What Are Backlinks?

What is the foundation of excellent search engine optimization (SEO)? Backlinks! Backlinks are vital as it relates to the factors of ranking for your website. 

This post will seek to advise you of what backlinks are, the types of backlinks, backlink checkers, and how to get backlinks.

Meaning of Backlinks

Backlinks, otherwise known as inbound links, incoming links, or one-way links, are links on other websites that, when clicked, automatically filters back to your website. In other words, it is a link on another website that sends the viewer directly to your website.


The term inbound link is used to describe backlinks because it stands to signify someone else's website activity being transferred to your website. 


Quality backlinks are a great way to improve your ranking in popular search engines such as Google. 


Your backlinks are your tell-tale sign of just how known your website is amongst our users. 


One-way links really are vetted endorsements for your website. One-way links are most helpful for you when the site the link is being directed from ranks higher than your website or at least at the same level. 


Inbound links coming from a vetted website are a straightforward way for search engines to attract even better value to your website allowing you to level up in page rank.


One-way links are safer than reciprocal links because you can better control the neighborhood your sites become linked to, thus helping you avoid scams. 
​
Backlink's ability to provide your website with natural traffic is more desired and is secured better by Google's influence.   

Types of Backlinks

It's essential to establish the difference between good backlinks from bad backlinks. Quality backlinks boost your website while bad backlinks may start out seeming profitable but, in the end, damages the credibility of your website. 


Here is a list of the best backlinks for your page to the not-so-good ones.



The Best Types of Backlinks (Organic Link Building/DoFollow)


Authentic or good-quality backlinks are the ones that generate and naturally link to your website, as expressed earlier from sound or authoritative sources. 
​

Editorial Backlinks: these are easily categorized as the best type of backlinks. These links are created by credible sources such as bloggers, journalists, or publishers right back to your page.


These types of backlinks are done without your knowledge because the quality of your website speaks volumes for itself.


This is what they refer to as a pure backlink that Goggle and other notable search engines value. 


Relationship-Based Backlinks: this is the amplified version of editorial backlinks in that an existing personal relationship develops these. 


This relationship could be built from conversing with a content writer, blogger, or publicist. The content writer may have been amazed by your ability to help and provide a source that offered great value, and they saw it fit to generate a backlink to your website. 

Niche Directories: Niche Directories are pretty useful because they can provide great backlink opportunities for your website. It is essential that you scribe a variety of descriptions that visitors would find to be insightful. 



High-quality niche directories include best of the web, hotfrog.com, seek on, yellow pages.com, pick n buy, Medline plus, health fitness nutrition, YELP, and all business now. 


Remembering when seeking to make the best of niche directories, automated directory submissions will not amount to positive views from Google because it begins t embody a spam-like nature and possible penalization.


Guest Blogging: This is a genuine way to generate the best backlinks for your website. It may not be as impactful as it was once, but it still yields benefits. 


However, Google has grown very suspicious of guest blogging because of the tendency to only create backlinks on the premise of a technique to push your website instead of truly providing leads and recommendations of high-quality information that may impart actual value for readers.


Backlinks are not the primary aim of guest blogging but rather the by-product of guest blogging. 

Backlinks to Avoid

Header-Footer-Sidebar Links: these backlinks come from headers, footers, and sidebars on websites and are not considered to be of great value in the eyes of Google. Thus, where possible should be avoided. 


Guest Posting at Scale: this type of posting requires much invested time and effort, if you want to use this strategy it is better tohire a guest posting expert. 

Since guest posting takes such a lot of effort many freelancers try to cut corners. 
A common type of this is where a post is written and gets published on the website. From there on, the content is edited by what is known as 'spin,' which gives you the opportunity to develop many modified versions and have them also published in the hopes of acquiring backlinks.


Though it may seem profitable for your website, this type of guest post link building should be avoided because it generates a pattern that Google's artificial intelligence can easily recognize.

Never Consider These Backlinks

Paid Links: even if it's done just for a short period in a limited manner, these should never be used because the Google Algorithm can pinpoint paid links quickly and will count you just as much as an offender as the person who sold you the backlink. 


General Directories: because of their spammy and paid link nature, these should be avoided. They are also quickly identified and accessible for Google to track.


Irrelevant Website Backlinks: these backlinks are generated from irrelevant or unrelated websites. 


These used to rank high by Google but were quickly demoted when there was a system update. 


These are now best when avoided, even if they are easy to acquire. These are a target for Google, especially when they are too much. 


Comment Spam: these can easily be created, but they offer no true organic value for your website, and they come with link-based penalties.


This is also a sure way to be reported by website owners who view you as a nuisance.  ​

SEO Backlinks Examples

SEO Backlinks Examples

Good SEO Backlinks appear in many forms. Here is a list of good SEO backlinks:


Hyperlinked text: this is typically used in written content that links back to your website.
The Actual URL Website: displayed in content acting as a link.
Video and Infographic Embedment these are fun to use, and embedding a link in either a video or an infographic is a sure way to become known.




Backlink Checker
Many backlink checkers start with free trials and you receive the requisite functioning. However, some expire in 30 days and require a renewal at a fee. Here is a list of backlink checkers you can consider:


Monitor Backlinks
Moz
SmallSEOTools
SemRush Backlink Anaysis
SeranKing
Ahrefs

How to Get Backlinks

​Building quality backlinks calls for research. These are some key pointers to keep in mind when acquiring backlinks. 


Quality over Quantity. It's always more important to pay attention to the formulation of quality backlinks than how many backlinks you can generate. Quality ensures that the backlinks are relevant – backlinks that relate directly to your product or service being offered. 


However, be keen and strategic as you can benefit from backlinks that are also on neighboring borders to your brand. For example, if you sell baby books, you don't have to only receive backlinks from publishing houses, but baby stores are also a good option.

  
Authoritative Sites. Benefit from Editorial Websites, many websites that provide backlinks have no actual source of authority. They know how to cheat the system and generate inorganic keywords to manipulate the system. Google can easily recognize this type of behavior. 
​

Free Backlinks

The following free links attached are credible sites with a DoFollow Backlink Type.


https://myblogu.com
https://www.helpareporter.com
https://www.sourcebottle.com
https://www.business2community.com
https://share.bizsugar.com
https://growthhackers.com
http://pen.io

Final Thoughts

Backlinks are a vital aspect of growing your website. It is critical that they are properly generated and more in line with Do Follow or Organic Link Building because these types of backlink carry the true weight of positive influence for your website and ensure recognition by Google and other search engines that are utilized on a regular basis.


The use of Backlink checkers will also help to enhance your backlink management and offer quality backlinks that will prove to improve your website.

Learn SEO At Discounted Rates: