What Is a Backlink in SEO and Why Do They Matter? An In-Depth Guide

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What are Backlinks In SEO? An In-Depth Guide

Backlinks remain one of the most critical ranking factors in 2024. Websites with strong backlink profiles tend to rank higher on Google and enjoy more organic search traffic.

But what exactly are backlinks, and why are they so vital for SEO?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about backlinks, including:

  • What is a Backlink?
  • How Backlinks Impact Search Engine Rankings
  • Different Types of Backlinks
  • Backlink Quality Factors
  • How to Check Your Backlinks
  • Most Effective Link Building Strategies
  • Conclusion & Key Takeaways

So if you want to understand backlinks better and learn how to build them properly, you’ll find this guide helpful.

Let’s start from the beginning – what is a backlink?

What is a Backlink?

A backlink is simply a hyperlink from one website pointing to another.

For example, if Website A includes a link pointing to Website B, that link acts as a “vote of confidence” passing authority from Site A to Site B. This incoming link is referred to as a backlink for Website B.

Backlinks serve several purposes:

  • They help search engine crawlers discover new webpages and add them to their indexes.
  • They pass authority and rankings power from one site to another. Generally, more backlinks = better rankings.
  • They drive referral traffic to websites when people click on the links.
  • They connect websites together, helping to form the infrastructure of the web.

So in short, a backlink is an inbound hyperlink from an external site pointing to a page on your website. Most digital marketing experts consider backlinks one of the most essential SEO ranking factors.

How Do Backlinks Impact Search Engine Rankings?

Backlinks influence search engine rankings because Google’s algorithm uses them as part of its process for determining page authority and relevance.

Essentially, Google views backlinks as “votes” for a webpage. If many reputable external sites link to a certain page, Google sees it as an endorsement and indicator that page offers valuable information on that topic.

As a result, pages with more backlinks tend to achieve higher rankings for their target keywords. Each quality backlink boosts that page’s authority slightly in Google’s eyes.

For example:

  • Website A has 10 backlinks from authority sites in its niche.
  • Website B has over 50 backlinks from authority, relevant sites.
  • Website C has 5 low-quality backlinks and some paid links.

Which site do you think would rank the highest all else being equal? Website B, with more high-quality backlinks signaling that external experts vouch for that content.

This concept of backlinks indicating popularity formed the basis of Google’s original PageRank algorithm. And backlinks remain a crucial ingredient in all of Google’s ranking factors today.

Backlinks can influence rankings in two key ways:

Direct impact: The page earning the backlink gets an immediate (if small) rankings boost for keywords on that page, assuming it’s a quality link. This is the direct SEO value.

Indirect impact: Quality backlinks also pass authority to the entire domain, indirectly boosting all pages on that site. Getting backlinks to your most important pages indirectly lifts other relevant pages too over time.

That’s why a proper link building strategy involves earning backlinks to your key pages first, then using that site-wide authority lift to boost your other pages.

Now that you know why backlinks matter for SEO, let’s explore the common types of backlinks…

While the concept is simple – one site linking to another – not all backlinks are created equal when it comes to SEO value.

There are several key types of backlinks and attributes that determine the “link juice” passed:

The most fundamental distinction is between do follow and nofollow links.

By default, all backlinks pass rankings credit unless specified otherwise. These standard links are called “do follow” links.

Do follow links pass link equity (rankings power) from the site linking out to the site being linked to. So these backlinks influence search rankings when earned.

However, webmasters can add a rel="nofollow" attribute to links they don’t want to pass SEO value, like paid links or user-generated content.

Nofollow links tell search engines not to count that backlink for ranking purposes. While still beneficial for branded site traffic, nofollow links don’t directly impact SEO.

Here is an example comparing nofollow vs do follow links:

<!-- Do Follow Link --> 

<a href="https://www.example.com/">Example Site</a>

<!-- Nofollow Link -->

<a href="https://www.example.com/" rel="nofollow">Example Site</a>

When link building, earning do follow backlinks from authority sites is the priority.

Another key distinction is between organic editorial links and paid advertorial links like native advertising and sponsored posts.

