What Are Backlinks Why They Are Important

what are backlinks

A backlink is formed when one website mentions another website on their website through a clickable link.

Alternatively, you can say when a webpage link to another webpage from a different domain is called a backlink.

Backlinks are the most talked-about word in search engine optimization.

They are significant for search engine optimization. Websites can get many types of backlinks, which we will discuss in detail later.

However, Backlink will be either do-follow or no-follow. Do-follow backlinks are more powerful compared to no-follow Backlink

Backlinks are also referred to as incoming links. Backlinks are one of the most crucial factors out of many other factors for any website to rank in search engines.

A page having good content & lots of backlinks ranks higher in search engines.

However, in 2022 you can get traffic and rank your site without putting in lots of effort into making backlinks. But for that, content must be of high quality and updated.

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Why backlinks are important

Search engines like google consider the 200 ranking factors to rank any website in SERP. Backlinks are one of those.

It comes in the top ten and is a significant factor that search engines like google consider for ranking any website. However, the importance of backlinks is decreasing day by day.

Now the high-quality and updated content works for ranking pages in SERP. If good and updated content has backlinks, then its best

Backlinks are like some websites voted for your authority.

When you get votes from other authoritative websites, your ranking & visibility in search engines will improve automatically.

Backlink helps search engines to determine how authoritative your website is in your niche.

Backlinks endorse your website content by other websites pointing to your website. However, not every Backlink is good.

Backlinks from an illegal website or spammy websites will do negative SEO and even can get you a penalty from the search engine for your website.

So it’s very important to pay attention to the types of Backlinks you are getting from the website and keep them under check from time to time.

As now you know, not every Backlink is good for your website. Backlinks from bad websites can get you a penalty.

Moreover, quality backlinks are more important than having one quality link better than having 100 backlinks from low-quality websites.

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Why backlinks are important for your website

• Improve organic ranking & helps in faster indexing

Backlink helps search engine bots to find new pages easily.

When pages are interconnected or have some backlink from other pages, their discovery by search engine bots becomes easy.

This leads to faster indexing & higher ranking in less time

• Boost credibility & reputation

A search engine like Google sees Backlink as a reputation. A backlink from authoritative websites boosts your website authority.

It’s a sort of vote or recommendation for the search engine. However, getting a backlink from the authoritative website from your niche is important.

For instance, if you have a travel blog, then a Backlink from a technology blog won’t work as much compared to a Backlink from an authoritative travel blog in your niche.

Search engines like google try to give the best result to their searchers; when your websites have a Backlink, then it’s credibility to google.

However, high-quality and updated content is more important than backlinks

• Referral traffic

Backlinks help to improve referral traffic to your website. With the help of backlinks, you can get targeted traffic which will have a low bounce rate

Types of backlinks

• Blog comment links

You can get Backlink by commenting on the blog. Blog commenting is the oldest method of getting a backlink, and it still works.

It’s very simple. Find some blog in your niche and make meaningful comments on any post; don’t just say thanks or a great post.

Try to comment on the article and add value to the post. It’s better to get a link from your niche websites.

• Guest post links

You can get a backlink by writing a post on another website. If the website owner allows adding a link to your website in the post you can get a backlink from there.

It is better to find a website in your niche for guest posting. Try to write an article that adds value to their website.

Don’t just write for the sake of getting a backlink. Try to provide value so you can get a backlink and referral traffic.

Lots of debate going on these days whether to do a guest post for a link or not.

However, if you do it in the right way, the white hat way, then it’s a great way to get a backlink for your website

• Forums

You can get a backlink through the forum also. You can sign up in any forum related to your niche.

Interact with members there. Try to solve their problems.

Consider domain authority or spam score of the forum before signup. Try to remain active in the forum, and don’t ever spam with your link

• Backlink from resource pages

Many websites these days have a resource page. Check If in your niche resource page exists.

Webmasters use to link important tools or service providers that they consider useful for their visitors.

• Backlinks from testimonials

You can get a Backlink through the testimonial page.

Especially if you are an influencer in your niche, companies from your niche will love to have you on their testimonial page.

Having you on their testimonial page will increase their business credibility.

So, in that case, you can get a backlink from there from your profile if you want. Usually, testimonials are on the home page.

• Backlinks through infographics or images

If you can create a unique and great-looking infographic, it not only will help you get more shares on social media.

Chances it may become viral & attract backlinks for your website.

• Editorial backlinks

This type of link can give you great authority and traffic. Backlinks from authoritative news websites like the Guardian and Forbes can come under this category.

• Niche directories

Not all directories are good, so carefully choose before getting a link from directories.

Only pick directories with a good reputation if you submit your blog or website to poor directories.

Then you are doing more harm to your website than good. So again, I will suggest you choose a directory carefully before submitting

Do keep this in mind before planning a backlink strategy

1. Don’t be in a hurry or hire someone who can give you bulk backlink building service
2. Focus on quality backlinks, not quantity poor backlinks
3. Have Natural-looking backlinks
4. Building quality backlinks take time & great effort
5. Not all backlinks are good so choose them carefully
6. Try to get backlinks from relevant websites in your niche
7. Do not spam anywhere or anybody to have Backlink no benefit at all.

Here are some frequently used terms or glossary related to backlinks that you need to know

• Do follow Backlink

Do follow link allows search engines to follow links. It will give link juice. If the link is do-follow, then both search engines & humans can follow you through that link

• No-follow Backlink

As opposed to the do-follow link no-follow link does not allow the search engine to follow the link. It does not pass link juice & will only give a no-follow backlink

• Anchor text

Anchor text is clickable visible text with a hyperlink. Usually, it’s blue, but the webmaster can change its color.

• Internal links

Internal links are hyperlinks that point to the same domain; it’s a link within the website to its own page.

It’s going from one page on a domain to a different page on the same domain. It helps the user to navigate a website, establish hierarchy, and spread link juice to all pages of the website

• Low-quality links or bad backlinks

A bad backlink comes from an irrelevant and untrusted website. From a site that is violating google webmaster guidelines.

It’s advisable to check the website background before you plan to get a backlink from it.

Websites that are penalized by search engines won’t do good for your website

• Linking root domain

It’s some unique domains linking to your website. you may get multiple backlinks from any website, but it will be counted as one linking root domain

• Link juice

Link juice is the value passed from one page to another. It is passed through hyperlinks from one website to another, allowing the search engine to follow that link.

As search engine sees it as a vote by another website to link.

It thinks it is valuable information that others are referring to & promoting too on their websites