What is Backlink in SEO?

what is backlink?

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What is a Backlink? A Comprehensive Understanding of External Links

A backlink is simply a link from one website to another. Search engines like Google view backlinks as a “positive vote” for a specific page. Pages with more backlinks tend to have higher search rankings and more traffic.

A link, in simple terms, is text or an image that, when clicked, directs a user to another page on the internet. Backlinks play a crucial role in SEO. In this article, we delve into the significance of backlinks, methods for building them, and how to evaluate the value of external links. If you aim to elevate your website’s ranking, this article serves as your guide.

Backlinks come in various types, categorized as follow and no-follow, as well as internal and external links. In this section, we will first define backlinks and then explore their impact on SEO.

The Impact of External Links on SEO: Boosting Your websiteite’s Ranking with Backlinks

Having defined backlinks, we now turn to their impact on SEO. External links directly influence a website’s search engine ranking. When a link is created from one page to another, it signifies the endorsement of the linked content. In other words, search engine crawlers perceive the linked page as valuable and relevant.

To create a valuable page on your website, you must first understand your user’s needs. Then, using SEO techniques, optimize the page to make it clear to search engine bots. To produce valuable content, you need a solid grasp of SEO principles. As a starting point, we recommend reading an article on “What is SEO” to expand your knowledge in this area.

Since the inception of Google’s algorithm, links have been a paramount factor in determining search engine rankings. As Google has confirmed, despite numerous algorithm updates, this factor remains one of the top three determinants of a website’s ranking.

 Backlinks Building: Beyond Domain Authority and Anchor Text

To fully answer the question “What is a backlink?”, we must also explore how to build them. Many people mistakenly believe that purchasing backlinks from any website can send valuable signals to Google’s search bots. However, this practice is likely to result in penalties from Google.

In reality, purchasing backlinks often stems from a lack of understanding of proper backlink building practices. Backlinks acquired from low-quality, spammy websites can negatively impact your own website’s reputation.

When building backlinks, special attention should be paid to the exact words used in the link. This is known as anchor text. In the following sections, we will delve into the concept and significance of anchor text.

Placing backlinks on the website; paying attention to the linked text or Anchor Text

Anchor text refers to the specific text that is hyperlinked to another page. Traditionally, it was common practice to anchor the link to generic words like ‘here’, as in the phrase ‘Click here to enter the website’. However, the term ‘here’ itself served as the anchor text.

However, overlooking anchor text is a critical mistake. When evaluating backlinks, search engine bots pay close attention to the anchor text. The value and relevance transferred to your website are directly tied to the anchor text used. For instance, if your website is linked with the word “book,” your website’s ranking for the keyword “book” will improve. Conversely, if the link uses the word “mobile,” your ranking for the keyword “mobile” will be positively affected.

With Google algorithm updates, the unnatural overuse of a single anchor text has become a red flag for spam detection and can lead to penalties. To avoid this, it’s recommended to use a variety of natural-sounding anchor text variations.

  • Target keywords for SEO such as “website design”.
  • Your brand name, for example, “TURBOMAKE”.
  • A combination of your brand name and target keyword, such as ” TURBOMAKE website design”
  • Generic terms such as “page” or “resource”
  • Long-tail, user-guiding phrases such as “Click here to read the article”

A lack of diversity in your anchor text can signal to search engines that you are manipulating your rankings, resulting in potential penalties.

Transferring value through backlinks; the difference between follow and no-follow backlinks.

How to Determine the Value of a Backlink? The transfer of value from a backlink is primarily determined by whether it is marked as “dofollow” or “nofollow.” By default, all links are considered dofollow unless explicitly marked as nofollow within the HTML code. When Google’s crawlers encounter a nofollow link, they do not pass any link equity or authority to the target page.

Google introduced the concept of PageRank in 1990. At that time, the number of backlinks to a website had a significant impact on its ranking in Google’s search results. By recognizing this factor, SEO specialists and website administrators employed link exchange and link purchasing techniques to improve their website’s position in Google’s search results. With the proliferation of link transactions, Google updated its algorithms and introduced the Penguin algorithm to identify and penalize manipulative websites.

Key Factors Google Uses to Determine Backlink Value

Backlinks from different websites to yours are not considered equal in the eyes of Google. Google attempts to account for various factors when determining the value of a backlink. The most significant of these factors are as follows:

Domain Authority

Domain Authority considers numerous factors to determine a website’s overall authority. These factors include domain age, domain type, the number of incoming backlinks, the number of outgoing links, social media activity, and more. The higher the Domain Authority of a website linking to yours, the more valuable the backlink and the greater its impact on your search engine ranking.

Page Authority

Page Authority is closely related to Domain Authority, but they are different. While a website may have a high Domain Authority, the specific page linking to your website may have a lower Page Authority within that domain. Page Authority is typically determined by a website’s internal linking structure and the backlinks directed specifically to that page.

Pages with strong internal linking typically have higher Page Authority. For instance, pages that are featured in the main navigation menu are often considered the most authoritative pages on a domain.

Various tools can be used to assess Page Authority and Domain Authority. SerpChecker (from mangools.com) and Open Site Explorer (from moz.com) are among the best options.

Number of Outbound Links

Any domain that links to your website is likely to link to other websites as well. As the number of outbound links increases, the authority is distributed among the various linked sites, resulting in a decrease in authority for each link.

Websites that specialize in selling sponsored posts or backlinks typically link to numerous other websites in addition to yours. This practice diminishes the value and authority of such backlinks.

Just as you were curious about the concept of backlinks, it’s equally important to delve deeper into the rules and best practices of purchasing sponsored content. By doing so, you can avoid the risk of Google penalties that often accompany excessive and indiscriminate backlink building.

Thematic Relevance Between Your Website and the Linking website

One factor that Google pays particular attention to, and seeks to incorporate into its search ranking factors, is the thematic relevance between linked pages. For instance, a travel website would not gain significant value or authority from backlinks from download websites. However, if these backlinks originated from websites related to travel, tourism, or ticket purchasing, they would have a more substantial impact on its ranking.

Placement of Backlinks

The placement of a backlink within a website is of significant importance. Your link could be placed within the content of an article, in a sidebar, or even in the footer. Links placed within the content of a page are generally considered more valuable compared to those located in sidebars or footers.

Typically, links placed in the footer or sidebar appear on every page of a website and are commonly referred to as sitewide links. Having your backlink appear on every page of a website can be a red flag for Google’s algorithms, signaling that the link may be artificially inflated or manipulated. In fact, excessive use of sitewide links can trigger penalties from Google’s Penguin algorithm. Consequently, SEO experts generally consider sponsored content or guest posting to be more valuable than purchasing backlinks or text ads.

Creating Valuable Content: The Secret to Earning Natural Backlinks

This article provided a comprehensive answer to the question “What is a backlink?” Undoubtedly, acquiring backlinks and implementing a sound internal linking strategy can significantly improve your website’s ranking in Google’s search results. However, before embarking on this journey, it’s essential to have a thorough understanding of the appropriate techniques and Google’s guidelines. Mistakes in this area can have detrimental consequences, leading to penalties from Google.

While strong backlinks can significantly boost a website’s SEO, choosing the wrong sites and building low-quality links can lead to a loss in rankings. Therefore, paying attention to the aforementioned tips and employing SEO techniques to create valuable content and earn natural backlinks can be the key to your success.

Many business owners seek backlinks to achieve faster growth; however, backlinks are not the sole driver of SEO success. You can experience substantial SEO growth through comprehensive website optimization. TURBOMAKE’s SEO services encompass optimization, strategy development, and content creation.

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