithm may not require an actual link to establish the correlation.

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

E-E-A-T is one of the most crucial modern SEO concepts, and it’s shaping how Google evaluates websites in a world where AI-generated and low-quality content are everywhere.

The acronym stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and Google’s Search Quality Raters use it to assess the credibility of a page or site.

Conclusion

Backlinks are crucial to SEO; they’re the foundation of online trust. To Google, it’s not just links pointing to your website.

To Google, these links tell the algorithm whether your site is worth recommending to others.

From understanding what they are to mastering safe and advanced link-building practices, the key takeaway is clear: focus on quality, relevance, and authenticity.

Whether you’re starting or refining your backlink strategy, the key takeaway is to focus on quality; backlinks will naturally follow.

Upgrade your content, upgrade your network, and your ranking will improve in no time.