Organic editorial backlinks refer to natural links woven into the content of articles, blog posts, lists, etc. These indicate a genuine recommendation of your content.

Advertorial backlinks are placements you have paid for in some way, like sponsored guest posts, paid reviews, etc. These still provide traffic but are seen as less authentic endorsements.

Google can algorithmically differentiate between editorial and paid backlinks today. So when buying backlinks, focus on high-quality native advertising options that add value for readers to have the best SEO impact.

And as we’ll cover soon, organic link building strategies tend to be the most effective long-term.

To quickly sum up other common link types:

  • Follow links – Default passing SEO value
  • No Follow – Nofollow attribute so don’t pass credit
  • Sponsored – Identifies paid backlink placements
  • UGC – Used for user-generated content like comments

Now let’s explore what makes an ideal quality backlink…

As we’ve seen above, not all backlinks impact SEO equally. The quality of a link plays a major role in conveying authority and rankings potential.

Here are the key attributes of a high-quality, SEO-friendly backlink:

  • Comes from an authoritative, well-ranked website
  • Has a high domain rating and trust flow
  • Contains anchor text relevant to your page’s topic
  • Link placed appropriately in contextual body content
  • Comes from a site relevant to your industry/topic
  • Is an organic editorial link, not paid
  • Link remains stable long-term

Essentially, links from popular, trusted sites related to your niche are the golden target. These site associations boost your page’s topical relevance and domain authority the most in Google’s eyes.

Let’s explore a few of the most vital components of quality links…

The ranking clout a backlink passes relies first and foremost on the authority of the linking site.

Google grants more value to links from established sites with strong metrics like high domain authority scores, page and domain-level trust flow, etc.

You want links from websites that rank well themselves for competitive terms in your space. A link from an authoritative site is much more meaningful than one from a random blog.

Shoot for links from industry leaders if possible, or at least well-recognized sites. Look for sites ranking on the first few Google pages for your target key terms.

Backlinks also convey more value when placed appropriately within the flow of an article’s body content.

Google’s RankBrain algorithm aims to interpret semantic context – a link shoehorned randomly into a paragraph makes little topical sense.

Whereas links included in the actual discussion add logical, contextual relevance. For instance, linking to research demonstrating a point being made.

Relevant, Topic-Focused Anchor Text

The anchor text used for a backlink – the clickable highlighted words – provides another relevancy signal.

Links with generic anchors like “read more here” or “this article” tell search engines little about the page.

Whereas anchor text containing your target keyword or topic conveys precise relevance to Google.

However, avoid over-optimizing anchor text towards any single term. Different anchor texts with your broader semantics keeps things looking natural.

Now let’s talk about ways to effectively check your existing backlink profile…

Once you grasp how impactful quality links are for SEO, you’ll want to start tracking your website’s backlink profile.

Checking your existing backlinks helps you monitor link building progress and improvement areas.

There are two main ways to check a site’s backlink data:

1. Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) provides backlink data specifically for your site.

  • Log into Google Search Console
  • Click on the “Links” section in the left menu
  • Expand the dropdowns to see your top linking sites and pages
  • Export as CSV for further analysis

GSC displays your most prominent backlinks with metrics like:

  • Referring domains
  • Total links
  • Follow vs nofollow breakdown

This makes it easy to quickly monitor your overall link growth and referring domains.

2. Using Third-Party Backlink Analysis Tools

Dedicated SEO tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and Semrush also include extensive backlink data.

These tools allow you to deeply analyze various quality factors like:

  • Domain authority and trust metrics
  • Follow vs nofollow proportions
  • Anchor text breakdowns
  • URL rating scores
  • Link velocity changes
  • Referring page authority
  • etc.

So third-party tools provide much more granular control over filtering link metrics and sorting data for competitor analysis.

Next, we’ll explore the most effective white hat link building techniques to earn high-quality backlinks at scale.

Now that you know why backlinks matter and how to analyze them, let’s get into proactive link building strategy.

The end goal is to build a diversified portfolio of backlinks from authority sites to organically boost your rankings.

Here are some of the most powerful white hat link building techniques to earn quality links:

1. Content-Focused Influencer Outreach

One of the most effective ways to land backlinks is by connecting with industry influencers relevant to your niche.

