What are backlinks?
Backlinks, also known as “inbound links” or “incoming links,” are links from one website to another. They play a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO) and are important for determining the credibility, authority, and visibility of a website on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Search engines like Google consider backlinks as a measure of a website’s popularity and relevance. The idea is that if many reputable websites link to a particular site, it is likely to be valuable and trustworthy. Therefore, the more high-quality backlinks a website has, the better its chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
We’ve put together some strategies to grow quality backlinks.
Not all backlinks are created equal
Not all backlinks are equal, though. Search engines also assess the quality of the linking site and the relevance of the content on both the linking and linked pages. High-quality backlinks come from reputable, authoritative sites that are relevant to the content of the linked page.
There are different types of backlinks, including:
- Natural backlinks – these are links that are created without any intentional effort from the website owner. They occur when other websites find the content valuable and link to it voluntarily.
A great way to build natural backlinks is contributing to HARO.
- Manual or outreach backlinks – website owners actively seek these links by reaching out to other site owners, asking for a link. This process involves building relationships, creating valuable content, and promoting it to gain backlinks.
- Self-created backlinks – these are links that website owners create themselves, such as in online directories, forums, or blog comments. However, search engines may not give as much weight to these links as they do to natural or manually acquired ones.
It’s important to note that while backlinks are a crucial aspect of SEO, the quality of the content on your website also matters. Search engines aim to provide users with the most relevant and valuable information, so a combination of high-quality content and authoritative backlinks is typically the most effective SEO strategy.
Avoid black-hat techniques
While it may be appealing to head over to Fiverr and drop a few dollars to have someone create backlinks for you, be cautious with this approach. While there are situations where it may initially work, you risk doing irreparable damage to your website and risk getting disavowed by Google.
Be especially cautious of Private Blog Networks (PBNs).
