You might have heard everyone saying that backlinks are the heart of every successful SEO strategy. But, for a beginner who is new to SEO, the word backlinks can be quite a puzzle.
Are you also among those who want to know what are backlinks in SEO, and why everyone keeps calling them the secret weapon? If so, you are in the right place.
Today, in this guide, I am here to decode everything about backlinks, from the importance of backlinks, and how backlinks help SEO, to the types of backlinks, and much more. So, without further ado, let us dive in and clear all your doubts in just 5 minutes!
What are Backlinks in SEO and What are the Types of Backlinks?
Backlinks, also known as ‘inbound links’ or ‘incoming links,’ are links from one website to another. In terms of SEO, backlinks act as votes of confidence. When a website links to your content, it’s telling search engines, ‘Hey, this content is valuable and trustworthy.’
For example: Let us say you wrote a blog on ‘10 Easy Vegan Recipes’ and a popular food website links to your blog in one of their articles. That link pointing to your site is called backlink. The more quality backlinks you have from relevant and authoritative sources, the better your chances of ranking higher on search engines like Google.
Types of Backlinks
Not all backlinks are created equal. There are different types of backlinks, and understanding each of them helps you focus on the ones that truly add value to your SEO.
- DoFollow Backlinks
These are the most valuable types of backlinks. When a site links to you with a DoFollow link, it passes SEO value to your website. These links help boost your search rankings.
- NoFollow Backlinks
These links have a special tag that tells search engines not to count them when deciding your website’s ranking. Even though they don’t directly help with SEO, they can bring visitors to your site and increase your online presence.
- Sponsored or Paid Backlinks
These are links that are part of paid promotions or advertisements. They include tags like rel=‘sponsored’ to stay compliant with Google’s guidelines.
- UGC or User-Generated Content Backlinks
These links come from user-generated content like forums, comments, or community posts. These are tagged with rel=‘ugc’ to signal that the content wasn’t created by the website owner.
- Editorial Backlinks
These are natural backlinks earned when another website finds your content valuable and links to it within its editorial content. These are the most desirable and SEO-friendly backlinks.
How Do Backlinks Work in SEO?
Here’s how backlinks work in SEO:
- In the first step, another website adds a link that points to a page on your website. This is called a backlink.
- In the second step, search engines like Google find that link while crawling the web. They recognize that someone is referring to your content.
- In the third step, Google checks the quality of the backlink. It looks at how trustworthy, relevant, and high-authority the linking website is.
- Now, if the backlink is a DoFollow, Google passes some of that website’s authority to your page. This helps improve your ranking in search results.
- Next, if Google sees your content as more valuable as more are linking to it, this will boost your credibility in the eyes of search engines.
- Finally, you get direct traffic. This means when people click on that backlink, they are taken to your site, bringing you more visitors without even using search engines.
How do Backlinks Help SEO?
Backlinks play a key role in improving your website’s visibility and ranking. Below are some of the importance of backlinks in SEO:
- Boost Search Engine Rankings
Search engines see backlinks as votes of trust. The more quality backlinks your site has, the higher it is likely to rank on Google.
- Improve Website Authority
The next importance of backlinks is it improves website authority. Getting links from trusted websites increases your domain authority. This signals to search engines that your content is reliable and valuable.
- Increase Organic Traffic
Another key importance of backlinks is they increase organic traffic. Higher rankings lead to more visibility in search results, which means more people can find and visit your website organically.
- Drive Referral Traffic
Backlinks also bring direct traffic. When someone clicks on a link to your site from another website, you gain a potential buyer or reader.
Now that you know the basics of backlinks, let us explore what truly makes a backlink strong and valuable for SEO.
What Makes a High-Quality Backlink?
Here are 3 key factors that define a high-quality backlink:
- Comes from a Relevant Website
Backlinks from websites that are related to your niche or topic carry more weight. For example, if you have a fitness blog, a backlink from a health magazine is much more valuable than one from a tech forum.
- Has High Domain Authority
Links from trusted and well-known websites like Forbes or HubSpot are considered high-authority backlinks. These pass more SEO value to your site and help boost your credibility.
- Uses Natural Anchor Text
Backlinks with natural and relevant anchor text look more trustworthy to search engines. For example, a link that says ‘learn beginner yoga tips’ is better than something vague like ‘click here’ or spammy like ‘best free fitness pills.’
Common Myths About Backlinks
In the above section, you learned what makes a high-quality backlink. However, there are some common myths about backlink quality that many people believe when starting with SEO.
These myths can lead to wrong strategies and missed opportunities. Here are some of the most common backlink myths you should avoid:
- More Backlinks Always Mean Better Rankings
Many people think having hundreds of backlinks guarantees top rankings. But in reality, quality matters more than quantity. A few backlinks from trusted websites are more powerful than many from low-quality or unrelated sites.
- Only DoFollow Links Matter
It’s a common belief that only DoFollow backlinks are useful. While they do pass SEO value, No-follow links can still bring traffic, build brand awareness, and diversify your backlink profile.
- Backlinks Should Come Instantly
Some think they need to build all their backlinks quickly. But natural, steady growth is key. Sudden spikes in backlinks can look suspicious to search engines and can hurt your SEO.
Bonus Tip: How to Earn High-Quality Backlinks
By now, you know that not all backlinks are created equal. So how do you earn high-quality backlinks that boost your rankings? Here are some proven link-building strategies that will help you attract strong, relevant backlinks:
- Create Valuable, Share-Worthy Content
The first on the list of effective link-building strategies is to create content that others naturally feel to use as a reference. This can be blog posts, how-to guides, infographics, research, or industry reports.
- Guest Posting on Relevant Sites
The second on the list of effective link-building strategies is to try guest posting on relevant websites. Consider writing informative articles for websites in your niche. As a result, most sites will allow you to include a backlink to your own website, giving you both traffic and SEO value.
- Use Broken Link Building
The third tip on the list of effective link-building strategies is to find broken links on websites in your industry and offer your content as a replacement. This helps the site owner fix their page and earns you a backlink.
Final Words
Backlinks are more than just links, they are signals of trust, authority, and relevance. By understanding their importance and learning how to build high-quality backlinks, you set your website up for long-term SEO success.
Struggling with SEO or eager to stay ahead of the curve? Drop your questions in the comments, or follow my SEO guides for expert tips and proven strategies to boost your rankings!
FAQs
- How to get 100 backlinks?
Ans. You can get 100 backlinks by consistently creating valuable content, guest posting on relevant blogs, submitting your site to directories, reaching out to industry websites for collaborations, and sharing your content across social platforms and forums. - Can you do SEO without backlinks?
Ans. Yes, you can do some SEO without backlinks like optimizing on-page content, using keywords, improving site speed, and ensuring mobile-friendliness. However, without backlinks, it’s much harder to rank competitively, especially for high-traffic keywords. - Can backlinks hurt SEO?
Ans. Yes, backlinks can hurt your SEO if they come from spammy, low-quality, or irrelevant websites. Google can see them as manipulative, and that can lead to penalties. - Are broken backlinks bad for SEO?
Ans. Broken backlinks can negatively impact user experience and crawlability. While they don’t always cause major SEO harm, fixing or redirecting them can improve both your site’s authority and visitor engagement.