These are figures like prominent bloggers, journalists from major publications, founders of related sites, etc.

The outreach process includes:

  • Identify relevant targets: Find authors, journalists, editors covering your topics. Prioritize by domain authority.
  • Research thoroughly: Study their site, brand, content style, and audience before reaching out. Personalize your pitch.
  • Create link-worthy assets: Develop resources like data studies, insightful research reports, expert interviews etc. as potential linking opportunities.
  • Pitch via personalized email: Highlight your content assets that align with their brand and why their audience would benefit from including it.
  • Build genuine relationships: Securing backlinks is a long-term strategy based on providing ongoing value.

In other words, connect with influencers by providing them unique, highly sharable content that adds value for their readers. Build real relationships that spark organic backlinks.

Another way to get backlinks is by finding and fixing broken links on other sites. This is known as broken link building.

The process looks like this:

  • Find broken links: Use tools like SEMrush to identify pages on high-authority sites with dead links. Prioritize thematically relevant sites.
  • Offer replacements: Email the webmasters, share details about their broken links, and suggest replacement options pointing to your content.
  • Provide quick wins: For instance, if their outdated link pointed to a dated statistics page, offer a more recent version they could easily swap in. Make it effortless to update links.

Most publishers appreciate heads up about broken links along with fresh recommendations their audience would enjoy. Providing a ready fix makes it simple for site owners to update links – often to your own content.

3. Guestographics / Data Visualizations

Including dynamic visual content in your outreach campaigns is an excellent way to secure backlinks.

For example, create compelling data charts, interactive maps, scrolling graphics, assessments, quizzes, polls, and other engaging visuals.

Then identify websites that may be interested in featuring or embedding them as either guestographics or within existing articles.

Visualizations tend to attract tons of social shares and links since they’re more gripping than blocks of text alone. Simply reach out, share a preview, and track placements swelling backlinks.

4.HARO Outreach

HARO or Help a Reporter Out is an excellent platform for securing press and backlinks from major online publications.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Journalists post queries on HARO requesting expert sources for upcoming articles
  2. As an industry insider, you submit thoughtful commentary, statistics, or insights responding to requests relevant to your niche
  3. If the writer includes your ideas, it often results in a backlink as you’re cited as the expert source

Positioning yourself as a thought leader through HARO lands links from big media sites like New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, etc.

5. Skyscraper Content

Skyscraper content refers to developing something more comprehensive and higher quality than what currently ranks in search results. The goal is for others to swap out their old links for new skyscraper resources you created.

For example:

  • Find outdated, thin content ranking on page one for your target keyword
  • Create a 10x more in-depth “skyscraper” guide on that same topic
  • Reach out politely asking owners to consider linking to your version instead
  • Monitor as webmasters update old links to point to your improved asset

This advanced technique banks on the natural tendency for publishers to link to whatever provides the most value for their audience. By skyscrapting above weak ranking pages, you make it easy for site owners to upgrade links.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, backlinks remain crucial for SEO authority, trust, and rankings. Using the right link building strategies allows you to actively earn quality backlinks at scale.

Now let’s recap some of the core takeaways:

Key Takeaways

  • Backlinks are inbound hyperlinks from external sites to your pages. They pass “link juice” to boost rankings potential.
  • More backlinks (specifically more quality links) tend to equate to higher rankings.
  • Focus on earning backlinks from authority sites through white hat link building tactics.
  • Analyze competitor link profiles to identify targets.
  • Include visual content in outreach campaigns to boost placements.
  • Platforms like HARO facilitate securing backlinks from major publications.
  • Skyscraper content challenges existing ranking pages by significantly expanding on their topics.
  • Link building and outreach relationships take time. Strive for consistency.

Understanding exactly why and how backlinks influence SEO lifts the veil off this crucial ranking factor. Learning to check and build quality links further empowers your ability to move up in the SERPs.

Hopefully this guide provided an in-depth overview of backlinks along with some practical tips to earn authoritative links from direct site owners.

Now it’s time to put that knowledge into practice with targeted outreach campaigns!

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