What are backlinks? Understand their Importance in SEO

A backlink, also known as an “inbound link” or “incoming link,” is a link from one website to another. Backlinks are important for search engine optimisation (SEO) because they signal to search engines that other websites consider the content on your website to be valuable and relevant. The more high-quality backlinks a website has, the higher it will typically rank in search engine results pages (SERPs).

what are backlinks for SEO

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    Types of backlinks

    There are two main types of backlinks: dofollow and nofollow. A dofollow link is a link that tells search engines to follow and count the link as a vote of confidence for the linked-to website. Dofollow links are considered to be the most valuable type of backlink. On the other hand, a nofollow link is a link that tells search engines not to follow the link and not to count it as a vote of confidence for the linked-to website. Nofollow links are typically used when linking to low-quality or untrusted websites.

    Sourcing backlinks

    A. Link building

    Backlinks can be acquired in a variety of ways. One of the most common ways to acquire backlinks is through link building, which is the process of actively seeking out and acquiring links from other websites. Some common link building strategies include:

    • Guest blogging: Writing and publishing articles on other websites in your industry in exchange for a link back to your website.
    • Broken link building: Finding and reaching out to website owners to inform them of broken links on their website and suggesting they replace the broken links with links to your website.
    • Resource page link building: Finding resource pages in your industry and reaching out to website owners to ask if they would be willing to add a link to your website to their resource page.
    • Skyscraper technique: Finding popular and high-quality content in your industry and creating even better content in the hopes that other websites will link to your content.

    B. Organic backlink acquisition

    Another way to acquire backlinks is through naturally earning them, also known as “organic links.” These are links that are acquired without actively seeking them out. Some common ways to naturally earn backlinks include:

    • Creating high-quality content: If you create high-quality and valuable content, other websites may naturally link to it.
    • Participating in online communities: Participating in online communities in your industry can help you to build relationships with other industry professionals and potentially earn backlinks.
    • Press coverage: Gaining press coverage from reputable sources can lead to backlinks from news websites and other publications.

    Focus on quality

    It is important to note that not all backlinks are created equal. The quality of a backlink is more important than the quantity. A backlink from a reputable and high-authority website is considered to be much more valuable than a backlink from a low-quality or spammy website. Search engines use a variety of factors to determine the quality of a backlink, including the relevance of the linking website, the authority of the linking website, and the anchor text used in the link.

    Internal vs External links

    Backlinks can also be considered in terms of internal and external links. Internal links are links that point to a page within the same website while external links are links that point to a page on a different website. Internal links can help search engines understand the structure of a website, and can help visitors navigate the website easily. External links help search engines understand the popularity of a website and its contents, and also provide visitors with more information about the subject of the website.

    In conclusion, backlinks are an important aspect of SEO. They signal to search engines that other websites consider the content on your website to be valuable and relevant. 

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