Want to improve your website’s search engine rankings? Then it’s time to get serious about link building.
According to Backlinko, linking domains are indeed one of the strongest ranking factors correlating to high SERP placement.
However, not all links are created equal when it comes to SEO value.
In this article, we’ll explore exactly what link building is, strategies to earn high-quality backlinks, and what types of links to avoid. Whether you’re new to SEO or looking to step up your existing efforts, these link-building tips and examples can help take your rankings to the next level.
What is Link Building?
Link building is the process of acquiring backlinks – links from other websites that point back to your site. It’s a crucial part of any SEO strategy, as high-quality backlinks are one of the main factors search engines use to determine authority and relevance.
Simply put, the more high-quality backlinks your site has, the more trustworthy search engines consider it to be on a given topic. This results in better rankings in search results pages – meaning more traffic and exposure for your content.
Backlinks serve as “votes” from other sites. When website A links to website B, it’s essentially saying “This website has valuable information that’s worth checking out.” Search engines take notice of these votes and use them to crawl and index the web.
For example, if a website about digital marketing links to your article on SEO best practices, it signals to Google that your content is indeed authoritative on that subject. The more of these editorial links you can acquire, the more authority you build, leading to higher rankings.
There are different types of links to be aware of when building a link profile:
- Dofollow vs nofollow links: Dofollow links pass on “link juice” whereas nofollow tell search engines to ignore the link.
- Sponsored vs natural links: Natural links earned through outreach feel more organic than paid placements.
- Backlinks, internal links, outbound links: Backlinks come from external sites, internal links connect pages within your site, outbound links point readers elsewhere.
By securing authoritative, relevant, and diverse backlinks over time, you can dramatically improve your site’s ability to rank – making link building a crucial ongoing SEO task.
Benefits of Link Building for SEO
Increased Website Traffic
High-authority backlinks are one of the most powerful drivers of referral traffic. A comprehensive study by Backlinko analyzed 1 million Google search results and found a strong correlation between the number of referring domains and higher organic traffic. Websites with over 200 referring domains saw over 2X more traffic on average compared to sites with fewer than 200 referrers.
The traffic impact comes from both the immediate boost when a new backlink is first established as well as the cumulative effect over time as more sites link to you. Even a single link from a reputable site can send hundreds or thousands of visitors per month.
Improved Website Ranking
Google and other search engines view backlinks as votes of confidence and trust for a website. The more high-quality sites that link to you, the more authority and relevance Google thinks your content has for searchers.
Multiple in-depth studies, including a correlation analysis by Ahrefs, have substantiated that higher domain and page authority scores based on backlink factors have a direct positive impact on organic ranking. Specific link-related metrics like referral domains and quality of domains linking to you are top-ranking factors.
Established Website Authority
The quality of sites linking to you acts as a trust signal for search engines. Google wants to surface websites trusted by others to provide the best user experience.
High authority sites such as .edu and .gov domains linking to you indicate credibility just by association. Even a single .gov link can convey authority on relevant topics.
As you build a diverse profile of reputable backlinks, your own domain and page authority rises. This makes it easier to earn more high-quality links going forward in a positive reinforcing loop.
Brand Awareness and Visibility
Backlinks expose your brand to new audiences organically. A link from a popular site can put you in front of thousands of targeted, high-value visitors.
Placement of links in highly visible locations like roundup posts and resource pages amplifies brand impressions further. Contextual anchor text with your brand name also boosts visibility.
Earned media links tend to convert at higher rates for driving awareness and shaping brand perception compared to owned media channels. The third-party endorsement effect makes audiences more receptive.
Long-term SEO Benefits
Quality links accumulate over time and continue to enhance your organic search performance for years. An SEMrush study found websites with more historical backlinks enjoy a gradual but consistent uplift in rankings.
Unlike other signals like on-page optimization, backlinks keep benefiting your SEO even if you stop actively building links. Only a significant loss of backlinks may negatively impact rankings.
Consistent link building creates momentum making it easier to earn incremental links from new prospects. More initial links give you reference points to demonstrate value to future link partners.
SEO Link Building Strategies
Building high-quality backlinks takes time and effort, but it’s one of the most valuable investments you can make for long-term SEO success. According to Moz, domains with a higher number of diverse and authoritative referring domains tend to rank higher than those with fewer or lower-quality backlinks.
