Standing out in today’s crowded marketplace means finding fresh ways to attract new customers. You probably already know about SEO and how it can help bring more qualified traffic to your site by boosting your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). But let’s be honest—SEO isn’t exactly simple, and small business owners often struggle to wrap their heads around all the ranking factors that determine their placement, which directly impacts their web traffic.
One of the biggest factors? Backlinks. They play a critical role in SEO because they show search engines like Google that your site has authority, especially when other reputable websites link to it. So, what’s backlinking all about? Having a solid backlink strategy can make all the difference in your SERP rankings. The more high-quality backlinks you score, the higher you can climb in those search results.
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If you’re not super familiar with SEO, you might be wondering, “What exactly is a backlink?” Simply put, it’s a link from someone else’s website to yours. Quality backlinks can help boost your ranking on search engines, which increases your visibility and brings more traffic your way.
Backlinking is just one part of the SEO puzzle. Since it happens outside your website, it falls under “off-page SEO.” In contrast, “on-page SEO” focuses on what’s on your site. Think of backlinks like endorsements; they’re like other websites giving your content a thumbs-up, suggesting people check it out to learn more about a certain topic.
Ultimately, search engines use backlinks to gauge your website’s authority and relevance for different search queries. The more authoritative your content, the more Google rewards you. That’s why backlinking is so important for SEO success.
Why are backlinks important?
Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s talk about why backlinks matter so much. Backlinks help grow your website’s presence in various ways. If you want to land on the first page of SERPs, you need to outshine the competition. The tricky part? Most small businesses are already doing some form of SEO. But often, their focus is limited to on-page efforts, like adding keywords to website content, hoping to rank higher and drive traffic.
Backlinks give your site a boost because search engines see them as votes of confidence from other sites. The more you have, the better your chances of ranking well for specific search terms. Of course, backlinks aren’t the only ranking factor—things like on-page SEO and site speed matter too—but they definitely help.
In addition to improving your rankings, backlinks can make it easier for search engines to find your site by guiding them to your pages. Plus, they might send direct referral traffic your way. If someone is reading a popular site that links to you, they could click through to learn more.
Backlinks can even improve your domain authority. While it’s not an official Google ranking factor, many SEO tools use this metric to help businesses compare themselves to competitors. The higher your domain authority, the better your chances of snagging top spots in SERPs. So even though domain authority doesn’t directly affect rankings, tracking it can give you a sense of whether your efforts are paying off.
Lastly, backlinks help raise brand awareness. You should always aim to attract new customers, and earning backlinks from reputable websites with large audiences can introduce your brand to more people.
Are there any downsides to backlinking?
While backlinking is essential for SEO, it can backfire if you don’t follow the rules. Search engines like Google have guidelines about how you should build backlinks, and breaking them can hurt your rankings.
Overdoing backlink building can come across as spammy. Years ago, marketers abused the system by buying backlinks, so search engines started cracking down on low-quality links. If you get too many backlinks too quickly, search engines might think you’re using shady SEO tactics (like black hat SEO), which could lead to penalties. Toxic backlinks, for instance, might come from untrustworthy sites or have identical anchor text, both of which raise red flags.
And while backlinks are crucial, they’re not everything. Focusing too much on building links without creating quality content that meets users’ needs and includes relevant keywords won’t get you far.
Building good backlinks also takes time and effort. Many people who try to do it themselves end up connecting with low-quality sites, which can hurt their rankings instead of helping. Instead of chasing a large number of backlinks, focus on acquiring high-quality ones from reputable, popular sites.
What makes a good backlink?
Not all backlinks are created equal. Understanding what makes a good backlink can help you craft a winning strategy. The best backlinks are relevant, come from authoritative sources, and generate referral traffic.
First, you want backlinks from websites that are relevant to your niche. If you’re selling dog products, for example, it makes sense to seek backlinks from dog-related blogs. The audience there is much more likely to click on your link than, say, readers of a fashion blog.
Authority is key, too. Backlinks from well-established sites are more valuable because they pass on their authority to your site. Keep in mind, though, that authority isn’t everything—traffic matters too. The more traffic a site gets, the more likely it is to send some your way. Still, backlinks from high-traffic pages don’t always mean better rankings.
The type of backlink matters as well. There are two main types: dofollow and nofollow. Dofollow links carry more weight in SEO, so prioritize getting those. However, nofollow links can still be useful and add some authority, so don’t completely ignore them.
Lastly, think about the anchor text—the words that get hyperlinked to your site. Believe it or not, the text matters. Keyword-stuffed anchor texts can look suspicious to search engines, so it’s best to keep them natural and relevant.
The bigger picture
At the end of the day, backlinking is all about driving traffic to your website by helping your pages rank higher. But don’t lose sight of the real goal—bringing more people to your site. If your backlinks aren’t delivering traffic, they’re not doing their job. Focus on using backlinks to increase visibility and traffic, rather than just trying to manipulate search engines.
Don’t forget about external links
If you’ve been working on your SEO, you’re probably familiar with backlinks and internal links. Backlinks boost your authority, and internal links help search engines understand your site’s structure. But there’s a third type of link to keep in mind: external links. These are links from your site to another, and although they take users away from your page, they can actually benefit your SEO.
External links help build credibility by citing your sources and showing search engines that your content is relevant and helpful. If you’re looking to improve your overall SEO strategy, tools like Digital Cornerstone can make backlink building easier by helping you identify target sites for outreach. You can also attract backlinks passively by creating high-quality, authoritative content. Digital Cornerstone’s website builder can help you keep your blog and landing pages fresh and optimized, making your SEO efforts even more effective.
