Backlinks are the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. Their importance cannot be denied, considering the fact that as many as 43.7% of the top-ranking pages have some reciprocal links.1 However, there’s a thin line between helpful and harmful backlinking, and differentiating between the two can be confusing. In this guide, we’ll break it all down. We’ll cover why quality backlinks are so important, how to spot a valuable one, and which ones to avoid. Let’s get you up to speed on backlinks and turn them into your SEO superpower.
Do backlinks increase SEO?
If you’ve been wondering if Google still cares about backlinks, the answer is a resounding yes. This is backed by research and hands-on experience: quality links make websites rank better.1 Here’s how:
1. Boosting your search engine rankings
Search engines like Google consider backlinks to be a vote of confidence. They are often referred to as the currency of the web because of their critical role in connecting websites and building authority. They confirm that other websites consider you reliable and authoritative enough to give you some of their precious link juice. Google’s algorithm analyzes both the number and quality of backlinks when determining rankings, which makes both metrics important ranking factors.2
2. Improving crawl rates and indexing
Backlinks also help Google’s crawlers discover and index your site more effectively. When other websites link to yours, search engine bots follow those links and crawl your pages. This helps ensure that your site gets indexed and ranked more quickly.2
3. Supporting your keyword strategy
Another way backlinks improve SEO is by helping you rank for specific keywords. If high-authority sites link to you using anchor text that includes your targeted keywords, it signals to Google that your site is relevant for those terms. This keyword alignment enhances your overall SEO performance.2
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Get My Free AnalysisWhy are high-quality backlinks important?
Not all backlinks are made equal and some can actually bring more harm than good. Here’s what makes backlink quality so important:2
1. Enhancing brand trust and authority
Backlinks from reputable websites act like endorsements from industry leaders. When a well-established site links to yours, it communicates to both Google and users that your content is reliable, which boosts your brand’s trustworthiness. This can open doors to new partnerships, collaborations, and an even wider audience reach, but it cannot happen with low-quality links.2
2. Driving referral traffic
Unlike organic traffic that comes through search engines, referral traffic comes from users clicking on links from other sites. High-quality backlinks from trusted sources can drive consistent referral traffic to your site. These visitors are often more engaged because they’re arriving from a source they already trust, which increases your chances of converting them into customers.2
3. Building long-term visibility
Quality, relevant backlinks continue to drive traffic over time, offering long-term value to your site. Once established, a good backlink will keep working in the background, helping you maintain or improve your site’s visibility for years.2 Still, it’s important to remember that 66.5% of links to sites in the last nine years are dead.1 To prevent this, don’t rest on your laurels and neglect your link-building efforts.2
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Get a QuoteWhat are the main features of a quality backlink?
Not all backlinks are created equal. To reap the benefits of backlinks, it’s very important to focus on acquiring high-quality ones. If you’re not getting the results you want and are wondering “Do backlinks matter anymore?”, you might simply need to work on their quality to achieve your goals. Here are what to look for:2,3
1. Relevance
A quality backlink comes from a site that is relevant to your industry or niche. For instance, if you run a fitness blog, a backlink from a health, wellness, or nutrition website is more valuable than one from an HVAC industry site. Google interprets this as a sign that your content is authoritative within your field.
2. Authority of the linking site
The authority of the site linking to you significantly impacts the value of the backlink. Links carry more weight if they’re coming from sites with strong domain ratings and a solid backlink profile. Google considers these sites trustworthy, so you get a strong endorsement.
3. Anchor text
Anchor text (the text you click on to open a link) should be descriptive and relevant to the content it links to. Optimized anchor text helps Google understand the context of the linked page, which may improve its rankings for specific keywords.1
4. Placement of the link
The location of the link on the page matters too. Links embedded within the main content (contextual links) are more valuable than those placed in footers, sidebars, or author bios. Contextual links are considered more natural and provide better SEO value because they’re surrounded by relevant content.
5. DoFollow vs. NoFollow
DoFollow links pass on “link juice” or SEO value, contributing to your site’s authority and rankings. NoFollow links, on the other hand, do not pass on SEO value but can still drive traffic and diversify your backlink profile. It’s interesting to note that 10.6% of all backlinks to the top 110,000 sites are NoFollow.1 Therefore, a healthy mix is natural, but it’s still important to focus on acquiring DoFollow links.
Which backlinks should be avoided?
It’s easy to get carried away in the pursuit of backlinks. While it’s true that quality, relevant backlinks can significantly boost your SEO, certain types can actually harm your site’s reputation and rankings.
So, what is a low-quality backlink? They’re links that offer little to no value to your site’s SEO and may even harm it. They often come from spammy, irrelevant, or untrustworthy sources. Here’s what to steer clear of:4,5
1. Private Blog Networks (PBNs)
PBNs are networks of websites created solely for link-building purposes. They’re designed to manipulate rankings by artificially inflating the number of backlinks. Google actively penalizes sites that use PBNs, which can result in severe ranking drops or deindexing.
2. Automated links
Links generated through automated services or bots are generally low-quality and irrelevant. These include mass directory submissions, automated blog comments, and forum postings. Such practices violate Google’s guidelines and can lead to penalties.
3. Hacked links
Hacked links occur when a website is compromised and links are inserted without the owner’s consent. They’re not only unethical but can also associate your site with malicious activities and severely damage your reputation.
4. Forum and comment spam links
Is more backlinks better? If you’re posting them in forums or blog comments without adding value, absolutely not. Google is adept at recognizing and discounting them, and they will be flagged as spam.
5. Hidden links
Hidden links are designed to be invisible to users but visible to search engines (e.g., white text on a white background). This deceptive practice is against Google’s guidelines, so it’s a definite no-go.
6. Link exchanges
As many as 73.6% of domains have reciprocal links. However, excessive reciprocal linking is viewed as manipulative.1 While natural reciprocal links are acceptable, deliberately exchanging too many backlinks is bad and can harm your site’s SEO.
Can bad backlinks hurt your site?
Absolutely. Some people’s black-hat practices can work for a while, and they might even start to wonder “Does Google ignore bad links?” until the consequences hit them:4,5
1. Google penalties
Google’s algorithm is designed to detect and penalize manipulative practices. If your site has a high number of bad backlinks, you could face penalties that result in:4,5,6
- Lower search rankings: Your site’s position in search results may drop, reducing visibility.
- Deindexing: In severe cases, your site may be removed from Google’s indexes entirely.
2. Loss of credibility
Associations with spammy or low-quality sites can tarnish your brand’s reputation. Users who arrive at your site via these links may question your credibility, which can ultimately lead to higher bounce rates and lower engagement.4
3. Wasted resources
Investing time and money in acquiring bad backlinks yields no positive ROI. Instead, it may require additional resources to recover from penalties and rebuild your site’s authority.
Ready to unlock the power of quality backlinks & drive targeted traffic to your site?
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Get a QuoteSources:
- Ahrefs. (2024). 124 SEO Statistics for 2024
- Keyword.com. (2024). Backlinks Explained: Meaning, Types, and How They Impact Keyword Rankings
- Semrush. (2024). Types of Backlinks: Which Ones Help Your Website?
- Ahrefs. (2024). 8 Types of Bad Links to Avoid
- Semrush. (2023). Toxic Backlinks: What They Are & How to Find Them
- Moz. (n.d.). What is Google Penguin?