Guest blogging
Guest blogging is a great way to earn backlinks from authoritative sites. By writing posts for blogs in your industry, you can include links back to your website in the author bio and content. For example, guest blogging on an SEO website allows you to build backlinks from high-domain authorities in that space.
Broken link building
It involves finding and fixing broken links on other websites in exchange for a backlink. Use Ahrefs, SEMrush or other tools to identify dead links on pages relevant to your site. Then reach out to offer working content to replace their broken resource.
An effective case study comes from Brian Dean of Backlinko, who fixed over 300 broken links in under a week, scoring valuable backlinks from high-authority domains like Entrepreneur, Forbes, and more. Over 70% of site owners were happy to update the broken URLs with his content.
Infographics and Visual Assets
Infographics also attract backlinks when shared online. Create compelling infographics, charts, and graphics related to your niche and promote them on social media, forums, and websites where your target audience hangs out. An infographic about the latest SEO trends could earn placements and links from blogs covering the subject.
Directory Submissions
Directory submissions provide another source of backlinks in your niche. Sign up for your website on quality, reputable directories related to your industry. For an SEO site, getting listed on directories of top search resources can build valuable backlinks.
Social Engagement
Finally, social engagement opens opportunities to gain mentions. Share your latest content across social platforms and interact with your target audience. Building relationships leads to shares, likes, and links back to your content.
What Aspects of a Hyperlink Are Not Important for SEO?
When building links, it’s crucial to focus on quality over quantity. Simply adding more links without considering their value can harm your SEO.
Here are some common types of low-quality links that provide little to no benefit:
Paid Links
Buying links or participating in link exchanges can get your site penalized by Google. Stick to earning links editorially and organically, not through paid placements. According to Moz, some common paid link methods to avoid include:
- Article sponsorships
- Advertorials
- Paid directory listings
- Paid social media posts
Irrelevant Link Text
Anchor text that doesn’t describe the page it’s linking to fails to help search engines understand the context of the link. For example, a link that says “click here” provides no clues about the page’s topic or value. Use descriptive, keyword-relevant anchor text instead.
Links from Low-Quality Sites
Backlinks from spammy, low-authority sites can damage your rankings, according to SearchEngineJournal. Avoid links from pages with thin content, lots of ads, or other shady practices. Focus on links from reputable, trusted domains in your industry.
Large Volumes of Low-Quality Links
Too many low-value links on a page dilutes the impact of quality links, says Backlinko. It also looks unnatural to search engines. Keep link building steady and gradual, with more weight on authoritative editorials over quantity.
Links Out of Context
Backlinks need to occur naturally within relevant content to look natural and pass equity. Avoid out-of-context links like paid blog comments or forum posts with your URL.
Hidden Links
Any links users can’t see, like those hidden in CSS code, won’t get counted by search engines. Make sure links are visible on the live page.
Does this help provide more details on link types to avoid? Let me know if you need any part expanded further.
Conclusion
Did you find this list of link building strategies for SEO helpful? By implementing just a few of these tactics, you can start earning high-value backlinks to boost your site’s authority and search visibility. What worked best for your link building efforts? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! And don’t forget to pass this along if you found it useful.
Our digital marketing agency, NSP Global Services, specializes in data-driven SEO solutions to fuel business growth. From keyword research to technical optimization to link building and beyond, we’ve got you covered. Reach out to learn more about our comprehensive services!
FAQs
1) Why link building is important in SEO?
Link building is crucial for SEO because links act as votes of trust and authority, which can boost rankings. More high-quality links signal credibility and relevance to search engines. Link building also helps drive referral traffic and amplify awareness.
2) Why is linking important for SEO?
Links are key for SEO as they establish authority and relevance which drives higher rankings. More links from reputed sites can improve keyword rankings and referral traffic. Quality links also boost domain authority over time.
3) Does adding links improve SEO?
Yes, adding high-quality links from reputed sites through content, outreach, and partnerships can improve rankings, traffic, and awareness. But links should be earned naturally, not bought. While excessive low-quality links can harm SEO, strategic link building is important for boosting performance.
