Before we can dive into how you can build quality backlinks, we need to know what exactly they are. In the simplest terms, think of a backlink as a vote from a reputable source endorsing you as an expert in your industry. A backlink is a link from a 3rd party website leading back to one of your web pages. Google will then view your page as a higher authority on that topic if it includes backlinks from quality sources.
Because of this endorsement system, Google will pay close attention to who is linking back to your site, and where links are pointing back to your site. So, it is important to focus on not just getting backlinks but getting quality backlinks to your web pages.
Backlinks are only as valuable as the source they come from. In other words, you are more likely to be considered an authority on a topic if established and respected names from that same topic endorse you.
On the other hand, if you are getting backlinks from unreliable websites or if you obtained backlinks through dishonest means, then Google’s algorithm is likely to punish you. These links are called toxic links, and it is important to use the appropriate tactics to eliminate their negative effect on your SEO performance. So, while backlinks are quite useful in boosting your page rank, it is important to focus on quality over quantity. High-quality backlinks are harder to get but they are worth it in the long run.
Backlinks are a crucial part of SEO. Google’s algorithm views backlinks are one of the most important factors of high-ranking content. Just like you want to publish a large amount of content to boost your authority on a subject, you will want to collect high-quality endorsements from 3rd party websites in the form of backlinks. In both of these cases, you are signaling to Google that your content is more relevant and more valuable than other results, and your website authority will help boost SEO performance.
The truth is that there are several backlink-building strategies that you can use to get other websites linking back to your content. Some of these include:
In reality, a lot of building backlinks comes naturally as part of the process of creating valuable content and improving your SEO ranking.
At Demandwell, we coach customers in backlink strategy and help them understand which strategies are going to be most effective for building new high-quality backlinks. We also show our customers what content will help them get backlinks naturally throughout their normal marketing cycles. We look into profiles of where they are getting backlinks today, where their competitors are getting backlinks, and what the strength or reliability of those backlinks are.
Backlinking is a more mature SEO strategy. At Demandwell, we help you build content that people will want to link to, and we coach you through the other strategies you can take. When the time is right, an effective backlink building strategy can help take an SEO program to the next level.