Backlink matters for your site’s performance in organic rankings. It’s not a walk in the park, but it’s definitely doable, and it will pay off.
Linking is the mechanism that connects all the pages on the Internet. You’ve got links throughout your website to let people navigate their way around. You may have links going out to other websites that you think will be useful for your visitors. And hopefully, you have links coming into your website from independent sources.
All types of links can impact your search engine optimization results, helping determine where your website shows up online. Though the hardest to control, inbound links pointing to your site can make the most significant impact.
At its most basic, the concept is that if several high-quality sites link to your website, then Google and other search engines figure your site must be a popular, valuable resource – and they will be more likely to show it higher in their search results.
In effect, your site receives “link juice” from other web pages that link to it.
However, securing a few links and sitting still is not a good strategy. Google algorithm looks at the pattern of links to your site as they build over time.
Building the right links can bring a significant payoff, while a wrong turn could get you in trouble.
Armed with some knowledge and creativity, you can build up valuable incoming links naturally and powerfully, avoiding the traps and temptations many people fall into.
Spice up your links with some variety.
There are all kinds of link farming schemes to grow backlinks; run the other way from these.
Cultivate a natural mix of links.
While linking to high-quality sites or vice versa is perfectly advantageous, the key here is to cultivate a natural mix of links over time.
Is it natural to suddenly have 100 links pointing to your site, all with the same anchor texts? Of course not.
When people link to you naturally, they might use your business name (SEO Advantage®) or some variation on a descriptive phrase (search optimization company). If too many similar links exist, it can signal that those links were generated artificially and potentially result in low to no rankings for your page.
Consider which pages on your site inbound links point to.
Your home page will probably get the most backlinks, but it’s natural to have links pointing to specific pages inside your website, too.
Build links to your services, blog, news pages, knowledge center articles, etc., to help those pages get indexed and rank in search engines.
Not every link carries the same value
Links from popular, established websites usually are valuable. A link from google.com, for example, will carry much more weight than a link from a free directory site that few people know of.
Should I follow or no-follow a link?
It does not really matter much, IMHO. If it’s paid, mark it as sponsored or nofollow. Just be transparent with what you do. That does not mean Google will ignore the links or not give those links value. Time’s changed. Follow, no-follow, sponsored, and UGC all have values, more or less.
Having a diverse backlink profile is the key. And keep it that way.
Pat’s Take: Rethinking Domain Authority and Embracing Content Value
In the world of SEO, Domain Authority (DA) has become a widely recognized metric. It’s time we take a step back and question its true significance. While I acknowledge its usefulness to some extent, I find myself growing tired of the countless emails urging backlink building on sites with “high DA.” It’s as if DA has overshadowed other important factors, such as content quality and user experience.
I did fall into the trap of chasing “high DA” backlinks for a client years ago. I engaged a reputable company, or so I thought, to build backlinks for a client. However, upon closer inspection, I discovered the methods employed were far from satisfactory. Even though these sites boasted “high DA” and “high trust,” and other SEO tools confirmed the numbers, their content, and overall quality were subpar.
I asked for my client’s links to be removed from all their sites.
That was my wake-up call.
Instead of fixating solely on DA, trust your judgment when evaluating websites for backlinks. What’s your first impression? Is it useful for your visitors? Does the site align with your standard? Technical elements certainly play a role, but ultimately, high-value, people-first content should be the determining factor.
In my view, there are better-measuring sticks for assessing the performance of websites. Rather than relying solely on DA, focus on the quality and relevance of the content, the user experience, and the overall value the site brings to your audience.
Let’s shift our attention to creating an exceptional user experience, providing valuable information, and building trust.
So, the next time you come across an email touting “high DA” backlinks, remember that there are more important considerations.
Look beyond the numbers and prioritize websites that offer genuine value to your visitors. Trust your judgment, and let content quality be the guiding force in your decision.
Attract links with good-quality content.
To attract natural backlinks, you can create high-quality content that other websites will want to link to, engage with influencers in your industry to promote your website or collaborate with other websites on content or events.
It’s also important to avoid link-building services or black hat SEO tactics, which can result in Google penalties and harm your website’s reputation.
A sample schedule could mean every month, you list your site in two good directories, link to interior site pages from a couple of relevant posts in your own blog, distribute one press release to news sites, and write one great article that other people may want to link to and then let them know about it.
A word about selecting outlets is in order, too. You’ll need to carefully assess each place you target to determine if they are relevant to your audience.
Final thoughts
Building a strong and diverse set of links is crucial for improving your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines. Avoid link farming schemes and focus on cultivating a natural mix of links over time, with a variety of anchor text and destination pages.
Regularly monitoring who links to your website can provide valuable insights and opportunities for further link-building. Following these best practices can help your website establish a solid online presence and attract organic traffic.